Puffin Audiobooks: feedback for Laugh out Loud titles…find out what MNers think PLUS non testers - chance to win £75! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the 125 Mumsnetters and their DCs who listened to a Laugh out Loud audiobook from Puffin. Testers could choose from one of the following audiobook titles:

1. Wimpy Kid, Dog Days by Jeff Kinney read by Ramon de Ocampo (age 7+)
   
2. The Twits by Roald Dahl ready by Richard Ayoade (age 5+)
   
3. Danger is Everywhere by David O?Doherty ready by David O'Doherty (7+)
   
4. Dennis the Menace by Steven Butler read by Steven Butler (age 6+)
   
5. The Dinosaur That Pooped the Planet by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter - read by authors (age 5+)
   To listen a clip from each of these audiobooks click here
   
   Puffin say "We are absolutely delighted to have so many eager ears listening to our marvellous audiobooks this summer and taking part in our Audiobook Club
   We believe that audiobooks are a brilliant way for families to share the laughter, thrill and excitement of a good story. Whether you listened just before bedtime or on those long and winding ‘are-we-nearly-there-yet’ car journeys.
   All we ask is that you use the discussion threads to let us know what both you and your little ones, thought of the experience."
   
   Non testers: Share on this thread what your favourite audiobook is and why and you will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £75 voucher for either iTunes or Amazon so you can buy audiobooks!
   
   Testers: Puffin would love to know what you and your children thought by answering these questions:
   
   
6. How old is the child who took part?
   
7. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   
8. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   
9. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   
10. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
    
11. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
    We'd also like you to add a review of the audiobook on MN (using the links sent to you on the email).
    
    All testers who add feedback and post a review will be entered into a prize draw where two MNers will each win a £75 voucher from either iTunes or Amazon so you can buy audiobooks!
    
    Thanks and good luck!
    
    MNHQ
    Standard Insight T&Cs apply

[lolapops1]

1. How old is the child who took part?
   5
   
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   The Twits
   
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   10am in the car
   
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   car stereo
   
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
   Got a little bit bored and lost interest.
   Little bits of laughter but not as much as I thought.
   Thought the reader would of put a bit more of their personality into it.
   
6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
   Really not sure at the moment

[balloon66]

The Twits Roald Dahl- this is great fun, especially describing the spaghetti !

[janemphoto]

Our favourite is Matilda read by Kate Winslet, love the story anyway and she reads it out very nicely.

[goose1964]

the kids favourite is the gruffalo, I've never really got on with audiobooks

[6kidsandcounting]

1. How old is the child who took part?
   
   6 year old DS and my 4&2 year old DDs listened too
   
   
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   
   The Diary of Dennis the Menace by Steven Butler
   
   
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   
   We listened to it when we first received the email, as they were ill with colds and flu this week and they listened a few times when they were to ill to focus on the TV.
   
   
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   
   On a PC
   
   
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
   
   All of my children thought this book was so funny but my DS actually laughed out loud throughout the book. This was my 2 year olds first experience of audio books and she was quite confused to not see any visual lol.
   
   
6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
   
   I really loved the audiobook and will be buying more for the car for long journeys.
   
   Thank you for letting us be part of the trial sorry the review was a little late due the kids being sick!

[Sukistaxi]

1. How old is the child who took part?
   3 and 6
   
   
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   Danger is Everywhere
   
   
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   Mid afternoon on road trip
   
   
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   Originally in car, later on her CD player in her room
   
   
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
   3 year old didn't like it. But the 6 year old adores it. Loved the strange way the author talked, silly voices, sounds, screams, yells and all the other nonsense thrown in.
   
   
6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
   
   We already are huge audiobook fans and have a huge collection. Might purchase another by the same author, provided my daughter agreed not to make me listen to it. As an adult, couldn't stand the book for long, but this title was clearly aimed at kids and they really hit a homerun for child entertainment.

[baconbap]

Any of the Just Williams - they make us laugh

[vickipickernicker]

1. How old is the child who took part? 5
   
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose? The Twits
   
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook? During the day on a long car journey
   
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook? CD in the car
   
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it? My son liked it and found it both funny and gruesome. Made a change from just listening to music CDs or radio in the car.
   
6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience? Yes definately

[WarmHugs]

1. How old is the child who took part? 5
   
   
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose? The Twits
   
   
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook? Mid morning, instead of reading.
   
   
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook? Ipad.
   
   
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it? They thought it was different, but struggled because iPads usually have pictures too.
   
   
6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience? Yes, but on CDs!

[Lindy2]

1. Age 7
   

1. The dinosaur that pooped a planet.
   

1. Midafternoon snuggled on the sofa on a wet afternoon.
   

1. CD player.
   

1. They liked the story and enjoyed snuggling up quietly to listen. When the first version of the story finished and the second version with poop noises on it to prompt to turn each page they found it hilarious.
   

