Audiobooks

I love them. I am constantly listening to one in my car and have listened to about 10 this year alone with my sons (thank God for the ipod jack in my car). We've listened to books they never would have read (Henry Huggins) on their own--and they've loved them. I listened to five different books this summer and was cruising along nicely when one of my friends told me that audiobooks "didn't count as reading." Wow, did that piss me off. For one thing, how many people would listen to a book, then turn around and read that same book? None that I know. Also, I have documented how audiobooks helped me get over the hump in starting books I have always heard good things about...three series come to mind that I listened to the first two books, then had to go out and either buy or check out the third so I could get done faster (His Dark Materials, Airborn and The Mortal Instruments). And in the case of my son (just starting the sixth grade) I could hear his fluency increase once we started listening to books in the car (Neil Patrick Harris does the Henry Huggins books, what could be more awesome). Also, some books are just better as audiobooks (I know I wouldn't have lasted reading Pride and Prejuidice and Zombies, but listening to it was great)! And some are just not great--I didn't like the reader on The Wizard Heir, so I decided to read it rather than listen.

Anyway, this year in my library I am going to purchase more playaways and I wanted to get my teachers on board with using them. I came across this article today--good stuff indeed!

Okay, rant over!