Comments on The Picnic Basket: Almost Astronauts • Nonfiction audiobook

A late post here...I apologize. I wish I could sa...

2010-04-24T17:37:13.670-04:00

A late post here...I apologize. I wish I could say I loved this audiobook, but I did not. Perhaps it was simply my inexperience of listening to a story. I haven't listened to many audiobooks as I prefer to do the reading.

However, what this audiobook DID do was intrigue me enough to go to the local library and check out the paperback version of the book. Once I had the book in hand, it was much easier to listen along with the audio portion. Simply listening to the audio, though, was not enough for me to be interested in this nonfiction work.

The story in the BOOK was one I enjoyed very much and would recommend.

I would rate this audiobook a Picnic Basket rating of 3...and the actual book a Picnic Basket rating of 4.

I requested this audio to write a review for one o...

2010-04-08T12:49:49.184-04:00

I requested this audio to write a review for one of my classes. I didn't know what to expect; however, I learned about a piece of our American history we never hear about. These women were strong, capable, yet not given the opportunity to pursue their dreams.

I give this audio 4/5.

Cody Blagg
Scottsdale, AZ

"Almost Astronauts" audiobook will be hi...

2010-03-16T13:25:44.404-04:00

"Almost Astronauts" audiobook will be highly recommended by me. The author did a wonderful job of compiling all the info in a manner that allows the listener to follow along without getting confused. Even my young daughter listened intently and asked questions on our drive to school.

I give this audiobook 5 out of 5.

Carrie Blagg, Librarian Assistant
Paradise Valley, AZ

What a wonderful audiobook. Each time I listened ...

2010-03-10T22:13:50.299-05:00

What a wonderful audiobook. Each time I listened to it in the car, I hated to stop the story at my destination. I think students grade 5 and above will truly enjoy the richness of the audiobook. And it may hook some reluctant readers into books on audio.

I can't wait to listen to this adventure again on a long summer car trip with my family.

I give the audiobook a 5 out of 5. And I hope we get to preview more audiobooks.

Heather Hill, Reading Specialist
Enterprise Elementary
Woodbridge, VA

I was excited to receive this audiobook. I was ho...

2010-03-08T20:17:05.971-05:00

I was excited to receive this audiobook. I was hoping to add it to my classroom library as another resource for my students. However, while I found it to be quite a good "listen," I soon realized that it was meant for an older group of kids. Fifth grade or higher is probably a much better fit. I believe older students will appreciate the story of these determined women much better than my 3rd graders. The additional CD with pixs was a pleasant surprise and would also be a great addition to creating a lesson surrounding this story.

For fifth graders and up, I would give this a 4 out of 5.

I really enjoyed listening to this book! I'm n...

2010-03-04T14:53:25.671-05:00

I really enjoyed listening to this book! I'm not sure about the age group that it is listed for, I would suggest it for high school students.
I was especially captivated by the end of the book, when the author actually spoke with the women.
I would give this book a strong 4.

Sara Lestage
Whitehall Elementary School

I have the book on order so I enjoyed hearing the ...

2010-03-04T10:33:39.492-05:00

I have the book on order so I enjoyed hearing the book before seeing it first hand. I agree the bonus disk with the pictures and the study guide is a great feature. The book captures the interest of students who enjoy non-fiction and learning about a time not so long ago. The audio quality is excellent. This will definitely have a place in my library for units on astronauts and space travel.

I so enjoyed listening to this audio book. I foun...

2010-02-28T23:11:14.958-05:00

I so enjoyed listening to this audio book. I found myself sitting in the parking lot at school to finish a chapter or listen to more before starting my work day. The stories of these women is amazing and needs to be told. I mentioned the women to a fellow teacher and they said they had no idea there were women in the Mercury program I also just ordered to print book so that my students may follow along as they listen at our "read along" station in the classroom. Thanks for the opportunity and I look forward to more audio books in the future.

I give this audio book: 5 stars
juli
5th grade teacher

I was finally able to find time to listen to the a...

2010-02-28T22:05:22.222-05:00

I was finally able to find time to listen to the audio book while driving to and from a conference. I thought it was great! Disc one was interesting and most definetly pulled me in with all of the details about the tests and the descriptions of the women. Disc two and three became downright exciting as you learn about the reasons why the program was halted. A fascinating listen, I think combining the bonus disc that has pictures, etc with listening to different chapters would be a great classroom tool.

