Summer is a popular time for families to take road trips together. To help pass the time pleasantly, try taking an audio book; it sure beats hearing for the hundredth time, “Are we there yet?” Airborn by Kenneth Oppel has just been released on CD. This book was recommended to me by another librarian who loved it, I loved it, my husband loved it, and my nephew loved it. It is recommended for grades 6 through 10 but seems to appeal to everyone.
Matt Cruse is a cabin boy aboard a luxury airship which travels across the Atlanticus and Pacificus oceans when he helps to rescue a dying sailor on a tattered hot air balloon. The man raves of cloud colored creatures who drift through the skies. When Matt meets the sailor’s bold granddaughter Kate he realizes the creatures are real, not the delusions of a dying man. From there the excitement builds like an Indian Jones adventure. Kate’s voyage to discover the origins of the mysterious creatures is interrupted by a pirate crew that forces the airship to land on a desert island. And the adventures are just beginning…

If you don’t do audio books, make sure to read the book, then share it with a friend.