Grounded for Life: ALA Media Youth Awards Wrap-Up

"And the winner of the Newbery Medal goes to . . . Jack Gantos for DEAD END IN NORVELT . . ."

. . . and the crowd at the ALA Midwinter Conference goes wild. Who does not love a roomful of screaming librarians? Those irrepressible librarians were on hand for the celebration of the annual ALA Media Youth Awards. Your intrepid SYNC reporter joined the awards via webcast with (what else) young adult audio on my mind . . .

DEAD END IN NORVELT (Newbery Medal)
Gantos's "semi-autobiography" (love this term, it is as good as "creative nonfiction") features a teen Jack who is "grounded for life" by his mother after he foolishly enacts the crazed plans of his father to construct a airline runway through his mother's garden. All is not lost, though, as Jack's grounding leads to a strange adventure involving molten wax, Eleanor Roosevelt, twisted promises, a homemade airplane, Girl Scout cookies, a man on a trike, a dancing plague, voices from the past, Hells Angels . . . and possibly murder.

Fortunately for me, I took the audiobook version of DEAD END IN NORVELT (Macmillan Audio) on a long car trip last year. Unfortunately for the other drivers, I was laughing so hard, I could not keep in my lane. Don't you DARE read this in a print version. Jack Gantos is an author who revels in his own material, and you WILL be rewarded with hilarious storytelling.

So, what else to explore on audio from the ALA Media Youth Awards (perhaps walking this time)?  Let's go first to the Michael L. Printz Award. The Printz, started in 2000, has grown to be a quite popular award supporting excellence in Young Adult literature.

WHY WE BROKE UP (Printz Honor)
In the Pritnz Honor category, we were pleased to see the book version of WHY WE BROKE UP by Daniel Handler and illustrated by Maria Kalman. This audio (Hachette Audio) is a hard call, because while narrator Khristine Hvam does a wonderful job as Min, one loses the lovely placement of Maira Kalman's illustrations as the benchmarks of Min's lengthy letter to the boyfriend she is dumping. The items that Kalman illustrates are the contents of Min's break-up package. The audiobook includes a PDF of those images, but does not replicate the integrated reading experience. If you adored the book (as I did), I recommend also giving it a listen to revel in Handler's witty turns of phrase and to listen to the quite grand audio interview with Handler and Kalman at the end.

THE SCORPIO RACES (Printz Honor & Odyssey Honor)
Audio should always enhance a book experience, and narrators Steve West and Fiona Hardingham make sure that the bloodlust of the fantastical steeds in Maggie Stiefvater's THE SCORPIO RACES(Scholastic Audio) is as thrilling as the relationship between the characters, Sean and Puck. Clearly others agree as the Odyssey Award (the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults) also granted this audio with an Honor. Watch your speedometer if you are driving with this audiobook—the heartpounding pace could drive you right to a ticket.

ROTTERS (Odyssey Award)
The Odyssey committee choose for its highest award, the audio production of ROTTERS (Listening Library), an audio best listened to in the full light of day. The book follows Joey, a teen whose mother's death sends him into the hands of his father, a modern graverobber. You know that when the book is blurbed by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy) and HE calls it "uncompromising, dark, and true," you are in for one terrifying listen. I will personally pass on this one as I am an absolute wimp and I KNOW that narrator Kirby Heyborne will make it a stunningly sophisticated spook.

GHETTO COWBOY (Odyssey Honor)
This title (on the younger side of YA) tells the (by all accounts) completely compelling story of Colt who is sent to stay with his father who is an urban horse trainer.  AudioFile Magazine gave GHETTO COWBOY (Brilliance Audio) a Earphones Award because "narrator JD Jackson splendidly captures the street-talking Colt; Jamaica Bob, the cowboy with dreads and a melodious voice; and the entire rich and colorful cast." This title originated from Candlewick Press, and their partnership with Brilliance has yielded some wonderful productions. This audiobook is downloading to my iPhone as we speak . . .

OKAY FOR NOW (Odyssey Honor)
Once again, AudioFile Magazine and the Odyssey are in resounding agreement, this time on the production of OKAY FOR NOW (Listening Library) narrated by Lincoln Hoppe (multiple AudioFile Earphones Award winner). As far as I am concerned, Lincoln can do no wrong ever since I heard him narrate MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD, an audio I dip into randomly for Francisco X. Stork's revealing prose and Lincoln's nuance.  But how can I talk about Stork, when this is a celebration of the brilliant, brilliant Gary D. Schmidt and his ability to capture the boy brain unlike any other?? I apologize. You need only know that this audio NEEDS to be in your line-up. You will come away happier (and maybe even smarter) for it.

The glorious thing about the availability of award-winning audio (and e-books for that matter) is there is no line and no waiting to get your hands on the ALA Media Youth Award winners. The hardcovers are sold out everywhere (as they are every year), but what is to stop you from starting to listen now? Oh, yes, time. Well, maybe you, like young Jack Gantos, will get "grounded for life."

 
Well Grounded,

Kirsten Cappy
SYNC Manager