1. Yes. I would be interested in a CD with a number of different short stories on it.

[lindsey3uk]

Non tester - Our favourite audio book is any of the Harr Potter series because we love Stephen Fry and he really brings the books to life.

[handbar]

I love James Herriot's Treasury for Children: Warm and Joyful Animal Tales. I really enjoy listening to it with my grandchildren. It is charming and heartwarming and the children love the animals.

[Trudyla]

Non tester: I love the Harry Potter audio books. I love Stephen Fry, his voice is really suited and I imagine him sitting in a big, comfy armchair by a fire, reading it just to me

[tishist]

I love 'The Twits' by Roald Dahl as it takes me back to my childhood too

[aligiraffe]

Never actually listened to an audio book. I do prefer reading myself & inventing my own character voices.

[Emrob86]

1. How old is the child who took part? 5
   
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose? Alice in Wonderland
   
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook? In the evening going to bed and in the car on a road trip
   
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook? Cd-player and car cd-player (no head phones)
   
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it? It was fun and relaxing.
   
6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience? Yes definitely, they are great for bedtime and car journeys.

[clangers72]

I didn't test this, but our favourite audio book at the moment is definitely the Gruffalo, the two boys (aged 2 and 3) love it.

[GeorgeW78]

The Roald Dahl audiobook set is a great collection, well worth it if you don't already have some of them. The Enormous Crocodile is probably our favourite cos it's quite short so suitable for lots of occasions and well read by Stephen Fry.

[barricade]

Non-tester

Children are still too young for audiobooks - similar to what another user said above, they need the pictures to remain interested.

I myself prefer to read physical books, but a great audio book I listened to was Michael Morpurgo's 'Kesuke's Kingdom' which we used as part of a Literacy unit with Year 6, and the range of Roald Dahl ones which were significantly enhanced by the integrated sound effects.

[yowzers]

Thank you for the opportunity to take park in this product test. We all really enjoyed the book!

1. How old is the child who took part? = 8
   
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose? = Danger Is Everywhere
   
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook? = daytime, while travelling in the car
   
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook? = car CD player
   
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it? = DS listens to lots of audio books and really enjoyed this one. He was grabbed by the title and didn't tire of hearing about the different varieties of danger which are Everywhere. He is still talking about it (and thinking up new danger scenarios) many weeks later.
   
6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience? = I would probably not buy audio book CDs as they generally get listened to only once and we usually experiment with new books/authors at the library instead of buying but I would consider using a subscription service for children's books although I am not aware of any as yet.

[sharond101]

Non-tester. I loved Pride and Prejudice as an audio book as it sounded so real to me and made me imagine life as a Lady.

[Babieseverywhere]

1) How old is the child who took part?
7yo DS

2) Which audiobook did your DC choose?
Dinosaur which pooped

3) What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
Curled up on the sofa with me in the afternoon.

4) On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
My smart samsung phone

5) What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
I was very surprised that he really liked it. He laughed his head off every time they said poop. As DS generally dislikes story books and only reads books of facts. I think he liked that he could enjoy a cuddle with me and that we both listened to the story together.

6) Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
Yes, especially for DS, as my oldest DD already reads for fun and needs no prompting.

Ps. Sorry it took me so long to post, I have had awful trouble trying to get back on Mumsnet after the hacking but I finally made it !

[sweetkat32]

1. Two boys aged 7 and 4
   
2. The Dinosaur that Pooped The Planet
   
3. We listened in the afternoon.
   
4. We listened on our CD player in the lounge.
   
5. The children seemed to enjoy the story but my youngest got a bit fidgety towards the end, the oldest was much more interested and concentrated really well. They did seem to enjoy the story though.
   
6. I think I might buy more audiobooks, I think they'd be good for long car journeys.

[annieno1]

1. How old is the child who took part?
   My children is 4 years old
   
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   The Dinosaur That Pooped A Planet
   
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   We listen to this at bedtime in the bedroom
   
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   CD player
   
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it? My little girls loved it all and laughed at parts of the story. The next day she drew pictures of the story
   
6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
   Yes as she put the story to life in her pictures and enjoyed listening to it

[JRHUNT]

1. 5 & 3
   
2. diary of a wimpy kid
   
3. afternoon in the car on way to holiday
   
4. car CD player
   
5. quietest car journey ever! 3 year old listened for approx 20 mins but fell asleep - but that is usual. 5 year old loved it and listened intently, getting slightly annoyed when sat nav interrupted! Despite being American and aimed at a slightly older audience, my DS really got into the stories. Giggling and making comments asking questions as it went along. He is an avid reader but also really enjoyed listening to the story being read in the car. It made the journey fly by
   
6. definitely. We will probably buy the rest of the books in paperback too.