Audio publishers' fall lists have taken shape, and there are more listening choices than ever. The industry, like its print counterpart, loves a big name, and listeners will have no trouble finding titles from prominent authors like J.K. Rowling, James Patterson, David Baldacci, Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts and numerous others in bookstores and on digital download Web sites in the coming weeks and months. While our roundup includes a few of those marquee monikers, we're focusing on a sampling of titles that will have listeners and booksellers pricking up their ears—and turning up the volume—this season.
FICTION
The Last Street Novel by Omar Tyree, read by Richard Allen. The tale of Shareef Crawford, a celebrated writer of romantic fiction who leaves his mansion in South Florida and returns to his Harlem roots to pen a true crime book that may just end his life. (Tantor, July)
Illuminated by Matt Bronleewe, read by Rob Lamont. A man who's paid millions by clients to hunt for rare books must save his son by unraveling clues hidden in the illuminations of the Gutenberg Bible. Bronleewe is a founding member of the band Jars of Clay and is producing a sound-track to accompany this novel that will be available on his Web site. (Oasis, Aug.)
Pontoon by Garrison Keillor; read by the author. Lake Wobegon is buzzing about the wedding of Dede Ingebretson, a veterinary aromatherapist, who comes home from California with a guy named Brent, who bears a strong resemblance whose wanted poster is hanging in the town's post office. (HighBridge, Sept.)
Playing for Pizza: A Novel by John Grisham, reader TBA. A short novel about an American football star who can no longer get work in the National Football League; as a last resort, his agent signs a deal for him to play for the Parma Panthers, in Italy. (Random House, Sept.)
The Art Thief by Noah Charney, reader TBA. Blending elements of art history and brain-teasing puzzles à la The Thomas Crown Affair and The Rule of Four, this plot involves simultaneous investigations in Paris, London and Rome. (Blackstone, Sept.)
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, read by Robertson Dean. A plague has decimated civilization and transformed its unlucky survivors into vampires—except for one man. This collection also includes 10 other horror stories. The movie based on the title story will be in theaters December 14. (Blackstone, Sept.)
No Chance by Janet Evanovich and Stephen Cannell, reader TBA. The creators behind Stephanie Plum and Jim Rockford, respectively, deliver a story with hard-hitting action, compelling characters and unique humor set in the O.C.—Orange County, Calif. (Hachette, Oct.)
The Infidelity Pact by Carrie Karasyov, read by Isabelle Keating. Desperate Housewives meets Sex and the City. (BBC America Audiobooks, July)
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan, read by Joyce Bean. In this debut novel, a married woman falls in love with Frank Lloyd Wright. The lovers, each married with children, embark on a course that shocks Chicago society. (Brilliance, Aug.)
Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, read by Sandra Burr. Crusie and Mayer have crafted a bubbly novel with enough convenient coincidences, caricatured characters and ridiculous situations to make screenwriters of goofball date movies proud. (Brilliance, Aug.)
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs, read by Carrington MacDuffie. A group of knitters gathers every week, sharing stories of love, life and just about everything else. When the unthinkable happens, they realize they've created not just a club, but a sisterhood. To be a movie with Julia Roberts in 2008. (Blackstone, Aug.)
LITERARY FICTION
Mary Modern by Camille DeAngelis, read by Jenna Lamia with Mara Demay Lawler and Eric Conger. A debut novel that weaves a woman's grappling with contemporary science, love and longing into a twist on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. (HighBridge, July)
God Is Dead by Ron Currie Jr., read by Gabriel Baron. An intriguing debut novel in which God descends to Earth as a Dinka woman from Sudan and subsequently dies in the Darfur desert (Listen & Live, July)
Run by Ann Patchett, reader TBA. From the author of Bel Canto comes the story of a family during one fateful night in Boston in which their secrets are unlocked. (HarperAudio, Sept.)
Away by Amy Bloom, read by Barbara Rosenblat. This epic, intimate novel, set in the 1920s, follows a Russian immigrant determined to make her way—and find her daughter. (HighBridge, Sept.)
Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson, read by Will Patton. Johnson's first major novel in 10 years and the one he has been writing for a quarter century; he introduces characters from his previous Angels and Fiskadoro in a dark epic about the American empire in decline. Includes an interview with the author. (Audio Renaissance, Sept.)
Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo, read by Arthur Morey. Six years after his bestselling, Pulitzer Prize—winning Empire Falls, Russo returns with a novel focusing on Louis Charles “Lucy” Lynch, who travels to Italy with his wife to visit an old friend. (Random House, Sept.)
Fire in the Blood by Irène Némirovsky, reader TBA. A newly discovered tale of passion and long-kept secrets, set in rural France just before World War II, from the author of Suite Française. (Random House, Sept.)
Tales of Betrayal by John Cheever, Adam Haslett et al., read by David Strathairn, B.D. Wong et al. Stories focusing on betrayal culled from the award-winning NPR series Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story, which features actors reading classic and new short stories at New York City's Symphony Space. (Symphony Space, Oct.)
William Shakespeare by Bill Bryson, reader TBA. Bill Bryson brings his wit to bear on the life, times and work of William Shakespeare. (HarperAudio, Oct.)
A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin, reader TBA. First time on audio for this moral fable set in 1964, in which an elderly Italian man looks back on his life, which was irrevocably altered by WWI. (BBC Audiobooks America, Oct.)
What Is the What by Dave Eggers, read by Dion Graham. With humor and pathos, Eggers illuminates the civil war in Sudan through the eyes of Valentino Achak Deng, a refugee now living in the U.S. (BBC Audiobooks America, Oct.)
Exit Ghost by Philip Roth, reader TBA. Roth's author protagonist Nathan Zuckerman returns to New York after staying away on his New England mountain for 11 years. (Recorded Books, Oct.)
The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta, read by Campbell Scott. A suburban satire about the tension between those who would inject faith into their children's lives and those who would not. Includes an interview with Perrotta. Film rights optioned by Warner Independent, with Perrotta penning the screenplay. (Audio Renaissance, Oct.)
Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan, reader TBA. Follows the poignant and funny struggles of the manager of a Red Lobster restaurant in a rundown New England mall. (BBC Audiobooks America, Nov.)
Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami, read by Rupert Degas. This romp around contemporary Japan features quirky characters, a hotel with a phantom floor, sexy girls and lots of rock music, especially Talking Heads. (Naxos, Nov.)
Tipperary by Frank Delaney, reader TBA. Seventy-five years after the death of Charles O'Brien, an Anglo-Irish journalist born in 1860, his memoir is discovered in a trunk. The result is this touching novel from Ireland author Delaney, in which the manuscript's putative discoverer adds his own unreliable commentary to the fictive Charles's probably embellished perceptions. (Random House Audio, Nov.)
CLASSICS
The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Volume One by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, read by David Timson. These six cases are among the last undertaken by Holmes before he retired to the Sussex downs. (Naxos, July)
The Trial by Franz Kafka, read by Rupert Degas. Degas reads a new translation by David Whiting of Kafka's classic. (Naxos, Aug.)
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, read by TBA. A new, unabridged recording of Vonnegut's satire about the end of the world, available on CD for the first time. (Caedmon Audio, Nov.)
Essential Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien, read by the author. A historic recording of Tolkien performing excerpts from The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. (Caedmon, Nov.)
THRILLERS
The Crime Writer by Gregg Hurwitz, read by Scott Brick. A crime novelist awakens in a hospital bed with a scar on his head and no memory of being found, knife in hand, over his ex-fiancée's body the previous night. To reconstruct the story, the writer must now become the protagonist. (BBC America Audiobooks, July)
Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay, read by Nick Landrum. The return of Dexter, an analyst for the Miami police, who also happens to be a serial killer who only wipes out bad guys. Now an original series on Showtime starring Michael C. Hall. (Recorded Books, Aug.)
Power Play by Joseph Finder, read by Dennis Boutsikaris. Bigwigs on a high-power business retreat in the wilderness are taken hostage by backwoods hunters who may not be what they seem. Includes author interview. (Audio Renaissance, Aug.)
Heartsick by Chelsea Cain, read by Carolyn McCormick. This debut thriller, first in a planned series, is reminiscent of The Silence of the Lambs in terms of the twisted relationship between Det. Archie Sheridan and convicted serial killer Gretchen Lowell. (Audio Renaissance, Sept.)
No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay, reader TBA. Fourteen-year-old Cynthia Archer woke up one morning to discover her entire family had disappeared without a trace. Now, 25 years later, she realizes that knowing the truth could be a lot worse. (Brilliance, Sept.)
