Resources: Audiobooks and Text-to-Speech
Digital media technology is evolving at a rapid pace. Should you find that a recommendation here is outdated, please do let us know and we will be happy to assist you in finding another.
Amazon
Purchase many popular titles for children and teens on multiple formats. Many classic titles are available for free download to Kindle.
Audible
Audible is a great resource that offers a wide selection of books (i.e., history, science fiction, classic novels, etc), as well as “spark notes” study guides.
Barnes & Noble
Buy books in multiple digital formats. B&N Jr. provides a link to titles for younger readers.
Amazon
Purchase many popular titles for children and teens on multiple formats. Many classic titles are available for free download to Kindle.
Audible
Audible is a great resource that offers a wide selection of books (i.e., history, science fiction, classic novels, etc), as well as “spark notes” study guides.
Barnes & Noble
Buy books in multiple digital formats. B&N Jr. provides a link to titles for younger readers.
Bookshare
This online library of digital books provides both text and audio versions of many trade and textbooks. A recommendation is required to qualify for the free membership; please contact the Yellin Center for more information.
Boomerang
Download hour-long radio episodes which cover stories about history, economics, literature, geography, current events, vocabulary, jokes, and stories, all written for and performed by kids.
This online library of digital books provides both text and audio versions of many trade and textbooks. A recommendation is required to qualify for the free membership; please contact the Yellin Center for more information.
Boomerang
Download hour-long radio episodes which cover stories about history, economics, literature, geography, current events, vocabulary, jokes, and stories, all written for and performed by kids.
iTunes
Select from tens of thousands best-selling audiobooks.
Learning Ally
Choose from a vast selection of children’s books, novels, non-fiction, textbooks, test preparation materials (SAT, ACT, etc.), and books in various languages. Selections are available in multiple formats.
Public Libraries
Don’t forget to check your local library for lots of free audiobooks!
Recorded Books
Contains an extensive catalogue of children’s books. It also has an excellent portion of the site that is designed for teachers.
Simply Audiobooks
Provides a choice between a rental program or a download club. This website offers helpful reading suggestions from lists such as “High School” and “Young Readers.”
Web Reader - $1.99 from the iTunes App Store
Web Reader is an inexpensive, user-friendly app that reads web pages and PDFs. Users can save audio as .mp3 files for later listening, too. Web Reader’s voices are just as canned as those of other text-to-speech programs unfortunately, but its affordability and portability make it hard to beat. Male and female voices are available, and listeners can adjust not only the volume but also the speed at which the content is read. Web Reader can also work in conjunction with DropBox to read content stored in other formats, like Word or RTF.
Immersion (for Kindle, with Audible)
After purchasing both the Kindle ebook version, and the audiobook version from Audible.com, students can sit back and listen to the book of their choice while each word is highlighted on the page as it's read.
Read2Go (with Bookshare)
Books acquired through Bookshare can now be both heard and read on Apple devices with Read2Go, which highlights each word as it is read.
VOICEtext (with Learning Ally)
To help students read along with their Learning Ally audiobooks, an ereader will highlight each sentence as it is read. Soon, VOICEtext will highlight each individual word.
Select from tens of thousands best-selling audiobooks.
Learning Ally
Choose from a vast selection of children’s books, novels, non-fiction, textbooks, test preparation materials (SAT, ACT, etc.), and books in various languages. Selections are available in multiple formats.
Public Libraries
Don’t forget to check your local library for lots of free audiobooks!
Recorded Books
Contains an extensive catalogue of children’s books. It also has an excellent portion of the site that is designed for teachers.
Simply Audiobooks
Provides a choice between a rental program or a download club. This website offers helpful reading suggestions from lists such as “High School” and “Young Readers.”
Web Reader - $1.99 from the iTunes App Store
Web Reader is an inexpensive, user-friendly app that reads web pages and PDFs. Users can save audio as .mp3 files for later listening, too. Web Reader’s voices are just as canned as those of other text-to-speech programs unfortunately, but its affordability and portability make it hard to beat. Male and female voices are available, and listeners can adjust not only the volume but also the speed at which the content is read. Web Reader can also work in conjunction with DropBox to read content stored in other formats, like Word or RTF.
Immersion (for Kindle, with Audible)
After purchasing both the Kindle ebook version, and the audiobook version from Audible.com, students can sit back and listen to the book of their choice while each word is highlighted on the page as it's read.
Read2Go (with Bookshare)
Books acquired through Bookshare can now be both heard and read on Apple devices with Read2Go, which highlights each word as it is read.
VOICEtext (with Learning Ally)
To help students read along with their Learning Ally audiobooks, an ereader will highlight each sentence as it is read. Soon, VOICEtext will highlight each individual word.
HIGHLIGHTING AUDIOBOOKS
One More Story - kindergarten - 3rd grade
This wonderful site allows children to listen to beloved picture books narrated by professionals. Each word highlights as it is read, encouraging kids to read along and improving word recognition.
Lerner Publishing - pre-kindergarten - 5th grade
Students can choose from Lerner's large library of fiction and non-fiction texts, then listen and read along with the highlighting text.
Tumblebook
Offers electronic texts for all grades, plus adults. The desktop version and app (available now via Google Play and soon for Apple) read text aloud, highlighting each word as it is read. Access the site for free if your school or public library has an account; if not, a monthly subscription of $6.99 gives private users access to hundreds of popular titles.
This wonderful site allows children to listen to beloved picture books narrated by professionals. Each word highlights as it is read, encouraging kids to read along and improving word recognition.
Lerner Publishing - pre-kindergarten - 5th grade
Students can choose from Lerner's large library of fiction and non-fiction texts, then listen and read along with the highlighting text.
Tumblebook
Offers electronic texts for all grades, plus adults. The desktop version and app (available now via Google Play and soon for Apple) read text aloud, highlighting each word as it is read. Access the site for free if your school or public library has an account; if not, a monthly subscription of $6.99 gives private users access to hundreds of popular titles.
Links are provided for informational purposes only. Links do not indicate endorsement of any particular products or services. Some resources may not be appropriate for all learners. We urge you to carefully review any of the products, services, or tools linked to from these pages prior to allowing children to use them without adult supervision.