ALA 2010 Amazing Audiobooks

The Titles

Nonfiction

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson, read by Dion Graham, Brilliance Audio, 2009, 1 hour, 55 minutes, 3 discs (includes bonus disc), ISBN: 978-1-4233-7537-1, $42.97.

Bluesy harmonica music introduces Dion Graham’s smooth baritone voice, eloquently returning listeners to the era of Negro League baseball in Kadir Nelson’s award-winning book.
Fiction

After Tupac and D Foster, by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Susan Spain. Brilliance Audio, 2009, 3 hours 13 minutes, 3 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4233-9805-9, $39.97

D Foster walks into the neighborhood where the narrator and her best friend Neeka live and opens up a whole new world to them, with Tupac’s musical influence as a background. Susan Spain's narration brings the girls' intertwined stories to life as she conveys the emotional turmoil that is part of growing up.

Along for the Ride, by Sarah Dessen, read by Rachel Botchan. Recorded Books, 2009, 12 hours 45 minutes, 11 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4407-3027-6, $108.75

On a whim, Auden decides to spend the summer with her father and his family. Despite her desire to remain emotionally distant from the drama that is in the house, Auden finds herself lending her stepmother a reluctant hand. Rachel Botchan brings Auden to life. It is as if Auden herself is sharing the story of her summer over a cup of coffee in a late night diner.

Boys are Dogs, by Leslie Margolis, read by Ellen Grafton. Brilliance Audio, 2008, 5 hours, 4 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4233-7729-0, $48.97

Annabelle doesn't like surprises OR change, but as she starts her first year of middle school she must cope with both. Ellen Grafton creates an authentic voice for Annabelle moving from childhood into adolescence, with all the dilemmas, wit, moodiness and confusion of that age.

Carter Finally Gets It, by Brent Crawford, read by Nick Podehl. Brilliance Audio, 2009, 8 hours 27 minutes, 7 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4233-9181-4, $87.97

A year in the life of Carter begins with a party, and ends with him realizing where his true interests and talents lie in this hilarious picture of a 14-year-old boy's life. Nick Podehl reads Carter with the perfect blend of humor, irony, and innocence, while narrating a true-to-life glimpse into the mind of a teenage boy.

The Chosen One, by Carol Lynch Williams, read by Jenna Lamia. Macmillan Audio, 2009, 5 hours 30 minutes, 5 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4272-0706-7, $24.99

Kyra is being forced to marry her sixty-year-old uncle who is an elder in their religious group "The Chosen Ones." As Kyra grapples with her emerging independence, she encounters dangerous and life-threatening situations. Jenna Lamia brings the perfect tone and emotions to thirteen-year-old Kyra and enables the listeners to hear her sadness, anger, and love for her family.

Identical, by Ellen Hopkins, read by Laura Flanagan. High Bridge Audiobooks, 2008, 8 hours 45 minutes, 7 discs, ISBN: 978-1-59887-735-9, $29.95

Identical twins with seemingly perfect parents are living an illusion. Laura Flanagan does a fabulous job at giving the twins unique voices, differentiating the intonation and attitude in the written word for both.

If I Stay, by Gayle Forman, read by Kirsten Potter. Listening Library, 2009, 4 hours 48 minutes, 4 discs, ISBN: 978-0-7393-8084-0, $45.00

Mia is a talented musician, with a great boyfriend and family. It all gets taken away when the rest of her family is killed in a car crash that leaves her clinging to life. This highly emotional story is captured wonderfully by Kirsten Potters' genuine tone for Mia's struggle between life and death.

The Indigo Notebook, by Laura Resau, read by Justine Eyre. Listening Library, 2009, 8 hours 25 minutes, 7 discs, ISBN: 978-0-3075-7981-2, $55.00

Zeeta and her mother Layla's nomadic life has brought them to Otavalo in Ecuador where they help a friend to find his birth father, uncover a smuggling ring, and learn to appreciate the life they have. Justine Eyre brings excellent Spanish accents and the right voice for each character, while enhancing a fascinating story.

In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber, by L.A. Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren, Listen and Live Audio, 2009, 15 hours,13 discs, ISBN 978-1-59316-142-2, $29.95.

Jacky Faber returns to the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls to hide out after learning she is wanted for piracy. While on a school outing, the entire class is kidnapped, taken aboard the slave ship Bloodhound, and held for ransom. Katherine Kellgren keeps the listeners on the edge of their seats as Jacky uses her wits, the crew, the prisoners and every opportunity available to save herself and the girls.

