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Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

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Original poster

Audiobooks - Good thing or Bad thing???

33 replies

jobnockey · 06/05/2021 09:39

12yo DS has asked me if I can join Audible for him so he can listen to a book before bed. Just wondering what opinions are on audiobooks vs 'real' books? I'd prefer him to actually read rather than listen but that may be because its my preference (didn't really get on with Audible...)

He has always read a fair amount (I get him a lot of books, perhaps too many!) but he's definitely been reading for pleasure less since starting secondary school, and will only pick a book up when made to really.

Are audiobooks a good way of keeping him hooked or will it put him off the effort of reading more?

What's the consensus?

OP posts:

lazylinguist · 06/05/2021 09:52

If he's already not really reading out of choice, it's probably better that he experiences books via Audible than not at all or only when made to. Hopefully the more he enjoys them, the more likely he is to keep on with enjoying books in the long run in any format.

Incidentally, like you,I didn't get on with Audible mysef. That is until I started learning a new language. For some reason I much prefer to read than listen in English, but listening to foreign audiobooks is an absolutely brilliant way of learning!

ILoveMondayMornings · 06/05/2021 09:59

Nothing wrong with Audiobooks. Back in the day mine listens to story CD's. Both avid readers still as adults.

Moonlaserbearwolf · 06/05/2021 10:08

Audiobooks are amazing (apart from the ones where the narrator is bad!)
He may be too tired to read at bedtime and this is a way of consuming a story without having to read.
They are a brilliant complement to reading as a child may understand nuances they they would miss if they were reading the words themselves. My DD often reads a book and then listens to the same book on audio - that seems to work well.

LindaEllen · 06/05/2021 10:12

I think at 12 it's fine. I would be wary of offering it as an alternative to younger children who need the practice of reading, but if he's already losing heart with sitting there with a physical book, but he still wants to hear the stories, I honestly don't see the problem. It's better than nothing!

Talipesmum · 06/05/2021 10:13

It’s all books. I’m listening a lot more than reading at the moment. It moves in cycles for me. Definitely worth a try I’d have thought!

Original poster

jobnockey · 06/05/2021 11:00

Thanks all - Seems like it won't hurt! (apart from the £7.99 a month subscription fee of course - that's fairly painful).

OP posts:

Blackcountryexile · 09/05/2021 17:50

In some areas you can join the library and borrow audio books for free. There is a pictorial catalogue of the available audiobooks on the library service website.

thelegohooverer · 09/05/2021 17:54

I think it’s not too dissimilar to a bedtime story.

Medianoche · 09/05/2021 18:07

What Blackcountryexile said. Check what your county library service is offering before paying for Audible.
Audio books exercise lots of the same skills as reading a book (plus some other benefits like helping with pronunciation of unfamiliar words) and have lots of the same benefits as reading books for pleasure. If he’s asking, I’d leap at the opportunity - it would be beneficial both educationally and for well-being.

nickymanchester · 09/05/2021 18:16

@jobnockey

Thanks all - Seems like it won't hurt! (apart from the £7.99 a month subscription fee of course - that's fairly painful).

You don't have to pay the subscription fee indefinitely. Once you get a book and download it then it's yours to keep regardless.

What I tend to do is to sign up for a few months a year, get some books and then stop my subscription until I want to find some more books at a later time.

Fartymcfart · 09/05/2021 18:24

We have an audible subscription. My kids love it its like an extended bedtime story, as they are dyslexic as well they find reading hard but love being read too.
I think it helps them read books more at their age level which they would maybe find hard going and then be reluctant to carry on. So for me it encourages their love of stories even though its not them actually reading the book.

fourplusfour · 09/05/2021 18:31

If you don't like the thought of monthly subscription, why not see if you can access something similar through your local library membership. Ours give access to BorrowBox for example

Newnamefor2021 · 09/05/2021 18:34

Sorry to ask a question on this thread. How do you listen to them? What do you use. I don't want them having an iPad at bedtime so what do you use to okay them via? Thanks

Moonlaserbearwolf · 09/05/2021 19:07

I don’t know how you get round that one. My 10 year old uses an old iPad - I trust her not to use it for anything else. My 7 year old listens to CDs on an old CD player because we don’t have another device for her to use.

