How Does Reading vs Listening to Audiobooks (What science says about it) Work?

Reading and listening to audiobooks are two ways to get stories, just like having a cookie or eating it.

When you read, your eyes see the words on the page, and your brain turns them into sounds and meaning. It's like looking at a picture of a cookie and imagining how it tastes.

When you listen to an audiobook, your ears hear someone else reading the story out loud, kind of like hearing a friend describe a cookie while they eat one. Your brain still turns that into a story, but it uses sound instead of eyes.

Sometimes, listening is faster because you don’t have to stop and look at each word, it’s all done for you. It's like having someone feed you a cookie bit by bit while telling you the whole tale.

But reading gives your brain more time to think about what you're seeing, almost like tasting the cookie slowly, noticing every detail as it comes.

Both are great! You can pick whichever makes the story feel most fun for you. Reading and listening to audiobooks are two ways to get stories, just like having a cookie or eating it.

When you read, your eyes see the words on the page, and your brain turns them into sounds and meaning. It's like looking at a picture of a cookie and imagining how it tastes.

When you listen to an audiobook, your ears hear someone else reading the story out loud, kind of like hearing a friend describe a cookie while they eat one. Your brain still turns that into a story, but it uses sound instead of eyes.