As Children’s Laureate Jacqueline Wilson campaigns for reading aloud, www.astoryforbedtime.com has set up a free bank of downloadable story recordings by parents who are already putting in their 20 minutes a day.
Founder Alan Bell has publishers’ permission for recording a small range of picture book texts including Farmer Ham by Alec Sillifant and Mike Spoor, and Dr Xargle’s Book of Earthlets by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross. The home-made recordings are intended to encourage bedtime reading and, for the desperate, could bring new meaning to the term “electronic babysitter”.
Most useful to teachers will be the section for readings of traditional tales and storytelling. This is currently empty, so record your favourite story to share.
