Remembering TJ Crowley’s 2025 Audie Award Win As the 2026 Finalists Are Announced
A message from the publisher,
As the 2026 Audie Award finalists are announced, I find myself pausing in gratitude.
Last year, The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline was named the 2025 Audie Award winner in the Young Adult category — and now stands among the official, all-time roster of honored titles in that field.
That reality still humbles me.
This project has been more than a decade in the making, and it rests on many shoulders — first and foremost my wife, Claire, and our family, who carried the weight long before there was applause.
Deep thanks to co-author and producer-director May Wuthrich, our remarkable 15-member cast, the ARISE Ensemble, and the many artists and collaborators who gave their craft, courage, and conviction to this full-cast audio drama.
What happened in New York last year was extraordinary. But what matters even more is what has happened since.
The glow has turned into groundwork.
The Scriptbook edition was created so the award-winning audio drama could live in classrooms and civic spaces — not as a trophy, but as a shared listening experience. The conversations continue. The work continues.
As a new class of finalists steps forward this year, we celebrate them. We know what that stage represents. And we look forward to seeing which story will join the Young Adult winners’ circle next.
We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us — and we cheer for those who rise next.
The Real Education Project Listening Series continues in 2026.
Onward.
Grant Overstake
Publisher
Grain Valley Publishing
Celebrating TJ Crowley’s place in audiobook history
A decade of Young Adult audiobook excellence — honored at the industry’s highest level.
Finalists for the 2026 Audie Awards have just been announced, highlighting outstanding achievements across genres, from Fiction and History to Production and Young Adult.
As audiobook listeners and creators, this is an exciting moment: the Audies continue to elevate storytelling in spoken form and shine a spotlight on innovative, powerful narratives that resonate with audiences everywhere.
The Audie Awards, presented by the Audio Publishers Association, are considered the most prestigious recognition in the audiobook industry — often described as “the Oscars of audiobooks.”
The award honors excellence in narration, direction, sound design, and production within a global audio market that generates billions in annual revenue and continues to grow at record pace. To be named an Audie Award winner is to stand at the highest level of achievement in modern audio storytelling.
Reflecting on the Young Adult category, this is especially meaningful for us. In 2025, The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline earned the Audie Award for Best Young Adult Audiobook, joining a distinguished list of winners that have shaped the audiobook landscape.
That distinction marked a milestone in both artistic achievement and community impact — a moment that continues to open doors and deepen our commitment to audio storytelling.
Earlier finalists and winners in Young Adult showcase the diversity and strength of this category, featuring works that capture powerful voices, compelling narratives, and voices that speak to young listeners with depth and authenticity.
View finalists for the 2026 Audie Awards
As we look ahead to the 2026 Audie Awards ceremony — where winners will be revealed later this spring — we celebrate the vitality of audiobooks and the creativity of audio teams, narrators, publishers, and authors whose work continues to redefine what excellence means in sound.
Stay tuned for updates as the finalists become winners, and join us in appreciating the artistry and dedication behind every Audie nominee.
Experience the Story That Earned the Audie Award
The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline is now available in the Scriptbook Edition — a dual read-and-listen format designed for classrooms, libraries, and shared civic conversation. Learn more.
You can listen to the Audie Award-winning audio drama, The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline, through several major platforms, local libraries, and specialized formats:
• Major Audiobook Platforms: The production is available for purchase and download on Audible, Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Spotify, and Downpour.
• Supporting Independent Bookstores: You can find the audio drama on Libro.fm, a service that shares profits with independent bookstores like Watermark Books & Café rather than large corporations.
• Public Libraries: You can check out the drama from your local library. If your library does not currently have it in their collection, librarians can typically add award-winning audiobooks upon request.
• Blackstone Publishing: As the global distributor, the audio drama is available directly through the Blackstone Publishing website.
• The Scriptbook "Read + Listen" Edition: A new print edition (released January 20, 2026) contains the actual performance script, allowing you to follow every line as you listen. This edition includes a QR code inside that links directly to a download of the full-cast audio drama.
Additionally, while the Negro Spirituals performed by the ARISE Ensemble are a central part of the nine-hour audio drama, you can support the ensemble's music specifically by purchasing their recordings at ariseensemble.bandcamp.com