by Melaina Maraldi, Children’s Services Manager
Many of us remember being read to as a child; it was wonderful! Some of my favorite grade school memories are of my 3rd grade teacher reading the BFG by Roald Dahl to our class. She had been a member of Second City in Chicago, and therefore was magical with the voices she did for different characters. The entire class would sprawl out on the rug, with the lights dimmed, transfixed while we were transported to another world with the sound of her voice as she read. It was hands down the best 30 minutes of each day. She also read us Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits, and The Witches that year. We clearly had a Roald Dahl theme, and we were okay with that!
Many adults may forget about the magic of read aloud, and don’t consider the option of listening to a book instead of reading a book. However, audiobooks can be just as captivating for adults as they are for children. Do I still love to pick up an actual book and read? Yes! But there are some books and series I prefer in audiobook form, because I become immersed in the story in a unique way! A book club I was in read The Goldfinch by Donna Tart. I was the only member who listened to the audiobook. During our discussion, everyone bemoaned the Las Vegas section, saying it had been so difficult to slog through. I on the other hand had loved it! The narration had really brought me to that desolate scene, and I felt everything so intensely, it was like I was there with the characters. It was interesting to see how my opinion was so different from the rest of the group. Listening to the book had really made my experience with the story so different from everyone else’s!
Audiobooks can transport you into the rich, visual, imagery created by your favorite authors. I like to describe listening to an audiobook as akin to watching a movie with your eyes closed. Some books like Monster by Walter Dean Myers, even have multiple narrators, making it especially engaging. Davina Porter narrates the Outlander series exceptionally well, creating different voices for different characters. So many amazing stories are brought to life by incredibly thoughtful and engaging readers.
Not only does the library offer audiobooks on CD, but we also offer eAudiobooks, which can be downloaded to your phone/kindle/iPad/computer through Libby or hoopla. eAudiobooks are amazing and so much more versatile than CD audiobooks. Search for audiobooks in Hoopla or Libby, borrow and download directly to your device, then connect your device to your car, your home stereo, or your earbuds, and get lost in the magic of narration! The library also offers Wonderbooks in our Children’s department. Wonderbooks allow kids to read along while listening.
Do you have a reluctant reader in your house? Audiobooks are as beneficial for kids as reading an actual book. Did you know audiobooks expose kids to a vast world of vocabulary, imagination, and storytelling? Listening to audiobooks can enhance writing skills because kids can focus solely on what they hear, instead of potentially being bogged down by the act of reading. For some, this alternate form of book “reading” is a wonderful opportunity to absorb language and expand horizons.
Next time you are browsing for a good book, try the audiobook version! I have such a long list of amazing titles I have enjoyed via audiobook. In fact, I will often listen to an entire series on audiobook once the first title hooks me! Which reminds me, I should check in with my third-grade teacher Maureen, with whom I am still in contact, to see if she has ever professionally narrated a book because that would be worth listening to!