Introduction

In a regular browse of the public library website, I came across the 7th edition of Jim Trelease’s Read Aloud Handbook about 2 years ago. Intrigued by the title, I placed a hold without reading the description. In context of a new interest in trying out audiobooks, the title “Read Aloud Handbook” gave me the impression of a book about learning or storytelling activities to be done during reading books to young children. I was personally interested in exploring the possibility of incorporating audiobooks into such activities. While examples of such activities are woven throughout the book, its motif is to tackle the far more critical question: Why is it so important to read aloud to children?

Why Talk Specifically About Audiobooks?

Though intrigued by that concept, I had to return the book shortly after starting in order to start packing to move houses. The long and boring task of sorting through my bookshelf and craft boxes to eliminate unwanted matter was made worth looking forward to with audiobooks.

I downloaded one of the public library audiobook apps onto my smartphone and connected the phone to a Bluetooth soundbox. Through the noises of sorting papers and files, untying plastic bags, and unloading and reloading boxes, my stereo soundbox loudly and clearly read to me multiple audiobooks. From unpacking to decorating the new place to learning new dishes and crafts in the summer, audiobooks have since been in the background of otherwise quiet activities.

By the second time I borrowed Read Aloud Handbook from the library, I have already been fantasizing the potential of audiobooks. But I also had an idea that the book was about something greater. To continue studying the book past the return deadline I bought a copy, but the latest 8th edition rather than the 7th. With the exception to a few quote from the older edition, I will be citing most quote from the latest edition.

I do intend to research the more critical issues addressed in the book after I have finished reading it. This blog however will focus on social capital and audiobooks.

Social Capital

“In our pursuit for higher and higher scores… the fabric of family life had just been destroyed.”

p xvi – Read Aloud Handbook (7th ed) by Jim Trelease

The phrase “fabric of family life” best explains the increasingly deteriorating material I believe audiobooks (among many other potential threads) can help stitch back together.

“[Researchers] examined family social capital, which is the bond between parent and child such as trust, open lines of communications, and active engagement in child’s academic life. They also looked at school social capital, which captures the schools ability to provide a positive environment for learning. [They] found that both school and family involvement was important, but family involvement is stronger when it comes to academic success.”

p xiv – Jim Trelease‘s Read Aloud Handbook (8th ed) by Cyndi Giorgis

As The Washington Post complimented on the back cover of the 8th edition, this book is really “about more than just reading aloud. It’s about the time that parents, teachers, and children spend together in a loving, sharing way.” Time spend together is among the key elements of social capital that is being broken out of the fabric of family life. So much can be brought to that time together with audiobooks professionally narrated by authors, storytellers, and voice actors.

Potential of Audiobooks

Nostalgia

When we where kids, my parents got nasheed (music-free Islamic song) DVDs for our family car. At home, tape cassettes played on our radios. Now, so many years later, those lyrics and voices begin back pleasant visions of the living spaces, neighbourhoods, and regular drives of those good old days.

“We must ensure that children’s early encounters with reading are pleasurable so they will cheerfully return to the experience, now and forever. Our ultimate goal is to create lifetime readers.”

p vi – Jim Trelease‘s Read Aloud Handbook (8th ed) by Cyndi Giorgis

How activities incorporating audiobooks can be used in to enhance that nostalgia of pleasurable reading will be further discussed in the Audiobook Activities section.

Language Development

In an immigrant based society, learning English as a Second Language (ESL) is a struggle for children as well as many of their parents and guardians. Audiobooks can help both ESL parents and children with their listening and speaking skills. Audiobooks in families’ first languages as well as bilingual audio books, if available, are also great ways to support children’s language development.

Audiobook Activities

From a Librarian

In her blog “20+ Fun Activities for Kids While They Listen to Audiobooks”, former Community Librarian Janssen explains that “the easiest way for children to listen to audiobooks (or a grown-up reading aloud!) is to give them something to do with their hands.” Reading along on the physical book can give the young fingers letters, words, and pictures to find or point at. But Janssen lists some great creative or repetitive activities that can also help build that family or communal experience of nostalgia among siblings, friends, neighbours, or classmates. Some of those actives are the following:

• colouring
• drawing
• painting
• building legos
• making puzzles
• playing with dough
• braiding hair
• beading
• knitting, and
• doing crochet

Janssen’s blog includes links to specific products she’s has bought or recommends.

More Suggestions

Also mentioned on the back of the book is the review of author Rosemary Wells saying “now, more than ever in the age of screens, this book is needed.”

Ironically, against the fight to eliminate children’s screen time, the popularity of tv screens in both dining spaces and family vehicles is also rising.

“Video streaming is the most recent addition to family transportation and does nothing but deprive children of yet another classroom: conversation with parents or the shared intellectual experience of listening to a audiobook communally.”

p 126 – Jim Trelease‘s Read Aloud Handbook (8th ed) by Cyndi Giorgis

The need for a family media plan is stated as an important means “for parents to use media in a way that will promote togetherness and learning” (p 124, 8th ed).

Conclusion

Audiobooks use professionally narrated and recorded voices to read books aloud. Without needing to find a person to read a book aloud to everyone, families, classrooms, and communities can build nostalgia around “the time that parents, teachers, and children [and even others] spend together in a loving, sharing way.” And “the shared intellectual experience of listening to a audiobook communally” can inspire families and communities to learn, grow, and live together.