please suggest read aloud for dd8

Just noticing on the OP the mention of reluctant reader, so wanted to add something, also on the subject of librivox.org:

I had what I thought was a reluctant reader – when DS was 6.5 to around 7.5 years. Looking back (he is now 8.5) I realize he was not so much reluctant as much as frustrated that he could only read (independently) at a basic level. He WANTED to read good and more complex stories than he could manage. He loved it when I would read to him, could listen for hours, but when it came to reading on his own it was only ever short spurts, and he was easily distracted or bored.

Librivox got us beyond this, but I think it only happened because we used it alongside a physical copy of the book. When I would turn on a librivox.org recording, I would only do so when I had a physical copy of the book for him to sit and diligently follow along with. Two chapters at a time and then an oral narration. Doing this daily (alongside our read alouds where I am the only one with a copy of the book) took his reading level from gr 2/3 to grade 5/6 in ONE year. I’m not really one to care about “levels” but thought it worth mentioning. The best thing that happened to us via Librivox was that my son’s decoding skills and reading ability skyrocketed –alongside enjoyment of great literature. Best of both worlds! Thought I would share in case this helps someone 🙂

Blessings, Angie

I’m going to try this with my reluctant reader – she’s 7 1/2 yo.  And easily frustrated.

I don’t know for sure. =) I have been looking up the books mostly from SCM recommended lists, my bookcases, favorite authors, AO, a recommendation from someone on this forum…just whatever.

I guess sometimes it’s based on whatever I am interested in at the moment. When I print a booklist I often take the time to quickly check them against the libivox catalog. I have a dd that learns much better with audio and a book together, so we use them as often as I can so I can be free to do something besides read out loud all day. =)

I have found several of the Burgess books as audios since we love them:

http://librivox.org/the-adventures-of-buster-bear-by-thornton-w-burgess/  which is a 106 Days of Creation book

and there are many more:

https://catalog.librivox.org/search.php?title=&author=Thornton+Burgess&status=all&action=Search

Jane Austen:

https://catalog.librivox.org/search.php?title=&author=Jane+Austen&status=all&action=Search Pride and Prejudice, Emma, more

Louisa May Alcott:

https://catalog.librivox.org/search.php?title=&author=Louisa+May+Alcott&status=all&action=Search   Little Women, Little Men, Jo’s Boys and more

Shakespeare – I love this! Most are his actual plays. We read along in our books as we listen if I don’t have a good BBC movie version:

https://catalog.librivox.org/search.php?title=&author=Shakespeare&status=all&action=Search

Anne of Green Gables series:

https://catalog.librivox.org/search.php?title=&author=Lucy+Maud+Montgomery&status=all&action=Search

Lots of the Yesterday’s Classics and several of the Heritage History’s collections are on there. I did a blog post about the YC collections that were on audio through Librivox here:

http://mysouldothdelight.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/yesterdays-classics-ancient-greece-books-librivox-audio-books/

Talking about listening to books – how do you all listen? 

Currently, If we want to listen to a book, we have to be in the school room.  Four desks, no chairs, no pillows, no carpet on the floor.  Not very listening-inducing.  It seems like in order to listen in the school room, we have to be coloring. 

When we listen to me read aloud in the living room, we’re fine with just laying around on the couch/recliner/floor (carpeting).

Do we need more technology in our lives???? *L*

Not really.  IT’s rather small – and cramped, with my desk and four kiddos.  I’m thinking about ditching the individ. desks adn going to a table.  I’m open to all options right now!!!