I discovered Storyline Online quite by accident (do not recall exactly how) about three years ago. Since then I have talked about it to friends, family, and others willing to listen!
Storyline Online is a program of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. It provides a wonderful online resource of great reading – well-chosen books read by members of the SAG. It is an online streaming video experience enhanced and enriched by the books read and those who read it. Since it is professionals reading the books, the ‘PEE’ (an acronym I made up with my son as he has started working on presentations for school homework!) is perfect – Projection, Enunciation, Expression! The readers know how to project their voices perfectly, the words are spoken  clearly and at the right speed for listeners of all ages to follow, and the expressions are priceless.
In addition to enjoying listening to people like Betty White and Jason Alexander read to you, you can also enjoy the other activities provided for each book. These are educational and can be used as part of an home-schooling program, by teachers in classroom activities, and by anyone to improve spoken and written English.
Each and every book included here is a treasure and we have read them all many times over and listened to them being read even more. Each of us at home have a few favorites here and I love listening to the stories myself (even without the kids next to me!).
My favorites:
Sophie’s Masterpiece – by Eileen Spinelli with fitting illustrations by Jane Dyer and read wonderfully by CCH Pounder
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch – again by Eileen Spinelli with pictures by Paul Yalowitz and Hector Elizondo lends his magical voice here
My kids favorites:
Actually, they cannot pick one – so everyone of them.

You can help support the site by donating (tax-deductible) here. You can also buy the books themselves here and read along with the book next to you.

Book Beginnings: This is a weekly meme hosted by ‘A Few More Pages’.
How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the
book you are currently reading on your blog or in the
comments. Include the title and the author so we know what
you’re reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your
first impressions were based on that first
line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the
sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

This week’s beginning is from ‘Commune of Women’ by Suzan Still

Erika 
The noise as Erika steps out of the cab is deafening. She’s screaming at Amelia, “Just call Dallas and tell them…”
Still, Suzan (2011-07-19). Commune of Women (p. 7). NBN_Mobi_Kindle. Kindle Edition.

The Friday 56 is a bookish meme
sponsored by Freda’s Voice. It is really easy to participate. Just
grab a book, any book, and turn to page 56. Find a sentence that grabs
you and post it.

Again from ‘Commune of Women’:
As long as they’ve got water and can defend the door, they can hold out for weeks, if necessary.
Still, Suzan (2011-07-19). Commune of Women (p. 56). NBN_Mobi_Kindle. Kindle Edition.

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