I Get Judge-y About Audiobooks, Junior

Okay, you've all devoured my thoughts about the Narration By Author or Authors category in the upcoming Audies Awards, but never fear! My Armchair Audies work continues. I also listened to all of the books in the Teens category, and what a strong category is was. Check out the nominees:

Teens To Category List PICK-UP GAME: A Full Day of Full CourtMarc Aronson, Charles R. Smith Jr. Read by Dion Graham Bernstine, Quincy Tyler (Brilliance Audio/ Candlewick) Read the review
CHIMEFranny Billingsley Read by Susan Duerden (Listening Library) Read the review
OKAY FOR NOWGary D. Schmidt Read by Lincoln Hoppe (Listening Library) Read the review
THE WAKE OF THE LORELEI LEE: Being an Account of the Adventures of Jacky Faber, on Her Way to Botany BayL.A. Meyer Read by Katherine Kellgren (Listen & Live Audio) Read the review
BEAUTY QUEENSLibba Bray Read by Libba Bray (Scholastic Audiobooks) Read the review

I already talked in more detail about Libba Bray, L.A. Meyer, Gary D. Schmidt, and Franny Billingsley, so let me start with the stories edited by Marc Aronson and Charles R. Smith, Jr. Pick-Up Game is a tightly constructed series of interwoven stories by different writers, linked by poems and photos of the basketball court, and it has a kaleidoscopic joy and tension holding it together. The narration by Dion Graham Bernstine and Quincy Tyler is rhythmic, at times melodic, and the production sound effects work seamlessly with the narration and the text to bring the day of street ball to vivid life. This is one of those cases when having the book would be great, because the photos and layout tell the story, too. But if opting between the two versions (paper and audio), I'd still go with audio because the voices are so rich.

In general, this category is incredibly strong. I have been listening to more and more teen/YA audio in recent years - in part because it's great for listening while at work (except for when it compels me to tears, as so often happens. I'm a crier.) But I also think that more and more great YA audiobooks are being produced. There is a serious wealth of titles out there, so it makes sense that five such strong contenders are on the table now.

So I'm ranking Pick-Up Game, Chime, and Okay for Now in a tie for 3rd place. I think Pick-Up Game had the most effective production values, Chime had the most compelling voice, and Okay for Now had the strongest ability to transport me into the story and not let me go until 'The End.'

In 2nd place, Beauty Queens, which as I explained for the Narration by Author or Authors category (in which I pick this title to win), is an entirely captivating and delightful story, told with charming skill. Mad props to Bray, of course, for such a strong showing when up against narrators who really excel at interpreting books for a living. Sometimes when I'm writing I read parts of the novel to myself, and sure, I'm untrained and Bray isn't, but let's just say that when I publish my book, I'm not going to be the one narrating the audio version. (You can picture me knocking on wood here, fyi.)

And the top prize in my opinion goes to The Wake of the Lorelei Lee. I'm a fan of Meyer's series, and an even bigger fan of Kellgren's narrations of them. This title, with the myriad voices and accents, the constant singing and fighting and longing and loving, was a true wonder to listen to. It was one of my favorite audiobook listening experiences ever, and I hope this duo continue to work together for another dozen Jacky Faber adventures.

Good luck to all the nominees. It's, as I said, a great slate of titles, and it was a joy to listen to them for this project.

Armchair Audies: Lincoln Hoppe Narrates Gary D. Schmidt

Another Armchair Audies post for one of the nominees in the Teen category. I'd not have heard of this book otherwise, so I'm quite glad I participated in this project. As a matter of fact, both author and narrator were new to me, and I'm sure I'd enjoy more work by both of them.

Gary Schmidt's Okay for Now is a coming-of-age novel about Doug Swieteck, whose life is not all that promising when, at 14, his abusive father's search for employment causes his family to relocate to the small town of Marysville, NY. (Doug and his hoodlum of an older brother feature in Schmidt's Newberry-winning The Wednesday Wars, which I'm going to have to read now that I've realized that.) Doug's troublemaking oldest brother is serving in Vietnam (this would be the late 60s), his hoodlum middle brother quickly finds a dodgy element to hang with, and his father now works with a friend who defines "partner in crime." It doesn't take long for the town to label long-haired, illiterate Doug. 


Doug, however, is extraordinary. Not that he knows that. All he knows about himself, it seems, is that nothing good will come to him, and if it does, it will be taken away. It's better to remain aloof and untouched. He does, however reluctantly, come to know a few people in town just well enough that they begin to see him for who he is, instead of who they assume him to be. A classmate named Lil who holds him to a standard he would never aspire to on his own. One of the town librarians breaks through to his artistic soul. Some of the customers on the delivery route he works for Lil's father, the deli owner, come to depend on him. Gradually, and with many setbacks thanks to his brother, his father, and circumstances beyond his control, Doug opens himself up a little. His ingrained habit of expecting nothing for himself propels him to seek something for everyone. In this case, it's the breathtaking plates of Audubon's Birds of America, which Doug discovers and is captivated by on his first trip to the library. The town has been selling off the plates, though, to raise money, and Doug needs, on a deep level, to see the volume restored to completeness. His quest brings him - and Lil - to Broadway, and horseshoe pitches, and more than once to the principal's office. 


Listening to this book, you'll be moved by Doug's descriptions of Audubon's birds, and want to look them up. Not having them right there in the text in hand is the only drawback I can imagine to Lincoln Hoppe's narration. Hoppe is so expressive, and captures everything about Doug's young voice - the anger, the loneliness, the wonder, the tenderness, the trepidation, the love. His voice mirrors Doug's growth throughout - the bitter and defeated tone making way for one that contains true flashes of happiness. I doubt Hoppe smiled more than once while reading the early chapters, and it was an extremely effective choice. I really sank deep into this narration, and am wondering if my family should take a road trip soon, so we can listen to it together.