My kids absolutely LOVED The Dragon and the Raven by Heirloom Audio Productions. We have reviewed for them before, and this CD did not disappoint either! This audio drama was adapted from the story of The Dragon and the Raven written by G.A. (George Albert) Henty, a writer of historical adventure stories which were most popular in the 19th century.
The Dragon and the Raven fit in perfectly with our history studies of the Middle Ages, we were so excited to be part of this review!
We listened to this awesome audio drama in the car as we traveled here and there (as homeschoolers often do). The kids couldn’t wait to get in the car to continue listening!
Audio dramas are a step above your typical audio book, it’s like a movie scene (with out the visual). They greatly enjoyed listening to the adventures of King Alfred the Great, as he battled the Vikings and more! The voices are provided by big named actors from movies such as: The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Star Wars! You are sure to recognize them!
Made with Christian families in mind, these audio dramas also teach Christian morals.
This story is historical fiction. The main character, Ealdorman Edmond, whom is a Saxon in the late 9th century, fights alongside King Alfred the Great as they fight for supremacy in England. This book accounts their battles against the Danish Viking invaders in many capacities, including the siege of Paris.
What my kids thought:
Now we listened to this several weeks ago, but yet when asked about it my kids were able to recall right away what I was referring too, and remembered the story! I asked them separately about their favorite parts, yet they all said the same thing, as you can see.
My 6yo said that his favorite part was when he defeated the Vikings. He would talk about what was happening for hours after getting out of the car! He really loved it!
My 9yo loved the fight scenes (sorry he is all boy), but he loved how animated it was! He liked
My 5yo was also a fan, and of course his favorite parts were also the battles!
My thoughts:
If my kids LOVE it, I LOVE it. I’m not an auditory learner by any means (I feel my auditory learning has greatly lessened in my older/mom years.) But, I did enjoy listening to the CDs, I just had a hard time following the story line (no fault of the story tellers). I had to go back and listen to it again on my own to write this review. All that aside, I love that it is adventurous, I love that it portrays Christian values, and I love that it entertains my kids. We already own With Lee in Virginia, but I have ordered the other two titles for our road trip this spring and I look forward to future title releases!
Historical fiction is such a fun and engaging way to learn about history, and when you add the dramatic feature to this historical account it is takes it steps above! My kids really LOVED this and that is no exaggeration. I highly recommend this for ages 5+.
Purchase information:
Each CD set purchase of $29.97 also comes with great downloadable freebies!
Free Bonus #1: The complete The Dragon and The Raven eStudy Guide and Discussion Starter
Free Bonus #2: A beautiful, printable copy of the inspirational verse (Proverbs 21:31) as quoted by King Alfred in The Dragon and The Raven
Free Bonus #3: The Official The Dragon and The Raven Soundtrack MP3 download
If you purchase a family four-pack ($99.97), you get even more freebies!
Free Bonus #4: Unlimited access to the Live The Adventure Letter E-Newsletter.
Free Bonus #5: G.A. Henty's original The Dragon and The Raven E-Book with all new colorful graphics.
Free Bonus #6: A professionally designed, printable promotion poster (24” x 36”) featuring the star-studded cast of The Dragon and The Raven
Free Bonus #7: A brand behind-the-scenes documentary featuring the amazing cast, crew and actors of The Dragon and The Raven
The freebies offered take this audio drama to a new level of learning! The study guide specifies which parts of the story they are referring (by giving time stamps). It includes questions, applicable activities (like map reading, recipes and more thought provoking questions) and vocabulary. It also includes a section for Bible study.
These audio dramas are not just for homeschoolers though! Anyone can enjoy them! They are so fun, they won’t even know they are learning!
You might be interested in these other Heirloom Audio Productions:
With Lee in Virginia (previously reviewed)
Find them on the web
Heirloom Audio Productions Social Media Sites:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeirloomAudio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeirloomStories
Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/114534826166314080647/114534826166314080647/posts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heirloomaudioofficial/
The Dragon and The Raven product specific Facebook page:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDragonAndTheRaven
The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty specific Facebook page:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheExtraordinaryAdventuresOfGAHenty
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