For years, educators have sung the praises of audio books for
students with reading challenges or those whose first language
isn't English. These days, however, experts say that audio books
are a great tool to get any kid to read more books. The audio
format attracts kids because it's a different - and cool - way
to read, especially now that they can download a book right into
their MP3 players. And audio 'reading' can be combined with
another activity, such as running or cooking, which is an
important consideration for today's multi-tasking kids. 'The
spoken word is the world's oldest form of dialogue; it's how
people have predominantly learned for centuries,' said David
Joseph, a spokesman for Audible.com, the fast-growing company
that markets digital downloads of books, magazines and
newspapers. 'It's not surprising that, when delivered in a
format on a device that makes sense for students, it resonates
with them.' Lisa Dennis, coordinator of children's collections
at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, ad