January 2026 Earphones Award Winners

Saskia Maarleveld's new performance of Mahy's Carnegie Medal-winning novel, originally published in 1984, will enthrall listeners. Laura Chant is desperate to save her younger brother from the hands of a horrifying vampiric villain. Fourteen-year-old Laura doesn't act on the warning she feels before Carmody Braque fixates on her younger brother, Jacko. Only she realizes what is... Read More

American filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist John Waters' irreverent style is definitely an acquired taste and not for the faint of heart. Called "The Pope of Trash" by author William S. Burroughs, Waters performs "every single role in my movies out loud for your twisted enjoyment." As Waters narrates the screenplays of six of his movies, his over-the-top style is outrageous;... Read More

Author Vieta chronicles her efforts to return stolen antiquities to Italy. Lisa Flanagan helps create an atmosphere worthy of a mystery novel with a narration that carries the story along nicely for listeners, adding to the drama by varying her tone and conveying surprise, outrage, or suspense. The author is a journalist, and her writing style adapts well to audio. She uses... Read More

Together, six narrators create a captivating audiobook production, instilling humanity into a story where listeners might believe there is none left. Silber's novel, focusing on a cast of characters whose lives were all touched by one man's overdose in 1970s New York City, paints a sweeping picture of the social and political circumstances that influenced his drug use. From the... Read More

Sir Derek Jacobi and Joe Jameson's stellar performances add sparkle and verisimilitude to this delightful locked-room mystery. The first adult book by Montgomery, an award-winning children's book author, is set in a Cornish manor house during the 1910 passing of Halley's Comet. Jacobi sets the semiserious tone with resonant action updates and intense performances of yesteryear... Read More

Woodson narrates her picture book with sure timing and emotional stresses that increase the story's poignancy. Woodson voices the confusion and innocence of viewpoint character Johnson. This contrasts with the prickly, defensive attitude of his older sister, Beebee. Eventually the children are taken to their Gracie Aunt, an unfamiliar relative. Woodson expresses Gracie's warmth... Read More

Eva Kaminsky flawlessly introduces this charming slow-burn love story and its relatable characters. Ingrid and her boyfriend of 11 years take a month off to date others before marrying. Bubbly Ingrid plans to date her grumpy longtime coworker Macon--both are impressively portrayed--but he resists her persistent overtures. Every challenging month of the year is cleverly... Read More

In this latest from Preston and Child, Jefferson Mays completely immerses himself in the character of A.X.L. Pendergast, taking him back to his first case as a probationary FBI agent. After 22 previous adventures, Mays still manages to add nuance and subtlety to the enigmatic hero, making him as intriguing as ever. A close look at Pendergast's man-of-all-work, Proctor, begins... Read More

Film and stage veteran Hugh Jackman and promising newcomer Ella Beatty perfectly find the nuance, tension, and naturalism in the voices of a small-town college English professor who slides into the "horrible predictability" of an affair with a bright 19-year-old coed. It's certainly not a new tale, but Jackman and Beatty are more than capable of wrestling with the complex... Read More

Woodson's tone is soft and gentle as she reads her picture book about Sarah's adjustment to her grandfather's death. Sarah's family's sweet remembrances recall vividly the wisdom of a tender man who reminded all of them that "everything and everyone goes on and on." This refrain occurs throughout, reminding listeners and reinforcing the audio's central theme. Woodson's dialogue... Read More

Cobie Smulders delivers an authentic and captivating performance that anchors this audiobook. The story follows a family whose lives are upended when their memoir about raising a child with Down syndrome is optioned for a Hollywood film. Sharp, genuine writing draws listeners into this exploration of identity, family bonds, and the tension between truth and adaptation. Josh... Read More