The Killer's Cousin, by Nancy Werlin, read by Nick Podehl. Brilliance Audio, 2008, 6 hours, 5 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4233-8078-8, $54.97

The jury found David innocent when tried for the murder of his girlfriend, but his name will always be associated with her death. Nick Podehl convincingly voices the self-doubt, fear and suspicion that build in this tautly-crafted mystery.

Living Dead Girl, by Elizabeth Scott, read by Kate Reinders, Brilliance Audio, 2009, 2 hours 54 minutes, 3 discs, ISBN 978-1-4233-9751-9, $49.97

Kidnapped five years ago while on a school field trip, fifteen-year-old “Alice” has grown too old to hold the interest of her abductor. When Ray orders her to find him a new little girl, Alice sees her chance for freedom. Kate Reinder's portrayal is disturbing and riveting.

Marcelo in the Real World, by Francisco X. Stork, read by Lincoln Hoppe. Listening Library, 2009, 10 hours 8 minutes, 8 discs, ISBN: 978-0-7393-7991-2, $40.00

To finish his senior year at the high school of his choice, Marcelo accepts his father's condition that he spend the summer working at his law firm. Lincoln Hoppe becomes Marcelo in this remarkable performance that takes the listener right into the heart of his struggles to make sense of the world.

The Monstrumologist, by Rick Yancey, read by Stephen Boyer. Recorded Books, 2009, 11 hours 45 minutes, 10 discs, ISBN 978-1-4407-3564-6, $108.75

Will Henry is the assistant to the Monstrumologist, Dr. Warthrop. Together they encounter the Anthropophagi, horrible human eating creatures. Set in the 1800's, this richly descriptive horror tale is vivid and imaginative. Stephen Boyer paints a frightening yet intriguing picture of Will Henry’s world.

My Bonny Light Horseman: Being the Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, in Love and War, by L.A. Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren. Listen and Live Audio, 2009, 12 hours, 10 discs, ISBN: 978-1-59316-446-1, $29.95

Jacky Faber is being forced by the British to spy against the French and although she hates it, she performs splendidly and even meets Napoleon. There is no one who could “be” Jacky Faber any better than Katherine Kellgren as she switches from British to French to American accents in the same sentence, as well as singing beautifully.

Newes from the Dead, by Mary Hooper, read by Rosalyn Landor and Michael Page. Brilliance Audio, 2009, 7 hours 27 minutes, 7 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4233-9230-9, $87.97

Anne Green regains consciousness at the beginning of her autopsy after being hanged for infanticide. Rosalyn Landor and Michael Page’s expert narrations capture this unusual and historically based story.
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Dion Graham, Brilliance Audio, 2009, 2 hours, 7 minutes, 2 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4233-9799-1, $39.97.

Through Dion Graham's heartfelt performance, Lonnie Collins shares hopes for peace in letters to his beloved sister, heightening the lyrical narrative of Jacqueline Woodson's story.

Slumdog Millionaire, by Vikas Swarup, read by Christopher Simpson. BBC Audiobooks America, 2009, 10 hours 47 minutes, 9 discs, ISBN: 978-0-7927-6162-4, $89.95

Ram Mohammad Thomas has his own reasons for wanting to win a billion rupees on an Indian quiz show. For each question he was asked listeners learn how he came to know the answer through the events of his life. Christopher Simpson embodies each character through his splendid accents while showing emotion unique to each person and situation.

Solace of the Road, by Siobhan Dowd, read by Sile Bermingham. Listening Library, 2009, 7 hours 5 minutes, 6 discs, ISBN: 978-0-7393-8591-3, $50.00

Fourteen-year-old Holly Hogan ‘s life is not going the way she wants until she finds “the wig”. When Holly puts on the blonde wig, she transforms into Solace. Sile Bermingham’s lightly accented soft voice is dead on for this multifaceted teen.

The Spectacular Now, by Tim Tharp, read by MacLeod Andrews. Brilliance Audio, 2009, 8 hours 19 minutes, 7 discs, ISBN: 978-1-4233-9963-6, $87.97

Perpetually drunk and high on life, Sutter Keely struggles to maintain his “live in the now” mantra despite the changes that threaten his relaxed existence. Macleod Andrews’s drawl injects the reading with the happy go lucky, laid back charm that makes Sutter the guy everyone wants to hang with.

