ICYMI – Early August #LiteracyTips Newsletter (excerpt)

Aug 07, 2019

literacy families Last week, subscribers received the first of two #LiteracyTips newsletters for August. While the Back-to-School ideas may be bubbling up, we’re still enjoying summer and aren’t quite ready to shift gears. So …

In the newsletter we had ideas on ways to share stories in fun, creative ways. This is an excerpted piece from 1 August newsletter with ideas for using audio books. I’ve included some links for additional resources at the end of this post.

We have reached the infamous Dog Days of Summer. In Greek and Roman astrology, this period (7/3-9/7) was associated with heat, drought, lethargy, and bad luck! Who wants that? These “chill” ideas will help you beat the Dog Days odds and maximize those “lazy days” of summer we all enjoy. So let’s jump in!

I’m All Ears …

literacy technologyAt the end of a long hot day, why not let someone else take over the storytelling? Enjoying some audio – books, podcasts – gives you a chance to relax with the kids and reap the literacy benefits that come with listening. Whether you already subscribe to podcasts or are just thinking about it, this Parents’ Guide to Podcasts by Common Sense Media is a great place to start to find family-friendly content suitable for all ages and interests.

Brightly magazine has also recently published a list of its favorite audiobooks for bedtime. What caught my eye about the collection (13 titles) is that it has both picture books and middle grade novels. Use the “Listen to an Excerpt” button to hear the narrator’s voice.

Bonus Link:  Tips for Using Audio Books at Bedtime (also via Brightly).

Places to Go to Find Audiobooks
  • 100 Family Friendly Audiobooks – This Book Riot list includes all genres and breaks out audiobooks by audience age.
  • Audible Kids – This website offers an enormous selection of books for kids and young adults. Browse by Bestsellers, New Releases, Customer Favorites, Animal Stories, Biographies & History, Classics, Fables, Fictions, Mysteries, Nonfiction, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and more.
  • Christian Audio – Find all types of audio content, from podcasts to audiobooks. The site offers a free audiobook download, titles change each month. There are two download formats: MP3 and WMA.
  • Odyssey Awards – This is the American Library Association’s (ALA) program for honoring “the best” audiobooks for youth available in English, in the US. Each year, a winner and several honor titles are awarded.
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