Queen Camilla has encountered many questionable figures during her time as a royal, but her meeting this week with two famous troublemakers was at least for a worthy purpose. The queen appeared in the Beano alongside its iconic mischief-maker Dennis the Menace and his dog, Gnasher, as part of a campaign to encourage reading.
It wasn’t the cartoon Camilla’s impossibly slender waist that made the news (“I wish,” she remarked about her comic-strip likeness), but what she said while urging the young troublemaker to fully embrace reading: “Comics and audiobooks count too!”
Audiobooks have surged in popularity in recent years—revenue for UK publishers from audiobooks grew by nearly a third in 2023–24—becoming an increasingly important part of the industry. But do they really qualify as “proper” reading? Is listening to a book while washing dishes, walking the dog, or falling asleep truly as worthwhile as sitting down to read it?
For authors, the publishing industry, and those promoting reading and literacy, the answer is increasingly yes. “Reading is about the content, not the medium,” says Debbie Hicks, creative director of the Reading Agency, a charity that advocates for the personal and social benefits of reading and runs nationwide reading programs in schools, prisons, and communities.
Hicks acknowledges that audio has traditionally been seen as a lesser format, “but we need to rethink what it means to be a reader and move beyond these traditional hierarchies that favor print. Reading is about the content, not the medium.”
The advantages of audiobooks for those who are visually impaired, dyslexic, or short on time are clear. They can also serve as an entry point for people who might be less inclined to read—while significantly more women than men read books, more men (33%) than women (24%) listen to audiobooks weekly.
The charity’s research shows that the benefits of audio go further: evidence indicates that audio is just as effective as print when it comes to developing comprehension skills or building vocabulary, says Hicks.
Jon Watt, chair of the Audio Publishers Group at the Publishers Association, welcomed the queen’s comments, citing a 2024 National Literacy Trust study that found 37.5% of children and young people felt listening to audiobooks encouraged them to read more traditionally. More than half (52%) said listening to audio helped when they felt stressed.
“Listening is a gateway to reading,” says Watt. “It inspires a love of storytelling, which is absolutely crucial in getting children to want to read, listen, or engage with a story. At a young age, what really matters is that they engage with stories—whether they’re listening or reading, it supports literacy.”
In his day job, Watt is the audio and business development director at publisher Bonnier Books, and he says that for the industry overall, audio is “absolutely critical right now.”
“Audiobooks are now a major part of the industry and are no longer an afterthought for anyone in publishing. When acquiring a book now, publishers consider the audiobook alongside print and e-book versions. You’re thinking about it in all its formats, and that’s been a huge shift over the last five years.”
He points to widespread evidence of audio’s growing importance, from the increasing number of books that sell more in audio than in print or digital—once a rarity—to the fact that celebrity memoirs are now routinely narrated by their authors. (“Ten years ago, you would have struggled to get any celebrity near a microphone.”)
Spotify introduced audiobooks in 2022, and other new platforms like Spiracle have entered the market. Meanwhile, the star-studded casts for audiobooks on Amazon’s Audible service speak for themselves: a new production of Pride and Prejudice features Marisa Abela, Harris Dickinson, Glenn Close, Bill Nighy, and Jessie Buckley.
For some authors, this shift may even mean moving away from print entirely. The Guardian’s film critic Peter BradshawHe has published three novels traditionally, but for his latest work, Mercy, which follows a troubled NHS nurse, he first approached actor Joanna Scanlan to narrate it, then pitched the project directly to Audible. The audio-only version was released earlier this month.
Releasing the book solely in audio format has been “an amazingly liberating and exciting experience,” he says. “Five years ago, I would have said that physically reading a book is the authentic experience.” But his perspective shifted when a close friend mentioned reading George Eliot’s Daniel Deronda—which, it turned out, meant listening to the audiobook.
“As far as he was concerned, he was paying just as much attention and getting just as much from it as he would by reading a printed book. Who knows—this might be the way forward?”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about audiobooks framed around their effectiveness for absorbing stories and ideas
General Beginner Questions
Q Are audiobooks as good as reading a physical book
A For absorbing a story or the main ideas of a nonfiction book yes they can be just as effective The key is active listening just as you would actively read
Q What is an audiobook
A An audiobook is a recording of a book being read aloud either by a professional narrator or the author themselves
Q Im new to audiobooks What kind of book should I start with
A Start with an engaging fiction story or a memoir read by the author The narrative flow is often easier to follow than dense technical material
Q Where can I get audiobooks
A You can get them from subscription services your local library or purchase them from retailers like Apple Books or Google Play
Q Do I retain information as well from listening
A Research shows comprehension and retention are very similar between reading and listening provided you are focused Your learning style plays a rolesome people are more auditory learners
Benefits Advantages
Q What are the main benefits of audiobooks
A They allow you to read while doing other tasks can be more accessible and a great narrator can bring a story to life in a unique way
Q Can audiobooks help me read more
A Absolutely They turn otherwise lost time into reading time making it much easier to finish more books each year
Q Why do some people find audiobooks more engaging
A A skilled narrator adds emotion character voices and dramatic pacing that can deepen the immersion and emotional impact of a story
Q Are audiobooks good for learning new things
A Yes especially for conceptual learning in nonfiction They are excellent for absorbing big ideas narratives and arguments For detailed facts or data you need to reference a physical book may be better
Common Concerns Problems
Q I keep zoning out while listening What can I do
A This is common
