Blogging A to Z: Audiobooks

Introduction

It’s April 1st which means it’s the first day of the 2022 Blogging A to Z Challenge! As I mentioned in my theme reveal post, this is my seventh (!) year participating in the challenge. And I’m really excited about my theme this year. Reaching reluctant readers is definitely one of my passions. These are the kids that are typically dragged into the library by a parent and have absolutely no desire to be there. These kids, to me, allow me to stretch my reference skills as we search for absolutely anything that they might find as something they could take home to try.

There is a myriad of reasons why a child might be considered a reluctant reader. They might find reading difficult either due to a disability or not having enough practice. They might find it boring, which just means they haven’t quite found the right book yet. And they might just not like reading as a way to spend time. Throughout, the month, I’ll be diving deeper into some of the reasons behind this reluctance. But, more importantly, ways to reach these readers where they are and to find ways to share the power of an amazing story. Today, we’re starting with the letter A – Blogging A to Z: Audiobooks!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

A is for Audiobooks

As for today, let’s dive right in! If you’ve got a child who finds text-heavy novels to be a little daunting, you know, books with very few illustrations and lots of text try an audiobook instead. Or even better, pair it with the text. This way, students are visually seeing the words, while also hearing them out loud.

I’ll be the first to admit that audiobooks are not my favorite way to consume literature. I don’t have a very long commute to work, so an audiobook doesn’t really work in this instance. I also am not a huge fan of earbuds or headphones, so listening while I’m out gardening or doing chores around the house isn’t great either. Plus, and I think this is the main reason, I’m a very quick reader. And it takes so much longer to listen to a book, for me, than it does to read it myself.

Audiobook Suggestions

But some people consume audiobooks! But how do you know what audiobook is right for you or your child? If you’re looking for suggestions, because not all audiobooks are created equally, check out the Odyssey Award. The Odyssey Award is an “annual award [that] will be given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.”

You can also check out the Notable Children’s Recordings, a list of many titles that a committee selects each year. “The Notable Children’s Recordings list includes recordings for children 14 years of age and younger of especially commendable quality that demonstrate respect for young people’s intelligence and imagination; exhibit venturesome creativity; and reflect and encourage the interests of children and young adolescents in exemplary ways.”

Narrators are important when it comes to an audiobook. You’d think an author narrating their own book should be good, and it can be, but sometimes it just doesn’t work as well. Some narrators’ voices will bother you, others you’ll listen to anything they narrate because their work is amazing! You can also search for full cast narration which means that you have more than one person narrating the story – often a different person for each character!

Where to find Audiobooks?

Okay, finally where can you find audiobooks? The first answer is going to be obvious – your local library! Most, if not all, libraries have an audiobook collection, hopefully on CD, maybe on a device called a Playaway (which only required a AAA battery and some headphones). Your local public library may also have audiobooks online through a resource like OverDrive or Hoopla. These can be downloaded straight to a device for your child to listen to. This works really well because there are typically no late fees for these downloads and you don’t even have to find time to get to the library, you can download these books at home!

You can also check out Audible, which is an Amazon platform. Or you could check out Libro FM, if you’re interested in supporting independent bookstores. But, first, definitely check out the library! You’ll find that audiobooks are expensive because of the time it takes to produce them. So seeing if you like them first through the library is a great idea.

If you’re interested in purchasing through Audible, please use my affiliate links for Amazon. When you purchase from the links above, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.

For the month of April, I’ll be sharing tips for reaching reluctant readers as part of the Blogging A to Z Challenge. There are dozens of reasons why a child might be considered a “reluctant reader.” As summer nears, continued reading practice helps students to keep the reading skills they learned while reading for fun. But, that’s not easy when a child doesn’t want to sit down and read. I’ll be sharing 26 tips to meet reluctant readers where they are. And hopefully find a way to make reading bearable, if not even something they want to do!