School is closed. You've been home sequestered with your new "coworkers" for days. Everyone is bored and stress-eating the snacks that were meant to last all the way through the pandemic. Homeschooling has given you a new appreciation for teachers.
But mostly, you just need a break, right?
Take one! For free!
Audible just announced the moment of calm you need right now: Audible Stories.
Gather round a screen and let's do story hour.
You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think ...
Was there ever a better time for the sage advice of Pooh Bear? You probably have a copy of Winnie-the-Pooh somewhere. Maybe you read it often. But this audio version, read by Peter Dennis, is the version Christopher Robin himself recommends.
A.A. Milne's son, Christopher Robin, wrote, "Peter Dennis has made himself Pooh's Ambassador [Extraordinaire] and no bear has ever had a more devoted friend. So if you want to meet the real Pooh, the bear I knew, the bear my father wrote about, listen to Peter."
It streams for free on your computer, phone, laptop, or tablet.
No better time to go '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'
Right now would be a great time to hole up in a state-of-the-art submarine and wait out the world of humans from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Pull up a screen, get some snacks, and do just that.
This is the story to put these dark moments in perspective.
"Verne's stories and writing style can be impenetrable to read," wrote one listener. "But to listen — and to listen when they are so beautifully read — is a gateway to an enchanting journey for the mind and an inspiring vision for the soul."
When your best friend is a dragon
A boy befriends the dragon who lives down the road. The dragon isn't what he expects.
The Reluctant Dragon is a classic take from Kenneth Grahame, and it's a great choice for these divisive times.
"I love Kenneth Grahame's way of never talking down to a child in his books," wrote one reviewer. "For those who love a good animal character, this one about the dragon, the kid, and St. George is a classic and it teaches diversity and individual identity in a way that no school book could."
A very naughty rabbit
Peter Rabbit and Friends is one of those children's story collections you really should not get out of childhood without listening to hundreds of times. This is the easy way to give your kids hours of that kind of repetition. Just show the kids where the play button is and let them read.
Listening to a book is a gateway to reading. It helps young readers with motivation, vocabulary, and many other reading skills that help them past their struggle with the mechanics.
Streaming audio books is easier for you than struggling through a reading lesson. It's pleasant for the kids, too. But it's also educational, so don't hesitate to indulge.
Choose something else
There are so many books in this library of free streaming audio books from Audible that you and your kids are certain to find the stories that are your classics.
Whether the kids are babies, toddlers, reading on their own, or in high school, there is something for them here. There's also something for you, after they go to bed. Just go to stories.audible.com and start listening.
Enjoy!
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