This book on CD was AMAZING! What a great premise...

2010-02-28T16:49:43.474-05:00

This book on CD was AMAZING! What a great premise for writing a book - to give young girls who want to dream big examples of those who have come before them.

From the first chapter I was hooked and hung on every word. I immediately went to the library and donated this so that it will reach a larger audience.

Great job!!

5/5

Lindsay Horne
New Kent Middle School
New Kent, VA

Very interesting "Listen". It would be ...

2010-02-26T19:18:39.886-05:00

Very interesting "Listen". It would be wonderful for students who have trouble getting through a print book, but if you added the book with the audio it would encourage reading more. The addition of the graphics on a separate disk is nice, but how often do you listen to a book on disc while at your computer?

Rating:4/5

A great audio selection and introduction to women ...

2010-02-24T17:38:27.126-05:00

A great audio selection and introduction to women in our space program. It was both aggravating and inspirational to listen to. I can see this working well with a group of middle school (or above) girls who might meet weekly and listen to/discuss a portion at a time.
Thanks for including an audio selection.
Rating: 5

The audio version of Almost Astronaunts is a wonde...

2010-02-21T17:16:14.741-05:00

The audio version of Almost Astronaunts is a wonderful way to help upper-elementary or older students with reading. The students could follow along in the book while listening to the story. It would also be a nice change to silent reading, giving the listener a change in tone and expression. The picture disc allows the listener to "put a face with a name." A great selection for girls who have hopes of persuing careers in a predominantly male profession. A wonderful book that illustrates courage, determination, and commitment.

Rate 5/5

This story is an important historical statement an...

2010-02-21T15:26:58.028-05:00

This story is an important historical statement and a moment of our history that needs to be heard again and for most, the first time. Civil rights issues are still a modern factor in politics, and it is important that we continue to engage in conversations about what equality means and how that term has evolved and continues too. There were times as I was listening my eyes filled with tears. I felt like I learned a lot about topics I knew very little about. This is an important story suitable for a wide audience of listeners. I would love to see this on the shelf of all libraries and classrooms where the environment promotes a female's access to science and technology.

The Mercury 13 women were such an inspiration to a...

2010-02-19T19:59:17.879-05:00

The Mercury 13 women were such an inspiration to all women. I would not have realized this without listening to Tanya Lee Stone's book. When I began listening to the book, I was trying to figure out how to get students interested in reading the book. I appreciated the ideas that were in the extra disc. I am a special education teacher and have many students who enjoy listening to books. This is one that I will be sure to use. It is a great resource when studing the women's rights movement.
I give this audiobook a 5 in my basket.
Thank you for offering an audiobook in your collection. I am also glad that the author chose to tell the story in this fashion, rather than in poetry or in a picture book. This topic fits in well for the older student.

I loved listening to this book. It was so interes...

2010-02-18T21:34:16.898-05:00

I loved listening to this book. It was so interesting to hear about these astronaut's lives and the difficulties they have been through. It seems as though this book is for an older age group, I don't think it would be good for younger kids. Very good, though!

4 out of 5

I loved that this audiobook also included the stud...

2010-02-17T19:34:05.722-05:00

I loved that this audiobook also included the study guide and pictures from the book. Both were very helpful. The audiobooks themselves were fascinating. I listened to them with my 4 and 8 year old sons on the way to school each morning. They loved them and so did I. Though much of the material was above the 4 year olds level, he certainly asked questions that told me he not only liked what he was listening to, but also understood it. He even requested that I get him some more books about space for him from the library. This is the type of stuff that you don't hear about, but really puts the whole picture together. I would love to use this in my classroom. I think the children would get a really good sense of not only how the space program has changed, but what these women did to make it possible for the women after them. I would recommend this and the print version. Very educational and interesting!

Rating: 5

I have to admit, I was skeptical about "liste...

