I downloaded several audiobooks we could listen to as a family the night before we drove to Connecticut. After reading all of the summaries to Isabelle, she selected The One and Only Bob. Marc and I were pleased since it’s narrated by Danny Devito.
But Ari didn’t want to listen to it. He didn’t want to listen to any audiobooks. We encouraged him to don his headphones and play a game on his iPad. But a few chapters into the book, Ari made his displeasure with the audiobook known. His protest led to us turning it off so we could dial down his complaints.
Fast forward to today. We are driving home from Connecticut. Isabelle is listening to Wishtree while following along with a paperback version. Ari, tired of doing whatever he was doing on his iPad, asked for an audiobook. I let him select from the ones I downloaded onto his iPad last week. He picked Henry Huggins.
Ari has been listening to Henry Huggins for nearly 45 minutes. He won’t eat lunch because he keeps staring at his iPad’s Libby screen while he listens to the audiobook. Could this be the beginning of a beautiful relationship with audiobooks?
Maybe, just maybe, he won’t protest the next time we want to listen to an audiobook on a family road trip.
As for me, I’m off to read my book while Marc drives us home!
Raising Literate Humans 
Such great selections! I bet Rose would like audiobooks. Thanks for the idea!
Let me know what she thinks!
I still haven’t found my sweet spot with audio books, maybe because my husband has endless music at his fingertips and a matching appetite for whatever is out there. Or perhaps it’s because we don’t take long trips very often. We’re both such readers and raised our son when getting a firewire to plug into the iPod was super-techy. I’m just happy Ari found Cleary. There is no one better at hooking kids. Happy travels!
I spent the first half of last year really trying to get into audiobooks. I kept stumbling and disliking them. Eventually, I learned the kinds of books I liked as audiobooks and started listening to a lot of them. Lmk if you’d like any suggestions. (I think the narrator makes or breaks it!)
Stacey, I’m so glad he has decided to vote for audiobooks and that you give them choice in reading! What a great way to pass the time in the car. I wish I had been able to listen as a child when in the car!
It was so quiet once they were both reading audiobooks. Dare I say it was blissfully quiet. (But let’s be honest, my husband was playing the Golf Network and I got stuck listening to that. 😒)
Love this little picture of Ari’s attitude change. Maybe he didnt like Danny Divito’s voice?! Your piece reminds me of the days I used to take tapes out of the library for long car rides, like “Mr. Beethoven Lives Upstairs.” No headphones, no choices. And I also love being reminded of Henry Huggins- an oldie but a goodie!
It’s possible he didn’t! It’s a distinctive voice!
Kudos on finding time to Slice on what sounds like a busy day, and kudos to Ari for finding time to engage in meaningful literacy, too!
I had to capture it. By the time we got home, he was 57% through with the book. 🤓
I am love with audiobooks having at first thought they were not “real reading.” Now, I’m addicted – the story comes alive in my ears! AND Henry Huggins? Excellent choice, Ari! I loved reading Henry Huggins to my 3rd graders – about 20 years ago! Time flies!
I was never into Cleary as a kid. However, Isabelle loved and adored all of her books. I figured I’d try Henry Huggins since I remembered her liking it. She was excited to see Ari was listening to it. (She listened in to a bit and was surprised by the voices. I guess it sounded differently in her head since she read the books in print.)
Mmm… we love family audiobooks on long trips. Last summer we listened to several, from Gordon Korman to Ben Phillippe. I love the books your kids chose & hope that Ari is now a convert!
While I’d love to have a family book, I’ll be more than fine with it if they read their own with their headphones.
Yay, you are raising literate humans! And just like that, they become, don’t they? I love Katherine Applegate’s anything, but the Bob book is sweet. I’m sure hearing Danny DeVito read it must be a kick.
I love this creative solution to road trip entertainment, and the progression of Ari’s avoidance to immersion in the audiobook. That will be one of my main goals next year–to really, really push our audiobook offerings in the library, and display their in-print counterparts to encourage paired reading.
This is a wonderfully honest slice of traveling with kids. I love that you didn’t force him to read/listen, and then he chose to on his own. I agree with you, individual books for now will transition to a family audio book down the road. 🙂