Abstract Beginning in 1657 with fantasized mechanical talking books as earrings, audiobooks portray a history of innovation. Initially marketed for the blind, audiobooks have found their way into our mainstream culture. Their evolution has excited a revolution in classrooms. Audiobooks unlock literacy skills by supporting the development of phonological, semantic and pragmatic language systems. Audiobooks model read-aloud attributes. Audiobooks build confidence in the struggling reader. Audiobooks facilitate English learning for second language learners. They are an effective intervention for those with learning disabilities. Audiobooks support shared experiences and extend literacy learning into the home. They provide another dimension for understanding content and encourage both listening and reading. Audiobooks can be used across the curriculum. The use of audiobooks in the classroom lessens student frustration as they allow teachers to differentiate and accommodate different learning abilities and styles. The audiobook has modernized the reader's theater by allowing students to record their own stories and develop an awareness of fluency and prosody of a narrator. Audiobooks can pique a student's interest and motivate all students to read within and outside the classroom.