2010-02-12T17:50:14.363-05:00

I have to admit, I was skeptical about "listening" to a book, especially a nonfiction book about a subject I'm sort of lukewarm towards. Let's just say Tanya converted me on the subject with Almost Astronauts. What a compelling story! Any girl who listens to - or reads - it will be instantly motivated to kick butt & aim for what she is passionate about. It amazes me to learn of the biases held and acted upon by NASA and President Johnson that kept these women from achieving a more prominent place in the history of space exploration. They certainly showed they had the right stuff and more. Their dignity and self-confidence elevate them to the well-deserved status of role models. While they may have been ahead of their time, they were exactly what their time needed. Exceptional book!

Carolyn A.
YA Librarian

Received the cds and listened to 90% of them. I b...

2010-02-12T16:45:18.955-05:00

Received the cds and listened to 90% of them. I believe that to have the student really appreciate this fine set of narratives, I would only select a few at a time. Also, the picture would be shown first.

I really enjoyed listening to this audio book. I ...

2010-02-11T22:56:31.116-05:00

I really enjoyed listening to this audio book. I love reading stories featuring strong female characters and I am so glad I have another book I can recommend, although I would probably recommend the print version.

4 out of 5

When this arrived I was not looking forward to lis...

2010-02-11T16:50:04.464-05:00

When this arrived I was not looking forward to listening to it. I wasn't particularly interested in the space program and I'm generally not a fan of audio books. So many students try "something new" because I encourage them to - so and I decided I needed to branch out as well. I'm so glad I did. I was completely drawn into the story and looked forward to each new revelation. The pacing and tone of the narration was perfect. The description of the moment a woman finally piloted the space shuttle was very moving. I think it would be most appropriate and most enjoyable for middle school and up.

Picnic Rating - 4

Denair Elementary School Library
Denair, CA

This audiobook is a great complement to the print ...

2010-02-10T15:11:31.301-05:00

This audiobook is a great complement to the print book and can help strengthen student listening comprehension skills. It can also engage readers who struggle with printed text. Great subject matter, too! (I teach 7th and 8th grade ELA, "regular" ELA class and remedial reading and writing in a suburban public school.)

"I didn't know women could do much,"...

2010-02-09T22:01:20.903-05:00

"I didn't know women could do much," was a comment from one of my high achieving female students. I didn't know kids still thought like this!
This audio book sparked so much conversation and understanding of how we as a society are still changing our thinking about how much women are capable of.
The story of these pioneers, paving the way for change and opportunity for all groups of people, is inspirational and eye opening.
Even my 66 year old mother is enthralled with this story. She doesn't recall hearing much about these women. Not surprising after listening to the story.
With a great performance by the narrator, this well researched and accessible piece for upper elementary and older kids is undoubtedly informing and entertaining. Listeners will be eager to learn more about this time in America's history and the women who helped shape it.
I was disappointed when I tried to access the bonus disc which was supposed to contain photographs found in the book. An attempt to contact the included e-mail was unsuccessful. The audio stands alone, but not being able to view the photographs was very disappointing since multiple attempts in various computers were not successful.
I rate this a 5 out of 5 for the audio portion of this story.

After previewing the audio version of this book, I...

2010-02-09T09:16:49.579-05:00

After previewing the audio version of this book, I am looking forward to being able to share it with my students. The story is well researched and captivating, the reading is compelling, and the CD of the photos completes the package for an excellent audiobook. This book in this format will be an excellent choice for some of my non-fiction readers who are at a low reading level but very high comprehension level. I give this book a 5.

Susan O'Connell
Jeudevine Library
Hardwick, VT

I have been listening to this story since I receiv...

2010-02-08T14:53:22.847-05:00

I have been listening to this story since I received it last week. I love it! I am finding out a great deal about the space program that I didn't know. I feel that this is a good time to have this story come out, with the possibility of the space program being discontinued. This story has such strong women who defied their circumstance and gave us all something to work towards. How times have changed. We get strong women and see that they can actually do more than men. I am also glad to see that there were men who believed in us, even back in the 60's.

I work with a group of high school special education students who aren't big on reading. I can't wait to share this with them. High schoolers are great for competeing, so it will be interesting to see what the discussion about this story will be like. I love audio books because my kids are able to focus better on listening to stories rather than reading on their own. I hope The Picnic Basket will continue to include audio books in their selection.

Rating: 5

Catherine Yezak, Special Ed. Teacher, Marquette Senior High School, Marquette, MI