TeenMinusTests · 09/05/2021 19:11

DD used audio books on CD a lot from age 7-14. She was so tired from school she didn't always have the stamina to read in the evening. This way she heard language and sentence construction she wouldn't otherwise have come across.

Cam2020 · 09/05/2021 19:12

I remember the old book and tapes of the 80s with the chime that told non readers to turn the page! I loved reading and also loved bedtime audio books - they're not really anything new.

Moonlaserbearwolf · 09/05/2021 19:21

Also... listening to stories on CD is a lot cheaper than Audible. I bought a CD player from a charity shop for £5 and have found various CDs on ebay/charity shop and my own collection from the 90s.

Major benefit to Audible is the ability to listen to any audio book at the click of a button. CDs are more restricted, but it was easy to find popular books like Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton, Horrid Henry, Harry Potter etc

TeddingtonTrashbag · 09/05/2021 19:29

Good thing! (English teacher)

Apileofballyhoo · 09/05/2021 21:36

Definitely try your local library and borrow box or whatever they use. DH has audible and I think it's expensive.

nickymanchester · 10/05/2021 08:03

@Newnamefor2021

Sorry to ask a question on this thread. How do you listen to them? What do you use. I don't want them having an iPad at bedtime so what do you use to okay them via? Thanks

@Newnamefor2021

You do have to use some sort of electronic device. Most people will use a laptop/tablet/smartphone.

Another alternative though is to use Alexa. If you get a smart speaker (such as the Amazon Echo Dot. cost around £35-£40) that uses Alexa then you just need to have the actual speaker in the bedroom and you can control what it plays from anywhere else in your home.

nickymanchester · 10/05/2021 08:04

@Newnamefor2021

Sorry to ask a question on this thread. How do you listen to them? What do you use. I don't want them having an iPad at bedtime so what do you use to okay them via? Thanks

@Newnamefor2021

You do have to use some sort of electronic device. Most people will use a laptop/tablet/smartphone.

Notmydaughteryoubitch · 10/05/2021 08:16

My DD is only 5 but she loves audio books. She loves book in all formats, so her own reading books, 'reading' books she's not ready for, us reading her stories and yes also audio books. She has a yoto which she takes in the car and often listens to when she's playing/drawing. At bedtime she'll have an extra story from audible on Alexa. I find at the moment I consume so many more books via audio books as I can listen whilst I'm running, driving, doing jobs around the house etc.

Talipesmum · 10/05/2021 13:49

Our boys have small MP3 players that I load the audible stuff onto. They’re sandisk clipjam ones. The main point of this was so they could have audiobooks without having phones / tablets to fiddle with (I love audiobooks but when I’m listening through my phone I’m usually fiddling with it, which annoys me!). It is a bit more tedious cos I have to download the audible files on the laptop (v easy app) and then manually transfer them to the MP3 player. But it does work v well otherwise and they’re v sturdy and easy to use.

eepeep · 10/05/2021 13:59

Out of curiosity did his drop in interest in reading correspond with getting a mobile phone? I found this happened with my DS's so had to be more intentional about restricting them.

Original poster

jobnockey · 10/05/2021 15:09

Hi all, only just realised there were more responses on here.

I have now got him an audible subscription and he's already nearly finished the first book (it was one credit for first three skullduggery pleasant books). He's listened before bed and in the bath, and has been talking about the book - so I think it's really positive and agree with the positive comments on here about audiobooks now!
@Newnamefor2021 DS has an Alexa dot in his room which he can listen on, audible is on his phone too but he's not allowed that at bedtime.

I wish I'd though about the library first actually - also I think the school library has audio books too - silly me! Maybe I'll do what PP has said and just dip in and out of audible.

@eepeep yes the drop off in reading probably has coincided with having a phone, although he doesn't have it at bedtime. he does spend a lot of time gaming though and so that's his preferred activity over everything else. We do have enforced 'non gaming' time, when he may choose to pick up a book at that point or draw or do something else, otherwise it's just gaming. Shit, but sadly true.

It's hard to enforce reading isn't it, because you want them to be doing it for the love of it, not because they're made to...

OP posts:

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