Down River by John Hart, read by Scott Sowers. A mysterious man acquitted of murder in his hometown returns five years later. When bodies start turning up, he must fight to prove his innocence. Includes interview with Hart. (Audio Renaissance, Oct.)
Zugzwang by Ronan Bennett, reader TBA. This suspense novel, set during a chess tournament in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1914, created a huge stir during its newspaper serialization in the U.K. (Random House Audio, Oct.)
Ghost by Robert Harris, reader TBA. After two historical novels set in ancient Rome, Harris returns with a contemporary political thriller. (S&S, Oct.)
The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez, reader TBA. Mathematical symbols are the key to a mysterious sequence of murders at Oxford. The movie is due in theaters in January. (Blackstone, Nov.)
NONFICTION
The World Without Us by Alan Weisman, read by Adam Grupper. An exploration of how our planet would respond over time without the pressure of the human presence. (Audio Renaissance, July)
The House of Mondavi by Julia Flynn Siler, read by Alan Sklar. Set in California's lush Napa Valley and spanning four generations of a talented and visionary family, this tale of genius, sibling rivalry and betrayal tells the story of the immigrant family that built—and then spectacularly lost—a global wine empire.. First serial to Wall Street Journal. (Tantor, July)
Raphael's Stanza della Segnatura by James Beck, read by M. Jane McIntosh. Part of the Jane's Smart Art series. Visitors can contemplate these epic panoramic paintings guided by narration on the artist and the historical context. (Context Audio Guides, Aug.)
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner, read by Stefan Rudnicki. For 60 years, the CIA has maintained its reputation while hiding its blunders from the public. Now a Pulitzer Prize—winning New York Times reporter reveals the truth. (Blackstone, Aug.)
Off the Record by Norman Pearlstine, read by Alan Sklar. When Pearlstine agreed to give prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald his reporter's notes of a conversation with a “confidential source,” he was vilified for betraying the freedom of the press. In this hard-hitting inside story, Pearlstine shows that “Plamegate” was far from the clear-cut case it seemed to be. (Tantor, Aug.)
House to House by Staff Sgt. David Bellavia with John Bruning, read by Ray Porter. Infantry platoon leader Bellavia provides a harrowing first-hand account of 11 straight days of heavy house-to-house fighting during the battle of Fallujah. (Blackstone, Sept.)
Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World by Bill Clinton, read by the author. The former president shines a spotlight on the work of people who have brought about meaningful change in society. The book will also offer ideas for how listeners can become involved in giving back through such activities as going green or helping those in underserved communities. (Random House, Sept.)
Follow the Money by John Anderson, read by Dick Hill. A behind-the-scenes account of how a group of powerful, connected Texas Republicans hijacked American politics for their own gain. (Tantor, Sept.)
Hurricane Season by Neal Thompson, reader TBA. The story of a remarkable high school football team, torn apart by Katrina, that struggled through adversity to come back together again. HBO has optioned film rights. (Tantor, Sept.)
The Great Upheaval by Jay Winik, read by TBA. From the bestselling author of April 1865 comes a sweeping, panoramic portrait of America, France and Russia at the dawn of the modern era. (HarperAudio, Sept.)
Red Moon Rising by Matthew Brzezinski. Written by a former Moscow correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, this book captures both the Soviet and American sides of the event that started the space race and changed our world. October 4 is the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik. (HighBridge, Sept.)
The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam, reader TBA. Tackling the Korean War with monumental research and laser-sharp reportage, Halberstam explores the worst American military defeat since Little Big Horn—and the Washington politics that set it in motion. (Hyperion, Sept.)
Microtrends by Mark J. Penn and E. Kinney Zalesne, read by the authors. An adviser to Sen. Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates and Bill Clinton identifies 75 hidden-in-plain-sight trends, revealing that the nation is no longer a melting pot but a collection of communities with individual tastes and lifestyles. (Hachette, Sept.)
Codex 632 by Jose Rodrigues dos Santos. A riveting quest to uncover the true identity of Christopher Columbus. (Recorded Books, Oct.)
Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre. The story of the most successful British double-agent in WWII. (Random House, Oct.)
