You know I love audio books, so I couldn’t drop the subject without one more list of them.
Last week I made my top ten list of audio books for younger kids, so I thought I should follow it up with a top ten list for the older elementary crowd.
- Narnia. You’re never too old for Narnia.
- Tom Sawyer. Southern dialect is a good thing to outsource.
- Huck Finn. Get the one done by Elijah Wood!
- Pilgrim’s Progress. The archaic language makes this one a good choice for audio done by a good reader.
- The Hobbit. Get Rob Ingil’s version, not the dramatized one.
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. You can’t skip the songs if you’re listening to the audio book!
- Ivanhoe. The old dialects make this a good one to delegate, but the story is basic and action-packed.
- Story of the World.
- Johnny Tremain
- The Black Arrow
Audio books are great for sick days, for Lego-playing afternoons, and for car trips. With an audio book, an older student can experience a book that might be difficult for him to read on his own, yet is certainly able to enjoy the story itself (like Ivanhoe). With an audio book, they can “read” while keeping their hands busy.
Find all my Audible tips & tricks listed here!
If there’s a book you think your older child “should” read, but it seems intimidating, try it on an audio book. In fact, I just used an Audible credit to buy a performance of Robert Fitzgerald’s translation of The Iliad in anticipation of next year’s studies.
The great thing about audio books is that the professional recordings really are “performances” more than readings. Even if it is not a dramatized version (I tend to dislike those), and there’s only one reader, a well-done recording adds interpretation and extra drama into the story that makes it more understandable than even reading it to yourself. An audiobook also slows you down and makes you hear every word, making them an excellent supplement for strong readers, who do tend to skip and skim as they go.
Get a free audible credit, wring the most out of it, and see if you aren’t quickly addicted yourself.