Listen Up!

1 hour ago
4 min read

Are you an audiobook fan? I am, have been since I was knee high to a grasshopper as the saying goes. Which is to say I have been listening to stories since I was very young. Every time we got into the car there was an audiobook to listen to and I have wonderful memories of long journeys listening to the Famous Five. Now, I am just about old enough to remember audiobooks on cassette. I now have all mine on my iPod but back then I made myself a little library in the space under the stairs. My dad put shelves in for me and I organised everything as a proper library - my own books and those borrowed from the local library. I had shelves for books and one for my audio cassette which I would listen to as often as I was able - not only in the car.

I have never lost my love of audiobooks and can be found listening at every possible opportunity - tsking at my husband when he interrupts! Now, thanks to Bookshop.org and the National Year of Reading a new subscription service has been launched in support of Indie Bookshops. With more people listening to books and finding it sparks their interest in reading there is no better time to highlight this new initiative and take advice from some of those Indie Booksellers. Additionally there is another exciting initiative - audiobook listening stations. A pilot programme across the UK has installed them in eight bookshops across the UK.

So what do our Indie Booksellers recommend to get you started?

Will Burns & Carl Gosling, Real Magic Books (Wendover)

Marking the launch of Bookshop.org’s audiobooks offering earlier in July, Real Magic Books have installed a multi-channel audiobook listening station in their shop, with a mural by artist and graphic designer Craig Oldham.

Advice

“Reading a little bit of a book every day really helps, even just a few pages before bed will get you into the habit and is a great way to unwind and relax before going to sleep too.”

Recommendation

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien

“The Lord of the Rings is like a literary summer blockbuster, with all the necessary ingredients - high adventure, memorable characters, huge set pieces, amazing backdrops. It’s a buddy movie, a war movie, a love story - a huge, almost infinite epic that will fill a summer and change anybody’s imaginative world forever…”

Betsy Tobin, INK@84 Bookshop (London)

Advice

"For reluctant readers (both boys and girls) we often recommend graphic novels (increasingly, popular titles in this age group are being re-released in graphic novel form specifically for this reason.) And as well as audiobooks for long journeys, encouraging young people to read the original novels of their favourite films or cultural icons can be a successful strategy, e.g. James Bond, Agatha Christie or any of the Andy Weir novels such as The Martian or Project Hail Mary.

The most important thing is meeting teenagers where they are, taking their interests and reading level into account. Low word counts and contemporary stories written in a relatable voice offer an accessible but rewarding reading experience. Crime, thrillers, and horror can also help teenagers avoid feeling talked down to, and the high stakes make for a compulsive reading experience. Charlie Higson’s The Enemy is a good example of this: a gruesome, fast-paced series (set in Holloway!) that’s impossible to put down.”

Recommendations for 13-15

His Dark Materials (Northern Lights; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud

Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn

Recommendations for 16+

Slow Horses by Mick Herron (adult but definitely works for older teens as well)

Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence

Rosamund de la Hey, The Mainstreet Trading Company (Scottish Borders)

Advice

"My trick was always to get everyone in the car, lock the doors and press play for about 5 hours – worked every time, from David Tennant reading How to Train Your Dragon onwards.”

Recommendations

Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald

“Heartbreaking story of an unlikely friendship between two young teens struggling to find their way. Touching, moving, unforgettable.”

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

“An old favourite on audiobook, in part as it’s read by the legend that is Sir Ian McKellan. The first in an extraordinary adventure series, that’s perfect from 8 years to 80 years.”

Vicky Smith-Lacey, The Mainstreet Trading Company (Scottish Borders)

Advice

"I'd say the most important thing is to get them to choose. It could be a graphic novel, a more bite-sized factual book, a spin-off to a favourite TV show, anything. Don't worry about what you think they should be reading and instead let them dig in to whatever gets them reading.

I will also say that an audiobook is fantastic in lifting the story from the page. Use a sleep timer and even 10 minutes before bed can create a good habit. (Bookshop.org now have an audiobook app that supports indie bookshops - yay!)”

Recommendation

Runaway Road by Sue Divin

"This stunning audiobook is about finding your family within the care system against all the odds. It celebrates difference on an unforgettable journey. But above all, it tells us we all deserve second chances.”

My thanks to the Booksellers who contributed their suggestions to this Blog and to Anna Zanetti of Midas PR for suggesting and facilitating it all!