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks. The popular neurologist explores our species' fascination with music and what happens in our brains when we listen—and what can go wrong. (Random House, Oct.)
Boom!: Personal Reflections on the Sixties and Today by Tom Brokaw. Brokaw brings to life the tumultuous decade of the 1960s, a fault line in American history, and the aftershocks that affect us still. (Random House, Nov.)
POETRY/ANTHOLOGIES
A Family Christmas by Caroline Kennedy; introduction read by the author; read byan ensemble cast. Includes poems, literary excerpts, and other Christmas-themed works. (HighBridge, Oct.)
The Poets' Corner by John Lithgow, read by Morgan Freeman, Jodie Foster, Glenn Close et al. An anthology containing works by William Blake, Emily Dickinson, Dylan Thomas and many others. (Hachette, Nov.)
BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR
The Center Cannot Hold by Elyn Saks, read by TBA. A professor of law and psychiatry and an advocate for the mentally ill, the author chronicles her lifelong struggle with schizophrenia. (Recorded Books, Aug.)
Peeling the Onion by Günter Grass, read by Norman Dietz. The Nobel Prize—winning author recalls his early life, from his boyhood in a cramped two-room apartment in Danzig through the late 1950s, when The Tin Drum was published. (Tantor, Aug.)
Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me by Pattie Boyd, read by the author. Boyd breaks a 40-year silence as she tells the story of her marriages and how she became the most famous muse in the history of rock. (Random House, Aug.)
Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robinson, foreword by Augusten Burroughs, reader TBA. Darkly comic and moving, one man's story of growing up with Asperger's Syndrome. (Random House, Sept.)
Schulz and Peanuts by David Michaelis, reader TBA. The definitive bio of an American icon, “Peanuts” creator Charles M. Schulz. (HarperAudio, Oct.)
My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas, read by the author. The Supreme Court Justice tells his provocative life story. (HarperAudio, Oct.)
Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw, read by Grover Gardner. Nasaw explains how Carnegie rose from poverty to become the richest person in the world. Brimming with new material, personal letters, diaries, prenuptial agreements and letters to and from presidents and prime ministers. (Gildan Audio, Oct.)
Ronnie Wood by Ronnie Wood, reader TBA. The no-holds-barred autobiography of the musician who has spent the last 30 years as guitarist for the Rolling Stones. (Audio Renaissance, Oct.)
Mosaic by Amy Grant, read by the author. The popular Christian music star reflects on life, love and faith. (Brilliance, Oct.)
Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends by William “Wild Bill” Guarnere and Edward “Babe” Heffron, with Robyn Post, reader TBA; introduction by Tom Hanks. The story of two inseparable friends and soldiers who were portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. (Tantor, Oct.)
Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton, reader TBA. The life of one of the living legends of rock. (Random House, Oct.)
The Post-Presidential Years by Jimmy Carter, read by the author. The former president explains how and why he spent the past 25 years in the service of humanity, garnering him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. (S&S, Oct.)
Fair Game by Valerie Wilson Plame, read by the author. The former CIA operations officer who was outed by the Bush administration tells her story. (S&S, Oct.)
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin, read by the author. Martin provides a portrait of a man dedicated to the art of making people laugh. (S&S, Nov.)
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar, read by Jeff Woodman. The author, who's taught Harvard's most popular undergrad course, “How to Get Happy,” for more than a decade, provides a practical guide. (HighBridge, July)
Ultralongevity by Mark Lipinos, read by the author. The medical director of the Canyon Ranch resort offers a seven-step program for keeping the brain sharp, becoming more fit and staying young. (Hachette, Sept.)
Anger by Gary Chapman, read by the author. Chapman offers helpful and sometimes surprising insights on why we get angry, what we can do about it and how we can use anger for good. (Oasis, Sept.)
How to Spot a Liar by Gregory Hartley and Maryann Karinch, read by the authors. Analyze body language to figure out if someone is lying—useful in job negotiations, sales, personal relationships and much more. (Listen & Live, Sept.)
The Secret Things of God by Henry Cloud, read by the author. Cloud offers a Christian approach that builds on Rhonda Byrne's The Secret. (S&S, Sept.)
The Key by Joe Vitale, read by the author. The author, who costars in the movie The Secret, expands on his bestseller, The Attractor Factor. (Gildan Audio, Oct.)
