The Odyssey Award is an annual award is given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.
This year’s winner, THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE, is an exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, read on audio by Jayne Entwistle, and produced by Karen Dziekonski. Bradley’s masterful work of historical fiction was also recognized in this year’s ALA Awards as a Newbery Honor Book and Schneider Family Book Award Winner. It is undoubtedly a classic in the making and a truly enriching addition to audio shelves, thanks to Entwistle’s incredible narration:
Jayne Entwistle
And author Bradley shared on her blog: “I could not have been more pleased about Jayne Entwistle’s version of The War That Saved My Life. She got every nuance exactly right—Ada’s grit, Jamie’s innocence, Lady Thorton’s upper-crust accent, Susan’s cultivated Oxbridge one. Someone recently tweeted that they could listen to Jayne read the phone book, with enjoyment, and I could, too. I loved, loved, loved, listening to her read my book.”
Two-time Odyssey recipient Jayne Entwistle took to Twitter to share her excitement about this year’s award news:
Honoured and humbled to win the Odyssey Award! Thank you Odyssey committee, @BOTLibrary, & @kimbbbradley for sharing your treasure with us!
— Jayne Entwistle (@thejayneshow) January 11, 2016
Entwistle won an Odyssey Honor last year for her brilliant narration of Julie Berry’s The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place.
We look forward to celebrating the Odyssey Awards with Jayne in Orlando, FL at ALA Annual 2016. Can’t wait to meet her? Check out this delightful behind-the-scenes video as she reads the latest in the beloved Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley.
WATCH JAYNE IN THE STUDIO.
Oh snaps! I'm going to have to listen to The War that Saved My Life on audiobook. Jayne Entwistle sounds like a young Judi Dench.
— Jessica Anne Bratt (@whimsylibrarian) January 11, 2016
She’s already beloved for Flavia, of course!
Jayne Entwistle – at the airport and chatting with librarian who heard clip of Odyssey winner this AM and she thought "Yay it's Flavia!"
— Mary Burkey (@mburkey) January 11, 2016
Loved listening to Jayne Entwistle's beautiful/heartbreaking narration of The War that Saved My Life! Congrats on Odyssey award! #alayma
— 90-Second Newbery (@90secondnewbery) January 11, 2016
LOVED War That Saved My Life on audio!!! <3 <3 #alayma #odyssey
— Abby Johnson (@abbylibrarian) January 11, 2016
Pause the podcasts…
Yes!! Odyssey for WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE! I listened to that on audio and had to stop listening to podcasts until I finished. #alayma
— Renata Sancken (@renatasnacks) January 11, 2016