Have you Heard? 2023 Award Winners

As 2023 ends, check out these titles that all won literary awards this past year.

Below you’ll find audiobook recommendations from the Plano Public Library. This is just a sample of the audiobooks in our collection, and you can visit a library location for assistance in finding personalized recommendations.

For more award-winning books, check out our 2022 Award Winning Audiobooks and Pulitzer Prize Winners Past and Present.

Adult

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, narrated by Charlie Thurston. The teenage son of an Appalachian single mother who dies when he is eleven uses his good looks, wit, and instincts to survive foster care, child labor, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the James Tait Back Prize for Fiction. Print / Large Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Lost & Found written and read by Kathryn Schulz. Eighteen months before her beloved father died, Kathryn Schulz met Casey, the woman who would become her wife. Lost & Found weaves together their love story with the story of losing Kathryn’s father in a brilliant exploration of the way families are lost and found. Winner of Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir/Biography, longlisted for the National Book Award and the Andrew Carnegie Medal, and a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Print / eAudiobook.

I’m so not Over You by Kosoko Jackson, narrated by Timothy Bell Reese. A chance to rewrite their ending is worth the risk in this swoony romantic comedy. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Romance. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka, narrated by Mozhan Marno and Jim Meskimen. Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. But Ansel doesn’t want to die–he wants to be celebrated, understood. Through a kaleidoscope of women–a mother, a sister, a homicide detective–we learn the story of Ansel’s life. Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel and a New York Times Best Crime Novel of the year. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Tell me Everything: the Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krouse, read by Gabra Zackman. Part memoir and part literary true crime, Tell Me Everything is the mesmerizing story of a landmark sexual assault investigation and the female private investigator who helped crack it open. Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime. Print / Playaway / eAudiobook / eBook.

The Escape Artist: the man who Broke out of Auschwitz to warn the World written and read by Jonathan Freedland. In April 1944, Rudolf Vrba became the first Jew to break out of Auschwitz–one of only four who ever pulled off that near-impossible feat. He did it to reveal the truth of the death camp to the world–and to warn the last Jews of Europe what fate awaited them at the end of the railway line. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for Biography. Print / Large print / eAudiobook.

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka, narrated by Traci Kato-Kiriyama. The swimmers are unknown to each other except through their private routines (slow lane, fast lane), and the solace each takes in their morning or afternoon laps. But when a crack appears at the bottom of the pool, they are cast out into an unforgiving world. Winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in Fiction. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us written and read by Ed Yong. Every animal is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving but a tiny sliver of an immense world. This book welcomes us into a previously unfathomable dimension–the world as it is truly perceived by other animals. Winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire, narrated by Whitney Johnson. In the seventh installment of Seanan McGuire’s beloved Wayward Children series, students at an anti-magical school rebel against the oppressive faculty. Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novella. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Bliss Montage: Stories by Ling Ma, narrated by Katharine Chin. A new creation by the author of Severance, the stories in Bliss Montage crash through our carefully built mirages. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, the Story Prize and a Windham-Campbell Literature Prize. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Teen

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes, narrated by Karla Serrato. Sixteen-year-old Mexican American Yami Flores starts Catholic school, determined to keep her brother out of trouble and keep herself closeted, but her priorities shift when Yami discovers that her openly gay classmate Bo is also annoyingly cute. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Young Adult, Pura Belpre Honor Book, Walter Honor Award Winner, and a National Book Award finalist. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Akata Woman by Nnedi Okorafor, narrated by Nene Nwoko. With the help of her friends, fifteen-year-old Sunny embarks on a mission to find a precious object and return it to the spider deity Udide, but defeating the guardians of Udide’s ghazal will put all of Sunny’s hard lessons and abilities to the test. Winner of the Hugo Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

All my Rage by Sabaa Tahir, narrated by Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan and Kausar Mohammed. A family extending from Pakistan to California, deals with generations of young love, old regrets, and forgiveness. Winner of the Printz Award and the National Book Award. Print / Playaway / Large print / eAudiobook / eBook.

The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum, narrated by Josh Bloomberg. The Chosen meets Adam Silvera in this irreverent and timely story of worlds colliding in friendship, betrayal, and the hatred that divides us. Winner of the Morris Award, longlisted for the National Book Award, and a Texas Lonestar Award nominee. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

The Words we Keep by Erin Stewart, narrated by Phoebe Strole. When sixteen-year-old Lily Larkin’s older sister, Alice, begins to struggle with her mental health, Lily attempts to keep everything together and perfect, despite her own growing anxiety. Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award. Print / eAudiobook.

