SeaConquest Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Does anyone have an opinion on the History of US in the concise (K12) edition vs. the audiobook (of the 10 book series)? My son has enjoyed SOTW in audio, so I am wondering if we should just go with the audiobook format (which I can get free through our public library), even if it is the much longer version. I've listened to a sample and the narrator seems pleasant enough. On the other hand, our charter school will probably pay for the concise edition of the book in hard copy, which I've read is the recommended format by many folks here. Thanks for any thoughts/experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I can't comment on the audiobook specifically, but I have both the concise edition and the original series in book form. I have been reading the original series with my boys, and I admit that there have been a few chapters a long the way that I have thought we could have skipped. With the concise edition these are already skipped, so there's that. I've done chapter by chapter comparisons of the books, and other than the skipped chapters (and the occasional skipped paragraph here and there), they are nearly identical text-wise. I will be teaching a U.S. History class at our co-op next year and have opted to go with the concise edition as our text. So I guess it comes down to format alone--do you want your student to listen to the series, or do you want your student to read the series? Or, assuming that you will be using these soon and I see that he is young, do you want to pop in an audiobook or do you want to read aloud yourself? I've been reading the original series aloud to my boys and I find the books very pleasurable to read, for one thing because it allows us to pause and discuss things as we read. As far as cost goes, the concise editions are readily available used on Amazon. I picked up all 4 for under $20 including shipping, and they are all in brand-new condition without a mark on them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaChicken Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 We love the audiobooks! My favorite chapters would probably be the ones skipped. Unlike other history texts, there are chapters about artists, musicians, athletes, not just politicians and wars. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I agree with MamaChicken. We have the audio, the original series, and I've viewed the concise editions at length while at Half-Price Books. :tongue_smilie: What I most enjoy about Hakim is her details. The audio series is one of the top 5 investments I've made in homeschooling, so getting them for free from the library is a no-brainer in my book. I think the narrator is absolutely fantastic. The thing I LOVE about using an audio spine, and it seems like it would be even more true for your DS's age (I used the series early also), is that it seems like a gimme. They can listen in the car, while they are playing LEGO or blocks, etc., and then they have additional time and stamina for additional reading (bios, literature, bunny trails, whatever). And ditto for mom when it comes to reading aloud. Assigned audio reading is kind of the closest thing we have to invisible, stealth education here. LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Does anyone know if the audiobook version comes in cd format? I only see it on download format on amazon and my library doesn't have it as a download option. If it comes in cd format I can ILL it. My ds really likes history and I want to try one to see if he will like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaCEmom Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Does anyone know if the audiobook version comes in cd format? I only see it on download format on amazon and my library doesn't have it as a download option. If it comes in cd format I can ILL it. My ds really likes history and I want to try one to see if he will like it. Yes, it is. It's something like $500 retail, but I was able to ILL it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 These comments are super helpful. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. We enjoy audiobooks -- for all the reasons that have been articulated -- so I think we will stick with it. We will be starting SOTW3 on audio next year, so I wanted to leisurely work in the History of US to give greater detail. Thank you again everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 My boys really enjoyed the audio series. My younger son would ask to listen to it and didn't view it as a chore at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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