HEY, KIDDO

A full cast of more than 40 performers brings this powerful graphic novel memoir vividly to life. When he was 3, Jarrett’s grandparents removed him from his heroin-addicted mother’s custody and raised him in their noisy, loving home, encouraging his artistic talent. With music, sound effects, and affecting performances, listeners feel like they are at the dinner table with him and his hard-drinking, foul-mouthed grandparents in Worcester, Massachusetts. As co-producer and co-director, Krosoczka has created a uniquely personal audiobook, casting family and friends in the production. Narrator pros Jeanne Birdsall, Richard Ferrone, and Jenna Lamia take the roles of the grandparents and the author’s birth mother. His father voices himself, reliving the painful memories of their family history. Young Jarrett and his friend Pat are portrayed by Jarrett’s and Pat’s children, and Jarrett’s aunts deliver their own parts as well, making every interaction incredibly authentic. S.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2020 Audies Finalist, 2020 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2019]