Puffin Audiobooks: feedback for Magic & Adventure 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 Magic & Adventure audiobook. Testers could choose one of the following audiobook titles:

1. The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy read by Gemma Arterton (age 5+)
2. Going Solo by Roald Dahl ready by Dan Stevens (age 7+)
3. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll read by Sheridan Smith (6+)
4. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham - BBC dramatization version (age 6+)
5. George's Secret Key to the Universe by Lucy & Stephen Hawking ready by James Goode (age 7+)

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:

1. How old is the child who took part?
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
6. 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 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

Just an update we have now listened to George's secret key to the universe twice in the car and both boys have listened before bed. My niece who is 13 came out for the day with us and has asked to loan the CDs when the boys have finished with them.
We had to find out if any more books had been published by the author and were very happy to find another 2 adventures for George so we are on the hunt for his other 2 books (unfortunately they don't come as audio books). Both boys have decided to ask Father Christmas for some audio books so they have made a great impression on them.
Many thanks Mumsnet for this opertunity.

Tester here
My daughter is 8.We listened to Alice in Wonderland in the car on a long holiday car journey. We listened to it all in one go on the car stereo. My daughter enjoyed it and it entertained her in traffic jams. She gets travel sickness so can't read or play on tablets in the car so audio CDs are great for travel. My older son also enjoyed listening to it as did I. We would look to take other audio books for holiday travel. Thanks for the opportunity.

Feedback from handmadewithlove

Children were 3,6,8 and 11
We chose Alice in Wonderland and listened to it on the long drive to our holiday!
The youngest fell asleep but the others listened. Sheridan Smith was a good choice.
Would definitely buy more.

Review for Puffin:

Sheridan Smith was a great choice as reader for this story. It is lovely to have a longer version - often audiobooks are abridged for children but we like the whole thing! Looking forward to listening to some more.

On a technical note, it would be useful to have one track per chapter as it is easer to listen to the story in instalments that way. Also the volume was not consistent across the whole thing so I had to keep adjusting it.

Thank you for the chance to review.

1. How old is the child who took part?
   Nearly 5

2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   The Twits

3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   Afternoon, in the house.

4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   Blu ray player

5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
   He really enjoyed it, thought it was very funny and held his attention fairly well. I did have to pause a few times to explain what was going on but that was ok.

6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
   Definitely! I'm already a huge audiobook fan, have been since I was 3, and I'm very eager that my kids love them as much as I do!

3 children (14yrs, 12yrs & 10yrs) listened to George's Secret Key to the Universe. It was in the car, starting from 6am and George took us up the M5 to Rochdale and down the A1 to London. We all really enjoyed it - despite being officially too old. It was a great way to introduce contemporary science - we all learnt something as well as wanting to know 'what happens next'. We will look out for more audiobooks - it really helped pass the time and stop (ahem, reduce) arguments! It was nice to share the listening and the laughing.

We've really enjoyed listening to this audiobook:

1. How old is the child who took part?
   Both children listened to this, two boys aged 7 and 9

2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   George's Secret Key to the Universe

3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   We listened to it in the car on long journeys

4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   Iphone through the car stereo

5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
   The boys enjoy listening to audio books in the car, and we usually choose adventure stories like the Famous Five or Secret Seven. They particularly enjoyed that this was a longer story so they could get really engrossed in it.

6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
   This has given me more confidence in choosing other books outside their normal preferences, and we'll definitely continue to listen to audio books in the car, and hopefully at other times at home too.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to try something new.

1. How old is the child who took part?
   5yrs

2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   
   The Worst Witch

3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   Afternoon in the kitchen

4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   Ipod

5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it? He said he liked 'the whole story' by which I think he means plot: the idea that some one who cant seem to do anything right, can save the day.

6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
   Yes definitely. Love audiobooks for developing imagination, language and vocabulary. Its a lovely thing to do together.

1. How old is the child who took part?
   7

2. Which audiobook did your DC choose?
   George's Secret Key to the Universe.

3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook?
   Daytime whilst playing with Lego/doing crafts in the living room

4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook?
   Old fashioned CD player then on laptop as old CD player seemed to not like the CDs anymore.
   Would have been nice to have some information on duration of chapters, etc so I could know when to start/stop listening in time for going out/going to bed.

5. What was your child’s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it?
   Liked the characters of the story and the overall adventure plot & also “learning about the world” at the same time as George.

6. Do you think you’d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience?
   Yes, think audiobooks are a great way of introducing new titles that kids would not normally choose.

Also, for getting the full dramatic experience of the story
(e.g. We’ve also listened to the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling which was read far better than I could ever attempt.)

When listening, kids can also develop a sense of the pronunciation & meaning new words without having to stop repeatedly to sound things out / look things up in a dictionary.

1. How old is the child who took part? A 7 year old girl and a 4 year old boy
2. Which audiobook did your DC choose? The Worst witch
3. What time of day and where did your child listen to the audiobook? We listened to it at bedtime over 2 nights in their bedroom which they share.
4. On what device did your DC listen to the audiobook? A laptop. The CD wouldn't work in their CD player for some reason.
5. What was your child??s overall impression of the experience? What did they like about it? They both really enjoyed it. They have been read the book before by me but obviously I am not Gemma Arterton and my acting skills are not quite as good! I think that having well known actors read the stories is great as I also enjoyed listening to it. This was already a well loved book but is now also a favourite we can listen to in the car or at bedtime. I think the actor make the characters come to life much better than I could.
6. Do you think you??d buy or look for more audiobooks in the future as a result of this experience? Yes definitely. I think long car journeys will be much more enjoyable now as it's quite nice to revisit these books as adults which I enjoyed as a child or to be introduced to new ones. And the kids love them too!!

My dd is 5.5. We listened to the Worst Witch on CD. Listened early evening at home in the lounge. Used the stereo to play it.
We did listen to the whole thing but really should have broken it up into chapters. My dd enjoyed it but her attention wandered fairly quickly. Not sure if she is a little young for it. I read a lot of stories to her but she is not used to listening to an audio version as such.
We will try again at a different time. The Story is good but I'm not planning to buy any more audio books imminently. We don't have a CD player in our car (tape!) otherwise I think that would be a good place to try it.
Thanks.

Hello - thanks for the feedback!
Tester winner is DillEater and the non tester winner is lexy444 - both win a £75 iTunes or Amazon voucher!