Tree Girl: A Novel, by Ben Mikaelsen, read by Amber Sealey. Listening Library, 2009, 4 hours 37 minutes, 4 discs, ISBN: 978-0-7393-7265-4, $30.00

Gabi has survived the brutal massacre of her Guatemalan village by hiding in trees. Her harrowing journey to Mexico to build a new life is compellingly portrayed by Amber Sealey’s distant but emotionally charged narration. Based on a true story, the novel depicts the atrocities of genocide.

Wildwood Dancing, by Juliet Marillier, read by Kim Mai Guest. Listening Library, 2008, 12 hours 54 minutes, 11 discs, ISBN: 978-0-7393-7940-0, $50.00

Five sisters enter an enchanted forest each full moon to dance the night away with their magical friends. When the mysterious Night People arrive, their way of life is threatened. Kim Mai Guest's light and lilting voice brings the fantasy and enchantment to life.

Zen and the Art of Faking It, by Jordan Sonnenblick, read by Mike Chamberlain. Listening Library, 2008, 5 hours 35 minutes, 5 discs, ISBN: 978-0-7393-7155-8, $29.00

San has spent most of his life moving from school to school. He's ready to blend in with the background, but then Zen kicks in. Mike Chamberlain’s appropriately wry tone delivers San from clueless to self-aware.

Books To Movies

A look at some of the books that will be hitting the big screen in January and February. The one I am looking forward to the most, Percy Jackson.

Youth In Revolt

Youth In Revolt
Based on the book Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp by C.D. Payne.
Movie Released: January 8th, 2010
As a teenage fan of Albert Camus and Jean-Luc Godard, Nick Twisp is most definitely out of his element when his mother and her boyfriend move the family to a trailer park. When a pretty neighbor named Sheeni plays records by French crooners, it's love at first sight for frustrated virgin Nick. Upon learning that Sheeni is already dating someone, Nick launches a hilarious quest to find his way into Sheeni's heart, and bed.



The Last Station

Based on the book THE LAST STATION: A Novel of Tolstoy's Final Year by Jay Parini
Release date: January 15
A fictionalized account of the last year of the Russian author Leo Tolstoy's life and the people around him.




Creation

Based on the book DARWIN, HIS DAUGHTER & HUMAN EVOLUTION by Randal Keynes
Release date: January 22 (limited)
Draws on previously unseen material to trace the personal life of Charles Darwin, focusing on his relationship with his daughter Annie, who died when she was only ten years old.




Dear John

Based on the book Dear John by Nicholas Sparks.
Release Date:February 5th
A soldier home on leave falls for a conservative college girl. Instead of returning home to her, he reenlists after the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Time and distance begin to take a toll on the young lovers.



Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Based on the book of the same title by Rick Riordan.
Release date: February 12th
After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.

Straight No Chaser

My cousin Jerome is in a great a capella group called Straight No Chaser. There story is a really cool one. They all met at Indiana University and formed and a cappella group. After graduation they all went off and did there own things. Someone put an old concert of theirs on YouTube and had over 7 million views during the holiday season. It had so many hits that Atlantic Records contacted all the guys about getting back together and making a CD. The guys were spread out throughout the U.S., had "real" jobs and families, but jumped at the chance to get back together. They came out with their first Christmas album last year and have a new one out this year. The albums are great, but the guys are even better live. They are touring all over the country (next stop is a sold out concert in New York City). This is one of their videos.

60 Second Recap

This is a great site for English teachers, librarians and anyone who loves classic literature. The site is true to its name, it gives 60 second recaps of classic novels. Topics include theme, plot, motifs, symbolism and character overviews. They also provide little trailers for the book. A great way to get young people (or old) excited about what they are going to read and then use it at the end to review the information. This site launched on September 14, 2009 and their library is already pretty impressive. Another nice feature, you can request a book for them to recap if it is not in their library. All around a great resource and it is a lot of fun. Defiantly give this one a look.

http://www.60secondrecap.com/

YALSA Book Trailer Contest

I know I love watching book trailers. I'm not the best at making them, but maybe you are? YALSA has just announced a new contest for teens ages 13-18.

Here is what they have to say about it:

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), has announced the finalists for two of its book awards: the Morris Award for the best YA book written by a first-time author and the Nonfiction Award for the best nonfiction book written for teens. Each award has five finalists. We’re challenging you to make a book trailer about one of the books.

