From: Merri Lindgren <mlindgren>
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 09:29:16 -0500

We'll begin our discussion for the first half of April with the 2009 Odyssey Award winner and honor audiobooks. This is the second year the Odyssey Award (jointly administered by ALSC and YALSA, and sponsored by Booklist) has been given to the producer of the best audiobook for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.

Winner of the 2009 Odyssey Award was Recorded Books, for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, written and narrated by Sherman Alexie. There were five honor books:

Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady by L.A. Meyer. Narrated by Katherine Kellgren. Listen & Live Audio

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. Narrated by Mirron Willis. Listening Library

I'm Dirty by Kate & Jim McMullan. Narrated by Steve Buscemi. West Woods Studios

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale written and narrated by Carmen Agra Deedy. Peachtree

Nation by Terry Pratchett. Narrated by Stephen Briggs. HarperChildren's Audio.

When I first read Sherman Alexie's powerful young adult novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, I couldn't imagine any way in which it could be improved. Then I listened to the audiobook. The author is the ideal narrator, giving an audible voice to Arnold Spirit that intensifies the impact of the book's humor and tragedy. What are your reactions to the Odyssey winner and honor books?

Merri

-- 
Merri Lindgren, Librarian
Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
School of Education, UW-Madison
608-263-3930
mlindgren at education.wisc.edu

Received on Fri 03 Apr 2009 09:29:16 AM CDT