How Life Imitates Chess by Garry Kasparov, read by Adam Grupper. Grandmaster Kasparov shows how to use chess's tools to become more successful in business and in life. (Audio Renaissance, Oct.)
For Parents Only by Shaunti Feldhahn, read by the author. What do your kids say when you aren't listening? What do they really want from you? This audiobook focuses on concise, simple answers from the experts—and kids themselves. (Oasis, Oct.)
The Mindful Leader by Michael Carroll, read by the author. A longtime corporate exec and the author of Awake at Work teaches how mindfulness can make us all better leaders. (Shambhala, Oct.)
The Tibetan Book of the Dead, trans. by Chogyam Trungpa and Francesca Fremantle, read by Richard Gere. Includes full text and commentary. (Shambhala, Oct.)
Conquer Stress: Meditations to Take You from Tension to Tranquility Discover how to use mindfulness meditation techniques to replace stress, fear and anxiety with inner peace. Gentle music enhances your journey. (Soft Stone Publishing, Oct.)
A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen, read by the author. The stop-complaining strategy devised by Pastor Bowen, with a purple rubber bracelet at its center, was featured on Oprah and is now an audiobook. (Random House, Oct.)
Innovate Like Edison by Michael Gelb and Sarah Miller Caldicott, reader TBA. Translates the inventor's focus on practical accomplishment to help business people harness their innovative potential. (Listen & Live, Oct.)
Become a Better You by Joel Osteen, read by the author. Osteen follows up Your Best Life Now with another guide designed to motivate listeners to live a more fulfilling life. (S&S Audio, Oct.)
You: Staying Young by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz, read by the authors. The doctors present a guide to our bodies after age 30. (S&S, Oct.)
DRAMATIZATIONS
The History Boys by Alan Bennett, dramatization by Richard Griffiths, Cive Merrison and the National Theatre cast. Winner of 2006 Tony for best play (BBC Audiobooks America, July).
The Tale of the Allergist's Wife by Charles Busch, dramatization. A middle-aged doctor's wife is shaken out of her midlife lethargy by the reappearance of a fascinating childhood friend. (L.A. Theatre Works, July)
Sonia Flew by Melinda Lopez, dramatization. Sonia, a Cuban exiled during Castro's rise to power, is forced to relive her tumultuous childhood when her only son enlists in the military following 9/11. (L.A. Theatre Works, Aug.)
Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls by Yuri Rasovsky, read by a full cast. Long before Jack the Ripper, there was the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, who dispatched his customers with a flick of the razor and then had his lover serve up the remains in a tasty meat pie. The movie based on this classic will be released December 21. (Blackstone, Sept.)
Inspired By... The Bible Experience: Old Testament, read by Forest Whitaker (Moses), Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding Jr., the Prague Symphony Orchestra and a cast of more than 200. The company's production of New Testament, which has sold more than 310,00 copies, recently took Audiobook of the Year honors from the Audio Publishers Association. The new title will be released on 72 CDs and available on iTunes. (Zondervan, Nov.)
HUMOR
I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert, read by the author. The comedian/author offers his unique take on family, race, religion, sex, sports and so much more. (Hachette, Oct.)
Our Dumb World (The Onion's Atlas of the Planet Earth, 73rd Edition) by The Onion. The first original Onion audiobook in eight years—and no nation escapes unscathed. (Hachette, Oct.)
CHILDREN'S
Raising Dragons by Bryan Davi, read by a full cast. First in the Dragons in our Midst fantasy series. (Oasis, July).
Little Bear Audio Collection by Else Holmelund Minarik, read by Sigourney Weaver. A new recording of the classic on Little Bear's 50th anniversary. Includes Little Bear, Father Bear Comes Home, Little Bear's Friend, Little Bear's Visit and A Kiss forLittle Bear. (HarperChildren's, Aug.)
Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace, reader TBA. The classic series makes its debut on unabridged CD. (HarperChildren's, Aug.)
Nightmare Academy by Dean Lorey, reader TBA. Already optioned by Universal, this first book in a trilogy details the adventures of young Charlie Benjamin, whose nightmares open portals to the dangerous, monster-filled Netherworld. (HarperChildren's, Aug.)
