What Sound Does an Odyssey Make? Content Analysis of Award-Winning Audiobooks

For decades, education and library science professionals have encouraged use of audiobooks for children and adolescents. More recently, professional associations have conferred recognition for exemplary audiobooks. Although it is generally accepted that high-quality materials should be used for teaching and learning purposes, no studies have explored elements of quality in audiobooks. This article describes a content analysis of Odyssey Award-winning audiobooks. The purpose of this study was to answer the question What are the typical characteristics of an award-winning audiobook produced for children and/or young adults? Results demonstrate that award-recognized audiobooks for children and young adults vary widely in a number of factors. Implications for libraries and future research are discussed.