When I was in high school, my boyfriend (now husband!) bought me a copy of Margaret Wise Brown’s “The Runaway Bunny.” Because I adored children’s literature–and he wasn’t too bad either–I treasured this charming story of a young rabbit determined to break free from his mother’s strong, yet caring grasp. After we had kids of our own, I relished the moment I could share this quietly beautiful, timeless tale with our girls. Because I can practically recite this story backwards and forwards, it has earned a well-deserved spot on their bookshelf. As much as I do love it, like any parent, who doesn’t tire of reading the same story over and over? (Ah, the curse of introducing your kids to it in the first place!) For any mom or dad who could use a bit of reprieve from all that reading comes a new audiobook with plenty of star power. This holiday season, GPR Records releases Catherine Zeta-Jones narrating “The Runaway Bunny,” Michael Douglas reading “The Story of Babar” and English baritone Mark Stone singing “Goodnight Moon.” The soothing voices of this Hollywood husband/wife duo are balanced by Stone’s rich vocals, creating a CD that will calm any crying babe and relax a frazzled caregiver to boot. Available on CD or as an MP3 download, we think it makes for a welcome gift that any young family will appreciate.
In a Nutshell: Hollywood turns into Dreamland as a handful of celebrated stars lend their voices to classic children’s stories.
