By Monica Williams, Account Manager, OverDrive

Long before books, stories were told around an open fire, late into the night, among families and communities. Oral storytelling is the original way of telling tales and sharing experiences, and remains a living tradition in many cultures today.

Listening to stories helps children make sense of the world and stretches their imagination. Most parents I speak to enjoy storytelling time with kids, and with modern technology growing, we are hearing more about the importance of reading and physical books. But for many families, reading time can feel like yet another item to put on the calendar, on top of juggling homework, busy routines, screen-time worries and kids who resist sitting down.

If that sounds familiar to you, audiobooks might be part of the answer. While some parents may wonder whether listening to an audiobook ‘counts’ as reading, there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to engage with storytelling. In fact, for children who find reading on the page frustrating or hard to do for extended periods of time, it can be a great way to get their attention and back into the world of books.

When reading feels like a test

For a child who struggles, every encounter with a book can start to feel like a performance task. Over time, some children begin to link books with frustration and an activity they don’t enjoy.

Audiobooks can lower that pressure by letting children reconnect with the things that hook all of us on stories in the first place: a plot that races along, characters worth caring about, great humour that makes you laugh out loud, and worlds that spark the imagination. When a story stops feeling like an assessment, children have room to rediscover why books are worth the effort.

Choice builds confidence

We help our kids develop confidence and motivation when we allow them to choose for themselves between print, ebooks and audiobooks. This gives them a sense of agency over the formats and types of stories they read, and that choice can make it easier to finish a book, explore a new genre and, just as importantly, start to see themselves as readers.

Audiobooks may be a preferred choice for some neurodivergent children in particular, especially if they often experience sensory overwhelm or fatigue. That’s because when sustained reading on the page feels difficult, listening offers a way to enjoy a story while doing other activities. Every child engages with reading differently, so knowing what works for your kid is the first step to helping them find a way to engage with it in a way they enjoy.

Reading and audio, side by side

The most useful way to think about audiobooks is as a companion to traditional reading. Some families pair an audiobook with the print or ebook edition so a child can follow along. Others alternate, listening to one chapter and reading the next. Sometimes audio simply helps a child become interested in a story, at which point they may be able to better engage with reading instead.

Making room for stories in everyday life

One of the best things about audiobooks is how easily they slot into family life; you can press play on the school run, a road trip, at bedtime or even during quiet downtime as an alternative to screen time. They also work beautifully while a child is drawing or doing another mindful activity, and can even make chores a little less painful.

Shared listening among the family brings its own rewards. Pausing to talk about a character’s choices, predicting what happens next or debating the ending are lovely ways to discuss a story together, with no worksheet required.

If you’re wondering where to start, participating public libraries offer audiobooks through the Libby app, and your child’s school may provide access through Sora, which includes accessible formats and features designed to support reluctant readers.

It’s time to broaden our definition of reading. Audiobooks are here to be used intentionally, alongside print and ebooks, and our role is to help children move between formats in a way that keeps them genuinely engaged and enjoying the all-important act of storytelling.

The goal of reading shouldn’t be to simply tick books off a list; it’s to make stories a natural, enjoyable part of life, and to raise children who feel confident and curious about books. The best thing we can do is show our kids that there’s more than one way to get there.

About Monica Williams, Account Manager – Global Libraries & Education:

Monica is an Account Manager at OverDrive who supports school libraries throughout Australia and New Zealand. Based in Melbourne, she brings over 15 years of experience working as a Librarian and Multimedia Technician across both corporate and education sectors.

Throughout her career, Monica has developed a strong passion for technology, e-learning, and photography. Before joining OverDrive in 2022, Monica worked as a Library Manager and Digital Literacy Specialist at a Catholic girls’ secondary college. At OverDrive, Monica works with schools to implement Sora, the company’s digital reading platform designed for education. She supports schools in using Sora’s features to enhance student engagement and promote accessible, technology-rich learning aligned with educational needs.