I have three kids. They love stories, but they hate long car rides. And we haven't yet succumbed to giving them their own iPods or personal gaming device, even though they have threatened to call child services about this travesty of justice.

Instead, we have discovered the key to peaceful, happy road trips: audio books. Having tried a lot of them, I thought I'd share our favorites. And when I say "our", I mean both the kids and the grown ups get caught up in these narratives, and the miles melt away until we seem to magically arrive at our destination, our familial relations in tact. Hope they keep your family rolling along as well....

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (audio CD, downloadable)
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (audio CD, downloadable)
James and the Giant Peach, particularly delightful due to the performance of Jeremy Irons (audio CD, downlodable)
My Father's Dragon (audio CD)
Magic Hoofbeats (Book and CD)
Barefoot Book of Faeries (Book and CD)

Incidentally, any Roald Dahl title is sure to be a winner. His characters and their voices and dialogue are a pure joy to listen to, for kids and parents alike.