You can learn more about the awards at:

www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists

And more about the contest at:

http://yalsa.ala.org/BookTrailerContest.pdf

Check this out, it seems like a lot of fun and the prize is awesome!

Helpful Websites

Dr. Denise Agosto, an Associate Professor at the College of Information Science & Technology at Drexel University, has a wonderful website full of valuable information for those in the school library profession, educators or just have an interest in children's literature. If you are looking for multicultural literature for children this is a great resource to use. She even includes information on evaluating your selections as well as well as lists of multicultural awards and links to their websites. You should defiantly check it out:

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~dea22/

2010 Morris Award Finalists

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.



Ash
By Malinda Lo

Consumed with grief after the death of her father, Ash's only escape from her harsh life and cruel stepmother comes from re-reading the fairy tales that her mother once told her and hoping against hope that the fairies will appear to her. When the fairy Sidhean appears, Ash hopes that he will steal her away to his enchanted world; but when she meets the King's Huntress, Kaisa, she realizes that staying in her own realm can also lead to beauty, romance, and perhaps even love.





Beautiful Creatures
By Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Sixteen-year-old Ethan has lived all his life in Gaitlin, South Carolina, a town that hasn’t changed much since the Civil War. While coping with the loss of his mother, a father who spends all of his time in his study, and high school, his world turns upside down with the arrival of Lena, a new girl with whom he seems to share a psychic connection. As they grow closer, Ethan discovers that Lena and her family share a dark secret and that she is headed for doom on her sixteenth birthday.





The Everafter
By Amy Huntley

Maddy is a ghost, surrounded by things she lost when she was alive. By touching these objects, she relives the episodes in her life where she lost them. Even though Maddy’s dead, she explores the lessons these objects hold — and why are they still important.





Flash Burnout
By L.K. Madigan

Blake’s life is way too complicated. He’s a sophomore in high school with a girlfriend and a friend who is a girl. One of them loves him. One of them needs him. Can he please them both?






Hold Still
By Nina LaCour

After Caitlin's best friend Ingrid commits suicide, Caitlin has a hard time making sense of the loss. She finds Ingrid's journal and slowly allows herself to read it and learn about why Ingrid felt the need to end her life. Caitlin also grapples with allowing herself to find another friend, to let in a boyfriend, and to understand why her favorite teacher is ignoring her. It is the haunting story of dealing with loss, moving on, and finding peace and hope.

YALSA Nonfiction Award Finalists

The YALSA nonfiction award is for the best nonfiction book of the year published for young adults (ages 12-18). Th winner is announced at the ALA Midwinter Meeting Youth Media Awards. The following summaries are from the YALSA web-site.



Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
By Tanya Lee Stone

In the early 1960s, the doctor in charge of testing NASA’s astronauts decided to find out if female pilots were capable of passing the grueling qualification tests required of male pilots. Feasible? Yes. Allowed? No. All testing of women’s potential for the Mercury program was done outside NASA’s purview and without their permission. The reasons why will stun readers.





Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of FaithBy Deborah Heiligman

After creating a list of the pros and cons of marriage, science-minded Charles Darwin chooses to marry his strictly religious first cousin. Little does he know that he is about to embark upon the most loving, creative, and intellectually important relationship of his life.







Claudette Colvin: Twice toward Justice
By Phillip Hoose

Hoose recounts the largely untold story of Claudette Colvin, who was arrested and jailed at the age of 15 after refusing to relinquish her seat on a bus to a white woman. Interviews with Colvin create a vivid picture not only of the Montgomery bus boycott but also the Browder v. Gayle case, in which she was a key defendant.





The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous and Stupendous Life of the Showman P. T. Barnum
By Candace Fleming and Illustrated by Ray Fenwick

Thrill to the audacity! Gasp at the hucksterism! Come one, come all to the jaw-dropping, larger-than-life biography of expert humbugger, relentless curiosity seeker, and unparalleled showman P. T. Barnum.






Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland
By Sally M. Walker

By presenting a detailed examination into the work of different types of forensic archaeology at excavations in both Jamestown, Virginia, and Colonial Maryland, readers are rewarded with both a picture of this fascinating work and an appreciation for what it contributes to our knowledge of history.

New Hunger Games Book comes out August 24, 2010

I am super excited the release date for the next book in the Hunger Games has been released!!! I absolutley loved the first two books and I am dying to find out what happens in the third. Will Katniss pick Gale or Peeta, will there be a full on revolution, will there be another game? I just can't wait.