I'm always fond of creative ways of adding Bible reading into your life. In our Sr. High Sunday School class, one girl was describing her daily routine and she has very little free time. I suggested downloading an audio Bible to her iPod and listening that way. Great idea, only she was the only girl there who doesn't own an iPod!
Soon thereafter, I had the opportunity to receive the Word of Promise Next Generation New Testament MP3 Set, published by Thomas Nelson ($34.99). This is a dramatized audio version utilizing the voices of mostly teenage stars, many of them familiar to my children via the Disney Channel and various television shows and movies aimed at children and tweens. Actors include Cody Linley, Annasophia Robb, Jordan Sparks, Corbin Bleu, and Sean Astin.
With that kind of cast, my children and I were excited to check it out. I downloaded the MP3's to my laptop, transferred them to iTunes, and added them to my iPod. The first time I had a chance to listen, I was in the car. I started with Matthew, expectations high. As I listened, I was surprised to find it less a dramatized version and more a reader's theater style. The acting was less than exciting and unfortunately came across as rather dull. I admit to being disappointed.
I have since played several books for my children and have found some sections to be more enjoyable than others. There are parts of this that are excellent, but it is uneven. I know the skill of many of the actors involved and wish they had brought more to the table when recording. Most sections read like an adult reading down to a child. My younger children did enjoy it, and the actors are an added draw, so I would recommend this for those with younger children.
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