In Praise of Audiobooks for Children

If you haven't listened to any children's audiobooks lately, you may be pleasantly surprised at what you find. Increasingly, in audiobooks for children, the reading is done by the author or a professional actor. In some cases, in audio books for younger children, it is accompanied by music and sound effects appropriate to the story. Some audiobooks for children include a number of actors to create a full cast of characters.

Where Can You Find Children's Audiobooks?

You can borrow or download audiobooks (also known as audio books) for children from your public library, and, increasingly, download them from online bookstores and other sites. There are free online recordings available, audiobooks you can download for a fee and services to which you can subscribe. Many children's publishers have an audio division.

For example, Houghton Mifflin publishes book and CD/cassette tape sets for younger children. Each audiobook includes sound effects, music, and professional narrators. Generally, there are two versions, one that includes page-turn signals and one that contains an uninterrupted reading. Titles include such classics as Curious George and Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel.

Random House's Listening Library publishes a great many audiobooks for kids in the following categories: Young Listeners (Preschool-2nd grade), Middle Grade (3rd-6th grade) and Young Adult (7th grade & up). Like many publishers, Random House provide audio excerpts for their audiobooks on their Listening Library Web site.

Previewing an Audio Book for Your Child

When you preview an audio book for your child, consider the following:

• Is the reader's voice both pleasant and appropriate for the subject matter?
• If there is music, is it in keeping with the text or does it detract from the words; is it too loud?
• Do the sound effects, if any, enhance the story?
• If the audio book is presented by a cast, are their voices appropriate for the ages and characters they represent?
• If the narrator is also the book's author, don't assume it will be a good reading. Not all wonderful writers are wonderful readers, although many are.

The Benefits of Audiobooks for Children

I was amazed (and irritated) to have someone tell me, "Audiobooks make kids lazy and not want to read." That's ridiculous. Children go through a number of years when their reading ability is lower than their intellectual capacity. That's when it's particularly important to read aloud to your children and expose them to children's audiobooks. There are a lot of benefits to listening to audiobooks, and these include:

• Improving listening and comprehension skills,
• Increasing vocabulary,
• Learning the proper pronunciation of words,
• Learning to "see" a story by using imagination instead of illustrations,
• Getting motivated to read more by an author they've been introduced to through an audiobook,
• Engaging a child's interest in a way that a parent reading aloud may not, and
• Providing an enjoyable family activity.

Recommended Children's Audiobooks

Finally, just to whet your appetite for audio books for your children, from young kids to teens, here are some recommendations:

Best Children's Audiobooks to Enjoy While Traveling or at Home

Quick Pick List of Top Audio Books for Teenagers.