(This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up for Audible through your Amazon
Prime account, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!)
We obviously do a a decent amount of reading physical books around here, but we're big audio book fans as well. I still get the occasional book-on-CD from the library, but in the past year or so we've gravitated more and more toward Audible. It's by far, my favorite resource for quality audio lit.
I'm so grateful that my mom clued me in to this amazing library. I believe it's a must-have for book lovers, literary families, and homeschooling families. In case you're not familiar with Amazon's Audible feature, I'd like to give you five great reasons why you should sign up now!
(1) New Audible users (existing Amazon Prime members)
get their first 6 months at 40% off!!!!
get their first 6 months at 40% off!!!!
Click here for the discount on a new Audible gold account :)
What exactly is Audible? It's a monthly subscription to audio books. Your monthly payment (see above link for discount!!) buys you credits to use towards any audio book in the audio library. You also have the option of buying titles outright (it makes sense to do this for books that cost less than the monthly subscription. See my link to a great list at the end of this post.) Once you buy a title, it is yours for good. You can listen to it on your phone or other device. When you're done listening, you can remove it from the device to conserve storage space, but it remains in your library for the next time you want to use it!
(2) Audible is tops for convenient, on-the-go literary entertainment.
One of the first things I do before we leave on a car trip (long road trip, or short day trip) is stock up on audio books. I know from experience that it's asking for trouble to bring library books-on-CD on vacations out of state or on day trips to the local park or beach. Audible to the rescue! There's no losing CD's in the bowels of the van, no changing discs while trying to drive, no worry that gritty sand will ruin library property. With Audible, just plug in to your car's audio system, and go!
Related - Even though library CD's are "free," they were not-so-free when my kids have inadvertently scratched or broken a couple. It really stinks to buy a brand new copy of Prince Caspian and Little House in the Big Woods and then just hand it over to the librarian with a sheepish apology..... In hindsight, I wish I would have just spent that money on an Audible edition in the first place.
(3) Listening to audio books in the car significantly reduces sibling squabbling.
I have conducted many scientific experiments and this is a proven fact - listening to audio books in the car nearly wipes out sibling car-ride squabbling. Everyone is too wrapped up in the story to worry about who's breathing on them or who's eyes glanced in their direction.
(4) Audio books can occasionally free up the usually enthusiastic Read-Aloud mom.
Don't get me wrong. I'm in favor of Mom (or Dad, or Grandma, or older sibling, or babysitter... you get the idea) sitting down with a book in hand and a bunch of kids on her lap and reading out loud. I do this a lot. And I love it. Having a service like Audible does not replace read aloud time in our home. However, of you're like me and want to expose your kids to lots of great stories and a variety of authors and genres, and if your kids are like my kids and they looooove to listen to stories.... sometimes a tired out mom just can't keep up. Audible provides a healthy and much needed break for me when my read-aloud mojo is waning. You'll appreciate the break too!
Additionally, when I listen to an audio book along side my family, I feel like more like a fellow consumer of entertainment (as opposed to the provider ;) ) It's fun to belly laugh or gasp in anticipation along with the rest of the listening crowd. It's enjoyable to let someone else do the voices for a change. It's a different kind of "reading" experience. And I like it :)
(5) Audio books can help reduce screen time.
This is big for us, especially as we're having a daytime TV free summer. I had been in the habit of putting on Netflix for a rainy afternoon or for when a couple kids were sick. But we've broken out of that habit and most everyone chooses audio books during a lull in the day. We definitely do the old-fashion family gathered around the radio thing. I keep a bin of quiet activities (puzzles, coloring, arranging activities, etc...) in the living room and they're available for the kids to use while listening to stories. This summer we've been listening to Swallows and Amazons, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (just my big boys), and The Cottage at Bantry Bay. And I've got plenty more lined up for when those are done because Audible recently had a great sale on titles for kids and I stocked up :)
So are you convinced yet? How about a trial? Don't forget - click here to sign up!
Wondering what you should order first?? There are two things that stand out to me because we all agree listening to them is better than reading aloud. The first is A Bear Called Paddington because Stephen Fry reading it is just *perfection.* He nails the dry humor of ridiculous situations. But he's British, so... And the second is the series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. Katherine Kellgren does the best voices and howling and it's infinitely more enjoyable to listen to her do those things than attempt them myself!
Looking for more ideas?? Here are two posts from the archives you can check out --
Sarah Stewart and David Small
Brian Wildsmith
Jim Arnosky
Dahlov Ipcar
*****
Wondering what you should order first?? There are two things that stand out to me because we all agree listening to them is better than reading aloud. The first is A Bear Called Paddington because Stephen Fry reading it is just *perfection.* He nails the dry humor of ridiculous situations. But he's British, so... And the second is the series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. Katherine Kellgren does the best voices and howling and it's infinitely more enjoyable to listen to her do those things than attempt them myself!
Looking for more ideas?? Here are two posts from the archives you can check out --
(I checked the old links -- nearly all the prices are still the same, and some are cheaper now!)
This is an old list. I still recommend everything on it, but we sure have added A LOT more to our list since then :)
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Our Summer Author/Illustrator Binges:
Sarah Stewart and David Small
Brian Wildsmith
Jim Arnosky
Dahlov Ipcar
*****
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| (Listening to A Little Princess) |
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| (listening to Mr. Midshipman Hornblower) |
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