Audiobook recommendations for ESL 8 year old with low comprehension?

[Heather R]

I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions of book titles for my 8 year old to listen to.  He was adopted 1.5 years ago from Ethiopia, so his English language skills are still developing.  He loves listening to audiobooks but I have trouble finding "quality" books that he actually comprehends and that hold his attention.

 

He has listened to every Beverly Cleary book repeatedly, and seems to understand most of those.  I consider them decent quality kids literature.  Recently he went on an A to Z Mysteries binge, which I am less thrilled about.  But when I look at our library's online catalog (which is huge), I have a hard time narrowing it down to books he will like and that I consider quality.  A lot of the language in the "classics" (and by that I mean Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Bear, Beatrix Potter, etc) is too complex for him to understand, and the stories are slow enough that it loses his attention.  

 

As well, due to his past history, I am trying to avoid anything with themes related to adoption, orphans, abandonment etc., in audiobook format, as I am not listening with him to help him process.  So this leaves out things like the Boxcar Children, Stuart Little, James and the Giant Peach etc.

 

So in short, I am looking for "exciting" books with a low comprehension level, but that still have decent writing and plots, and don't contain any content that will promote whining, name-calling, or other such misbehaviors.  Any ideas?

[mom2bee]

I have a few suggestions, I don't know how much help they will be but I'll give them and then you can use anything that looks like it could be helpful.

 

 

• Don't make "quality" literature the standard at this point. He can and will benefit from every word of English that he hears. I would instead prioritize getting a good narrator who will bring the nuance of conversation and voices to the characters as well as enunciate and read in clear Standard American English.
• Use books that have a CD to go with the real book -- those are better than just listening to something and after following along in the book a few times the child can listen without the book and comprehend. There are tons and tons of picture books available with a CD.
• "Radio Drama" or Audio Plays can be exciting to listen to and those are more exciting than just books because they have voice acting and sound effects.
• Can you, dad, grandparents and family record a reading of books for him to listen to later?
• Have you heard of ReadingBear? The site is great for building reading and vocabulary and its 100% free, so check it out.

[pitterpatter]

Mercy Watson? The narrator is very good...speaks on the slow side too.

 

DiCamillo has a new spin-off series to Mercy Watson too...first one is Leroy Ninker Saddles Up. (This should be read after the Mercy Watson series.)

[pitterpatter]

Maybe Chocolate Fever and How To Eat Fried Worms?

[madteaparty]

Not at all the same but I have a French 10 year old at home who knew very little English when he arrived. He happened to already love Narnia, so we do the physical book along with the Audiobook. He also listened to Gaiman's Fortunately The Milk.

He loves simpler stuff too like "if you give a mouse a cookie" and Paddington Bear, but those I read out loud.

[Rosie_0801]

How about nature stories off Librivox? Too slow-paced?

[Momling]

I wouldn't worry about the quality of the literature is at this point. If your goal is for him to improve his English, anything that engages him will do. He has a lifetime to read quality literature, you might let him enjoy the simplicity of high interest early readers like Magic treehouse or A-Z mysteries or whatever strikes his fancy. He's picking up patterns of syntax, improving his listening comprehension, widening his vocabulary and having fun at the same time.

 

Also, I wouldn't necessarily discount books about death or abandonment or abuse or crime... I know you said you want to process it with him and I get that. I'm also always sensitive about those themes with my foster kids, but have been surprised to find that sometimes those books or movies are the ones that really speak to my kids the most.

[Nart]

Are you looking at audiobooks that go with books that still have pictures? There are so many great picture books that are at least 10 min. in length. When my son was 4 he listened to the audiobook of Over In the Meadow over and over again. My 8 and 6 year recently have enjoyed. Strega Nona, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and Muncha, Muncha, Muncha.

[Heather R]

Thanks everyone. I am mainly looking for chapter books (over 1 hour), as he likes to listen while he plays Lego and other similar things, and also because otherwise he is running back to me to have me download another title after 15 minutes, lol. Momling makes a good point about not worrying too much about the quality of the literature.

I will check out the titles you have suggested. Especially the Thorton Burgess books... He likes animals, and other DS 8 enjoyed those around age 4, which is about this DS's functional level...