Audiobooks

Several years ago, I took a job teaching GED courses in a nearby town and the commute was 20-30 minutes each way. As a result, I fell in love with audiobooks. I had used audiobooks before, but primarily when going on trips with my ES. We would listen to Hank the Cowdog episodes (numerous to choose from and absolutely hilarious to listen to). Our local library where we lived at the time had almost every Hank the Cowdog tape ever made. Back then, with only one child, I made numerous six hour jaunts to visit my brother and sil, when they lived in MN. We listened to other gems, too (which I will probably comment on more extensively in future posts), by Kate DiCamilla and Richard Peck and many others.

But, when I had the car all to myself and almost an hour two nights a week - it became such a treat to begin a new audiobook. My old library (where we lived in DeKalb, IL) had wonderful selections to choose from. Prior to our move, I actually went to have a last nostalgic look at the titles of books I had heard from tapes and CDs in their collection (many of which, I cannot find here in IN). There are some series of books which I will only read if I can hear them read aloud on an audiobook. For example, the #1 Ladies Detective Agency books, by Alexander McCall Smith, are too perfect with the narrator they have chosen. I get the true feel for Precious Ramotswe's Botswanan character by hearing them read with an accent. The same is true of the Shopaholic series, because the British accent is fantastic to listen to. I have listened to several by Maeve Binchy for the same reason. But, oftentimes, I will pick up an audiobook from the children's/young adult section of the library (since some of my own writing has been young adult fiction). I can listen to these when my children are in the vehicle, without any concerns.

My first book for 2008 was an audiobook by Lois Lowery called Gossamer. I have been a big fan of Lois Lowery for several years now and really enjoyed her trilogy (The Giver, and its two sequels) on cd. This one was not as good as the trilogy, but in a similar vein. It is the story of two dream-givers who bestow dreams on an old woman and an angry young boy. It is a very simple story and I enjoyed the lyrical tone which Lowery uses. She has a gift for words. I once read a short story (in a book I can't even remember) which she had written when she was very young and I was absolutely blown away by the depth of her writing at such a young age. It was a story about a stable boy. I will have to dig it up (I copied it and saved it - if only I were more organized!). It had such a strong impact on me. Gossamer wasn't one of her best, but it was enjoyable to listen to and a good one to read aloud to a class if you are a teacher and have any students whom you feel might be struggling with child abuse issues.

The opportunity to read aloud to students (or my own children) has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. When my ES began 1st grade, I took a job as an individual assistant at his elementary school (despite being a trained high school English teacher). A few teachers there allowed me to read-aloud to the students and it was always a tremendous joy. I read The Inkdrinker Series to a 3rd grade class and they would leap to the circle when Ms. M announced "Time for Inkdrinker." The 5th grade teacher I worked with allowed me to do almost all of the read-alouds for the year (something I will always cherish). The connection you make with students when you read a good book aloud is PRICELESS!

My ES no longer appreciates it when I share good literature with him (his shame, really), but my MS is just beginning to request more than picture books and has a voracious appetite for read-alouds. Last Monday, we started Little House in the Big Woods and finished it today. I plan to keep a log of the books I read in 2008. I would love to keep a list of books read with MS and YS, but I'm worried that it would be too time-consuming to list all the books we read. So, for now, I will keep track of mine and merely mention the little boys' books from time to time. To all my new blog readers (all two of you, so far, whom I have mentioned this to), have a lot of happy reads in 2008!