We (Jennifer and Nancy) are both huge fans of audiobooks ourselves, and we’ve been introducing our children to them as well. My (Jennifer) children both love to read, and they enjoy audiobooks as another way to enjoy one of their favorite pastimes. But audiobooks serve another purpose in giving kids who don’t like to read or who are struggling readers a way to enjoy a book.
For car travel, it’s fun to pop in a CD of a book for the whole family to enjoy together. For those who get carsick, an audiobook loaded up on an ipod can entertain them individually.
We are happy to be teaming up with Simon and Schuster Audio to offer FOUR of you the chance to win 3 audiobooks.
William Steig’s classic Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is not only a Caldecott Medal winner, but also one of the 100 Best Books of the Century, as selected by the National Education Association. Yet somehow, I’ve never read this classic story of be careful what you wish for, as you just might get it.
Sylvester collects pebbles of unusual shapes and sizes, and when he happens across a shiny red, round pebble, he can’t pass it up. When Sylvester’s wish for the rain to stop comes true, he discovers the pebble’s ability to make his wishes come true. But after an encounter with a lion, Sylvester panics and wishes he was a rock. Sylvester is unable to hold the pebble so he can wish himself back to normal, and his parents search and search for their beloved son. Their reunion is sweet and loving and the perfect ending to the story.
First published in 1969, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is now available from Simon & Schuster as a paperback and audio CD set, so children can listen and follow along at the same time. And as a bonus, the narrator is none other than James Earl Jones, though the soft, soothing tones he used when reading Sylvester’s story took me by surprise.
Four of you (U.S. shipping addresses only) will win a copy of each of these books (reviews to come on the others):
- Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
- Dork Diaries 4 by Rachel Renee Russell
- About Average by Andrew Clements
Leave a comment here if you’d like to win. These titles range in ages and subject, but we know that you can find a home for all of them for kids on your gift-giving list. We are going to run this as a short giveaway, announcing the winners on December 17, hoping that you’ll receive the audiobooks by December 21. This giveaway is closed.
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If I could win these, I would either give them to my students or nieces and nephews for Christmas. I love Andrew Clements writing.
These sound wonderful. I’d love to share them with little ones on my list.
Yes, we give audio books to our children every year–great gift! The big kids love GA Henty and Focus on the Family radio theater down to all of us loving Hank the Cowdog and various picture books.
We have (and enjoy Sylvester and the Magic Pebble) and I like Clements a lot but don’t know this book. Thanks for the opportunity!
Sounds like fun and with a struggling reader in the family, I know she will love to get more audiobooks.
Sign me up! My girls lis to audiobooks daily!
We love audiobooks here. My kids can never seem to get enough of them.
My kids love audio books!
A wonderful giveaway.
My 3 year old would love this!
You REALLY don’t want to get me started about audiobooks! I LOVE them. For young kiddos I highly recommend anything by Eric Dracman. These are books with audio CDs (demos at http://www.kidwick.com/books.html).
Do I have to give them as gifts? 🙂
My kids love audiobooks. Thanks for the giveaway!
These would be great for our grandchildren.
I’ve been wanting to start my daughter on audiobooks, and these would make a *great* start!
Audio books are great car-travel companions. Also a great way for struggling readers to “read” literature.
wow lovvvvve it
Love this! Thanks for the giveaway.
These audio books are great for the kids to enjoy.
Another good giveaway, thank-you
If I’m not too late, please enter me