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala, narrated by Pete Cross. A twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat. Winner of the Odyssey Award for Young Adults. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho, narrated by Raechel Wong. In the year following their son’s death, May Chen’s parents face racist accusations of putting too much pressure on their son and causing his death by suicide, and May attempts to challenge the racism and ugly stereotypes through her writing, only to realize that she still has a lot to learn and that her actions have consequences for her family as well as herself. An Asian/Pacific American Award Young Adult Honor Book. Print / eAudiobook.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, narrated by Alex Wingfield and Rebecca Norfolk. When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever. Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood, narrated by Karissa Vacker. When eighteen-year-old Mallory begrudgingly agrees to return to chess in one last charity tournament, her surprise upset against Nolan Sawyer, the reigning world champ and bad boy of the chess world, sets her on a whirlwind adventure as she rediscovers her passion for the game. Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

When the Angels Left the old Country by Sacha Lamb, narrated by Donald Corren. A queer immigrant fairytale about individual purpose, the fluid nature of identity, and the power of love to change and endure. A Stonewall Book Award winner, a Syndney Taylor Award winner, a Printz Honor book, a National Jewish Book Award finalist, and an Audiofile Earphones Award winner. Print / Playaway / eAudiobook / eBook.

Children’s

Nikhil out Loud written and narrated by Maulik Pancholy. From the acclaimed actor and Stonewall Honor-winning author of The Best at It, Maulik Pancholy, comes a new middle grade novel about a gay Indian American boy who learns the power of using his voice. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Middle Grade. Print / eAudiobook.

Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson, narrated by Sisi Aisha and Cary Hite. After fleeing the plantation where they were enslaved, siblings Ada and Homer discover the secret community of Freewater, and work with freeborn Sanzi to protect their new home from the encroaching dangers of the outside world. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and the Newbery Medal. Print / Playaway / eAudiobook / eBook.

Stuntboy, in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds, narrated by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock, Angel Pean, and James Fouhey. Portico Reeves’ secret identity as Stuntboy allows him to use his superpower keep everybody safe, but when his superhero parents start fighting a lot he feels the responsibility to save them. Winner of the Odyssey Award for Children and a Newbery Medal honoree. Print / Playaway / eAudiobook / eBook.

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee, narrated by Yu-Li Alice Shen. Eleven-year-old Maizy Chen visits her estranged grandparents, who own and run a Chinese restaurant in Last Chance, Minnesota; as her visit lengthens, she makes unexpected discoveries about her family’s history and herself. Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature, a Newbery Honor, and a National Book Award finalist. Print / Large print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Troublemaker by John Cho, narrated by the author. On the first night of rioting in the wake of the Rodney King verdict, Jordan’s father leaves to check on the family store, spurring twelve-year-old Jordan and his friends to embark on a dangerous journey through South Central and Koreatown to come to his aid, encountering the racism within their community as they go. An Asian/Pacific American Award Children’s honor book. Print / Playaway.

Iveliz Explains it All by Andrea Beatriz Arango, narrated by Raquel Merediz. Twelve-year-old Iveliz is trying to manage her mental health and advocate for the help and understanding she deserves, but in the meantime her new friend calls her crazy and her abuela Mimi dismisses the therapy and medicine Iveliz needs to feel like herself. A Newbery Honor Award winner and a Texas Lonestar Award nominee. Print / Spanish / eAudiobook / eBook.

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat, narrated by Sura Siu. A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. This is the story of a young woman’s struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. A Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee, a Newbery Honor book, and a Walter Dean Myers Honor book. Print / Large print / Playaway / eAudiobook / eBook.

Tumble by Celia C. Perez, narrated by Victoria Villarreal. Before she decides whether to accept her stepfather’s proposal of adoption, twelve-year-old Adela Ramírez reaches out to her estranged biological father–who is in the midst of a career comeback as a luchador–and the eccentric extended family of wrestlers she has never met, bringing Adela closer to understanding the expansive definition of family. A Pura Belpre Children’s Author Honor book and a Texas Lonestar Award nominee. Print / Large print / eAudiobook / eBook.