Audiobooks for all

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, October 2017; written by Ann Marie Meiresonne.

Consider audiobooks as a read aloud for your children of all ages, yourself and/or the family together. Reading aloud has been shown to be the most important activity for eventual success in reading for children. However, not all families have the time or make the time to read aloud. Time constraints of families can find long rides in the car, long waits for activities and tired eyes at the end of the day great reasons to use your ears to read. Experts say “ audiobooks enhance literacy skills by building vocabulary, expanding comprehension capabilities, encouraging independence and providing models for fluent reading” ( Listening to Learn: Audiobooks supporting Literacy by Sharon Grover and Lizette D Hannegan). Not only do audiobooks encourage these skills they will introduce readers to some great stories. Research also has shown that Audiobooks aid reluctant readers and English language learners. As for enthusiastic readers they enjoy listening also as they can complete different activities and enjoy a good story.

Audiobooks, both low tech and high tech, are available with your Ketchikan Public Library account. Compact discs need a CD player, or may be played in a DVD player as they have the dual capability to play movies and music/audiobooks. Playaways, which are basically an MP3 player with one book recorded, are available at the library in adults, teens and children’s. All you need is a triple A battery and a pair of earbuds. Digitally the Ketchikan Public Library has Alaska Digital Library as a resource with numerous audiobooks on file. Using an app to download these titles is fairly simple or if you wish to listen with a web browser that too is possible if you own a smart phone, tablet or computer. There are also commercial audiobook services for a cost available through the internet.

Concerned about titles to listen to? There are lists of award winners from the American Library Association which has the annual Odyssey Awards, the Audio Publishers Association with multiple awards, and Guys Listen is a site with great lists for encouraging male youth to enjoy reading. Browsing our shelves and Alaska Digital Library in adult, teen and children categories is a great start to see what is available.

Ask an audiobook user for suggestions. Some of my all-time favorite children titles include The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett read by Finola Hughes (I can never recreate the accents so well as this narrator), The Redwall series by Brian Jacques read by Full Cast Productions featuring Brian Jacques, The Black Stallion by Walter Farley read by Frank Muller to name a few older titles and of course Harry Potter titles by JK Rowling read by the award winning Jim Dale.

There are numerous new titles available and some remakes. I have yet to listen to Treasure Island, the 2007 remake with Alfred Molina’s narration which received a 2008 Odyssey award is excellent from what I understand. The list goes on with great new book titles, too! Come check them out.

A couple of facts about audiobooks: that 85% of learning derives from listening, 30% of people are auditory learners, students can listen and comprehend 2 grade levels above their reading level and audiobooks increase kids motivation by 67%. However, building readers does require adults to talk about books, model reading of books and to read aloud and/or listen to books teaching that reading IS important and enjoyable!