Listen to Any Good Books Lately?
Did you know that June is audio book month? Audio books are a big part of our homeschooling and I have written about my take on them here and here.
I currently have 3 audio books going for the boys in the car. All 3 of us are listening to Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (author of the Percy Jackson series) and it made our recent trip to the Outer Banks very entertaining. We all highly recommend it. Jason and I are finishing up Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud (author of the Bartimaeous Trilogy). I picked it up not knowing anything other than it was written by Jonathan Stroud and we both have been completely captivated by it. Can’t wait to find out how it ends. Kyle and I are making our way through the second book in the Chrestomanci Chronicles, The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones. I fell in love with these books (and with Diana Wynne Jones) when I read them a few years ago to Jason. It is fun to be introducing them to Kyle (and I am thoroughly enjoying them a second time around).
I have a couple of audio books going myself. I recently returned to my “comfort book,” Pride and Prejudice. I love it because I can fall asleep while listening and not worry about missing out on anything. I also have several books and talks by Pema Chodron that I like to use to center my thinking and get back on top of life when I need to.
I am actually surprised by how much I enjoy audio books. I am not an overly auditory person but in the right circumstances (usually in the car or while cleaning) I find they are perfect. Of course now that means that I not only have to decide whether I want to own the book, but also whether I want to own the audiobook. Some books are no brainers, like Terry Pratchett’s Wee Free Men. If ever there was a book that shines as an audiobook, it is this one. There is no way that I could ever do justice to the Nac Mac Feegles brogue and Stephen Briggs’ reading is just spot on. Audio books tend to get a lot of use here (by both me and the boys), so the investment is worth it.
This summer, starting July 1, Sync (an online community that seeks to build an audience for audio books among readers 13 and up) will be giving away 2 free downloads each week of a popular YA title paired with a classic title. There are some good titles listed…if we did not already own Hunger Games, that would be the first one I would grab. Thanks to AudioBooker for the heads up.
Hope you find something good to listen to!
