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PHILADELPHIA– Scholastic Audiobooks producer of the audiobook, “Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction,” has won the 2020 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production. The award announcement was made today during the �������ϲʿ���app () Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits held January 24 - 28, in Philadelphia.

The Odyssey Award is given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States. The award is jointly administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), divisions of the , and is sponsored by Booklist magazine.

“Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction,” written by Jarrett J. Krosoczka and narrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Jeanne Birdsall, Jenna Lamia, Richard Ferrone and a full cast. In a deeply personal production, Jarrett J. Krosoczka—with a full cast including his friends and family—adapts his graphic memoir. Every carefully crafted element, from the strike of a match to the gruffly expressed love of his grandparents, creates a robust, unforgettable audio experience.

“The creative team behind ‘Hey, Kiddo’ has crafted a production that shines, demonstrating the potential in transforming a graphic novel for the audiobook world,” said Odyssey Award Committee Chair Sharon Haupt.

The Odyssey Committee selected four Honor Audiobooks.

“Redwood and Ponytail,” written by K.A. Holt, narrated by Tess Netting and Cassandra Morris and produced by Hachette Audio. Two voices, two girls, and two perspectives, combine to powerful effect in this novel in verse about middle school, first love and self-discovery. Through dynamic and expressive performances, Morris and Netting, supported by a Greek chorus of classmates, capture the yearning, confusion, and intensity found within the hearts of two girls.

“Song for a Whale,” written by Lynne Kelly, read by Abigail Revasch with the author and produced by Listening Library, an imprint of the Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group. Revasch’s narration honors the linguistic beauty of American Sign Language by emulating the experience of listening to a person who is simultaneously speaking and signing. On this journey fraught with frustrations and surprising joys, the desire to belong plunges Iris and Blue 55 on an insightful mission of communication.

“We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga,” written by Traci Sorell, narrated by Lauren Hummingbird, Agalisiga (Choogie) Mackey, Ryan Mackey, Traci Sorell and Tonia Weavel and produced by Live Oak Media. Take a journey through the four seasons. Narrated by a carefully chosen cast from the Cherokee community, this dynamic production utilizes music and sound effects to create an audio landscape that delivers a rich family-focused introduction to contemporary Cherokee language, culture and customs.

“We’re Not from Here,” written by Geoff Rodkey, narrated by Dani Martineck and produced by Listening Library, an imprint of the Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group. The fate of humankind rests on the Family Mifune, desperately seeking asylum on Planet Choom. Narrator Martineck shares the Mifunes’ precarious situation with well-timed comic relief as our protagonists navigate hostile inhabitants. “Everyone agrees” it’s an emotional roller coaster ride, leading to interspecies cooperation and understanding.

Audiobooks constitute a fast-growing area of usage in libraries. The award is named after the epic poem titled, “The Odyssey,” that was told and retold in the oral tradition and eventually ascribed by the poet Homer on the tales of Ulysses as he returns to his kingdom after the Trojan War. The Odyssey Award allows us to return to the ancient roots of storytelling, while living in our modern world.

Members of the 2020 Odyssey Award Committee are Chair Sharon Haupt, Cuesta College Library, San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Robin Brenner, Brookline (Mass.) Public Library; Shari Fesko, Southfield (Mich.) Public Library; Robin Gibson, Westerville (Ohio) Public Library; Martha Karavitis, Summit Elementary School, Casper, Wy.; Beth Klein, Prospect Heights (Ill.) Public Library; Kristin Olivarez, Monterey Park (Calif.) Bruggemeyer Library; Beth Rosania, Boise (Idaho) Public Library; and Drue Wagner-Mees, Los Angeles Public Library.

For information on the Odyssey Award and other Youth Media Awards, please visit .

About the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is driven by more than 4,000 members dedicated to the support and enrichment of library service to children. Our members include youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty. ALSC members engage communities to build healthy, successful futures for all children. To learn more about ALSC and how to join, please visit our website at www.ala.org/alsc.

About the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

For more than 50 years, YALSA has worked to build the capacity of libraries and librarians to engage, serve and empower teens. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to , or contact the YALSA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390, or email, yalsa@ala.org.

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