Listening Library Nabs 2012 Odyssey Award
RSSBy Phyllis Levy Mandell
Rotters, written by Daniel Kraus and narrated by Kirby Heyborne, will haunt listeners long after its conclusion. After Joey's mother dies, his life spirals downward. He's sent to Iowa to live with his estranged father, a reclusive man who scrounges a living as a grave robber. Lonely and desperate to bond with his dad, the boy demands to join him on a digging expedition. Thus, Joey is plunged into a millennia-old vocation that both excites him and fills him with revulsion. This coming-of-age story offers a frightening glimpse into the darkest parts of the human psyche. Kraus's excellent text is complemented by Kirby Heyborne's expert narration that takes this terrific tale to a whole new level. Four Odyssey Honor audiobooks also were selected: Ghetto Cowboy, produced by Brilliance Audio, written by G. Neri, and narrated by JD Jackson; Okay for Now, produced by Listening Library, an imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group, written by Gary D. Schmidt and narrated by Lincoln Hoppe; The Scorpio Races, produced by Scholastic Inc., Scholastic Audiobooks, written by Maggie Stiefvater and narrated by Steve West and Fiona Hardingham; and Young Fredle, produced by Listening Library, an imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group, written by Cynthia Voigt and narrated by Wendy Carter.
January 23, 2012
Rotters, produced by Listening Library, an imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group, is the 2012 Odyssey Award winner. The Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production is given to "the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States. Jointly given and administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), divisions of the American Library Association (ALA), the award was presented on January 23 at ALA's midwinter meeting in Dallas, TX.