Brown, Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? 40th Anniversary edition by Bill Martin, Jr. and illustrated by Eric Carle, read by Gwyneth Paltrow. A larger-sized edition of this book with updated cover art and a bonus audio CD featuring conversations with the author and illustrator. (Henry Holt, Aug.)
Edward's Eyes by Patricia MacLachlan. An story of love, loss, family and remembrance. (S&S, Aug.)
Jinx by Meg Cabot, read by Amber Sealey. It wasn't just the power failure the night Jean Honeychurch was born that earned her the nickname Jinx: misfortune seems to follow her wherever she goes. (Listening Library, Aug.)
The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by E.L. Konigsburg, read by Edward Herrmann. A novel about art, history and friendship. (S&S, Aug.)
Piper Reed, Navy Brat by Kimberly Willis Holt, read by Emily Janice Card. Based on her own childhood experience, Holt depicts the life of a Navy family with warmth and humor. (Listening Library, Aug.)
Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande, read by Kaili Vernoff. This debut teen novel takes on the issue of evolution vs. intelligent design in the classroom. (Listening Library, Aug.)
Before I Die by Jenny Downham, read by Charlotte Parry. A story of a 16-year-old girl dying of leukemia. (Listening Library, Sept.)
The Nixie's Song: #1 Beyond Spiderwick Chronicles Series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, read by Andrew McCarthy. First in the next phase of the Spiderwick Chronicles series. (S&S, Sept.)
The Story of My Feelings by Laurie Berkner, illus. by Caroline Jayne Church. Children's musician Berkner brings her song about laughing, singing, crying and yelling to life in this picture-book-and-CD adaptation. (Scholastic, Sept.)
Jazz on a Saturday Night by Leo and Diane Dillon. A toe-tapping celebration of jazz greats and the instruments of this musical style. The Dillons perform an original song on the accompanying CD. (Scholastic, Sept.)
Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor, read by Gerard Doyle. In this follow-up to The Looking Glass Wars, Alyss of Wonderland's rule has only just begun and already those who prefer chaos to peace are threatening to destroy everything worth imagining. Bonus features include an interview with Her Imperial Viciousness, Queen Redd, and an interview conducted by Lewis Carroll. (Scholastic, Sept.)
The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh, read by Andrew Rannels. After a near-fatal accident, Jack's father sends him to see a mysterious doctor in New York City—a place Jack hasn't been since his mother died there eight years ago. Jack meets a girl who leads him into the city's Underworld, where those who died in the city reside until they are ready to move on. (Scholastic, Sept.)
Ana's Story by Jenna Bush, read by the author. The president's daughter shares the poignant story of a 17-year-old single mother living with HIV in Panama. (HarperChildren's, Oct.)
The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech, reader TBA. A timely tale about haves and have-nots. (HarperChildren's, Oct.)
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko, read by Ariadne Meyers. A fast-paced story about two kids with an unlikely connection. (Listening Library, Oct.)
Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce, read by Grace Kelly and the Full Cast Family. The newest installment in Pierce's popular Circle of Magic universe. Pierce wrote the novel specifically for this audio production and served as its director. Scholastic will publish a print edition in fall 2008. (Full Cast Audio, Oct.)
Grimpow: The Invisible Road by Rafael Abalos, reader TBA. The Da Vinci Code meets Eragon in this epic tale of a chosen one and his search for the wisdom of the ages. (Listening Library, Oct.)
Something Rotten by Alan Gratz, reader TBA. A clever retelling of Hamlet as a murder mystery. (Listening Library, Oct.)
Who Was First? Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedman, reader TBA. Freedman provides an entertaining and informative look at America's early history. (Listening Library, Oct.)
What the Dickens by Gregory Maguire, reader TBA. The story of What-the-Dickens, a newly hatched orphan creature who has a penchant for getting into trouble. (Scholastic, Nov.)
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, performed by Sarah Naughton and the Full Cast Family. In a realm where people sing instead of speaking, a girl with a fabulous voice lands a place at court. Composer Todd Hobin created the music (including 20 original songs) and the actors rose to the challenge of singing their dialogue. (Full Cast Audio, Nov.)
First Test: Book 1 of the Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce, read by Bernadette Dunne. Ten-year-old Keladry of Mindalen, daughter of nobles, serves as a page but must prove herself if she is to fulfill her dream of becoming a knight. (Listening Library, Nov.)
