Live Oak Media wins 2010 Odyssey Award for “Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken”
Contacts: Macey Morales/Jennifer Petersen
ALA Media Relations
312 280-4393 / 5043
mmorales@ala.org /
jpetersen@ala.org
NEWS
For Immediate Release
January 18, 2010
BOSTON – Live Oak Media, producer of the audiobook, “Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken,” written by Kate DiCamillo, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat and produced by Live Oak Media, has won the third annual Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production. The award announcement was made today during the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Boston, January 15 - 19.
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 ALA, and is sponsored by
Booklist magazine.
Louise, a French chicken with wanderlust, finds adventure in Kate DiCamillo’s comical picture book. Whimsical sound effects, playful background music and Barbara Rosenblat’s impressive repertoire of voices combine in this tour-de-force listening experience.
“These productions showcase the talents of three extraordinary narrators, who craft a diverse range of voices and characters appealing to a wide variety of ages,” said Odyssey Award Committee Chair Sharon Grover.
The Odyssey Committee selected three Honor Audiobooks.
“In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber,” written by L.A. Meyer, narrated by Katherine Kellgren and produced by Listen & Live Audio, Inc. Katherine Kellgren pulls out all the vocal stops, singing and spinning yarns in her dynamic reading of L.A. Meyer’s fourth dramatic Bloody Jack escapade.
“Peace, Locomotion” written by Jacqueline Woodson, narrated by Dion Graham and produced by Brilliance Audio. 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.
“We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball,” written by Kadir Nelson, narrated by Dion Graham and produced by Brilliance Audio. 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.
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 2010 Odyssey Award Committee are: Chair Sharon Grover, Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, Wis.; Necia Blundy, Marlborough (Mass.) Public Library; Lee Catalano, Multnomah County Library, Portland, Ore.; Diane Marie Colson, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, Fla.; Shari Melisa Fesko, Southfield (Mich.) Public Library-David Stewart Memorial Library; Lizette (Liz) Hannegan, Easton, Md.; Chrystal Carr Jeter, Cleveland Public Library; Sarah M. McCarville, Grand Rapids (Mich.) Public Library; Denise Schmidt, San Francisco Public Library; and
Booklist consultant Sue-Ellen Beauregard, Chicago.
ALSC is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,200 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit their Web site at
www.ala.org/alsc.
For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audio books for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to
For information on the Odyssey Award and other ALA Youth Media Awards, please visit
www.ala.org/yma.
