Publishers' spring audio lists have taken shape, and there's a robust variety of offerings available to listeners. The season includes debuts from publisher Dreamscape Media and the children's imprint Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, and a new name for the former BBC Audiobooks America, now known as AudioGO. Continuing the trends of recent years, paranormal romance, dystopian fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery/thriller genres remain strong, and listeners will see many of their favorite big names on the shelves alongside a few newcomers. The ever-popular memoir category leads the nonfiction pack with a large number of entries for the first half of 2011, by the famous (Billy Joel, Annie Proulx, Dick Van Dyke, Tina Fey) as well as by everyday people with amazing stories to share. Here are some selected highlights of the new releases for spring.

Fiction

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova, read by Sarah Paulson. Neuroscientist Genova delivers the tale of an overachieving 30-something woman whose life changes in a split second when she suffers a traumatic brain injury, leaving her with "left neglect," a condition that renders her unaware of anything on her left side. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Jan.)

The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer, read by Scott Brick. Set in Washington, D.C., a story of intrigue at the highest levels of government. According to Hachette, the recording includes a challenge to Brick, suggested by Meltzer's Twitter followers. Listen closely for what sounds like a cameo by Christopher Walken. (Hachette Audio, Jan.)

Gideon's War by Howard Gordon, read by Carlos Bernard. Gordon, executive producer of TV's 24, is right at home in this debut thriller starring Gideon Davis, who has one day to bring his rogue brother to justice before a vast global conspiracy turns deadly. Narrator Bernard played Tony on 24. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Jan.)

Agatha H. and the Airship City by Phil and Kaja Fogilo, read by Angela Dawe. The Hugo and Eisner Award–winning comic book series is captured in this recording of a novelization. (Brilliance Audio, Jan.)

The Storyteller of Marrakesh by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya, read by Gerard Kyle. Each year, the storyteller, Hassan, gathers listeners to the city square to share their recollections of a young, foreign couple who mysteriously disappeared years earlier. This exploration of the perception of truth is the first in a cycle of novels set in the Islamic world. (Dreamscape Media, Jan.)

The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card, read by Stefan Rudnicki and Emily Janice Card. Card's contemporary urban fantasy is read by his daughter and Audie and Grammy Award–winning audio producer, narrator, and director Rudnicki. (Blackstone Audio, Jan.)

Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland, read by Kimberly Farr. Behind the scenes at the 1893 New York studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany, through the eyes of studio artist and designer Clara Driscoll. (Random House Audio, Jan.)

West of Here by Jonathan Evison. An epic western adventure wrapped in the history of one small town, follows two time lines: the past, as the founders rush toward the future, and the present, as their descendants struggle with the past. (HighBridge Audio, Feb.)

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones, read by Lorelai King. Charley Davidson is a part-time PI and full-time Grim Reaper in this debut paranormal thriller narrated by Audie-winner King. An interview with the author is included. (Macmillan Audio, Feb.)

666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce, read by Ilyana Kadushin. A new contemporary gothic series about the witches—literally—who live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. (HarperAudio, download only, Feb.)

Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel, read by Sandra Burr. Marks the sixth and final volume in the Earth's Children series. (Brilliance Audio, Feb.)

Half Life by Jennifer Weiner, read by Katie Finneran. This dramatic, romantic story, serialized in Redbook magazine in summer 2010, features a cover with a special barcode that allows shoppers to scan and listen to an excerpt while in the store. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Feb.)

When the Killing's Done by T.C. Boyle, read by Anthony Heald. Action-packed adventure about endangered animals and those who would protect them. (Blackstone Audio, Feb.)

The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Glittering Storm by Stephen Cole, read by Elisabeth Sladen. Sladen, who stars as Sarah Jane in the titular BBC-TV sci-fi series, reads this audio-exclusive story. (AudioGO, Feb.)

Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt, read by Susan Duerden. Winston Churchill and a vulnerable young woman are among those who fall under the sway of the strange "presence" they know as Mr. Chartwell. (Random House Audio, Feb.)

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, read by Carrington MacDuffie. Inspired by the hard-drinking, fast-living adventures of Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley in Jazz Age Paris. (Random House Audio, Feb.)

Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, read by John Glover. The popular author team introduces a new mystery series starring 24-year-old Gideon, out to avenge the murder of his father. (Hachette Audio, Feb.)

Emily and Einstein: A Novel of Second Chances by Linda Francis Lee, read by Dan John Miller and Cassandra Campbell. When Emily's husband dies and she's threatened with eviction, comfort arrives in the form of a wacky dog named Einstein. (Tantor Audio, Mar.)

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente, read by the author. A tale that was initially published in serial format on the author's blog now appears in both audio and print editions. (Brilliance Audio, Mar.)

The Mark of Zorro, based on the novel by Johnston McCully, dramatized for audio by Yuri Rasovsky, read by Val Kilmer and a full cast. This audio drama adaptation was created by the award-winning Hollywood Theater for the Ear especially for Blackstone. (Blackstone Audio, Apr.)

Save Me by Lisa Scottoline, read by Cynthia Nixon. Promotion for Scottoline's story of split-second choice and its consequences includes a collaborative social media campaign and advance listening clips for her newsletter and Web site. Scottoline has also narrated her own audiobook work, on Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog (2009) and My Nest Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space, which she wrote and narrated with her daughter, Francesca, last year. (Macmillan Audio, Apr.)

The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim by Jonathan Coe, read by Colin Buchanan. Maxwell Sim struggles to make real connections in a life filled with technology and gadgets. (AudioGO, May)

The Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake, read by Rupert Degas. A new recording of a popular example of 20th-century gothic fiction marks the centenary of the author's birth. Peake's unfinished novel Titus Awakes has been completed for publication this year, which may spark the original trilogy Titus Groan (Feb.); Gormenghast (Apr.) and Titus Alone (June). (Naxos AudioBooks, Feb.-June)

The Inspector and Silence by Hakan Nesser, read by Simon Vance. Nesser's Van Veeteren mystery series is an international bestseller and makes its U.S. debut on audio with the simultaneous release of five titles, including this one. (HighBridge Audio, June)

Buried Secrets by Joseph Finder, read by Holter Graham. Graham also narrated Finder's 2009 book about "private spy" Nick Heller, Vanished. Audio enthusiast Finder has already begun an audio giveaway via his Facebook page, and last summer made broad use of social media to advocate for the Audio Publishers Association's June Is Audiobook Month campaign. (Macmillan Audio, June)

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran. Set in post-Katrina New Orleans, Gran's thriller stars quirky PI DeWitt, who uses dreams, omens, and mind-expanding herbs to help solve mysteries. (HighBridge, June)

Untitled James Bond novel by Jeffery Deaver. Deaver tackles the iconic superspy franchise, serving up a contemporary thriller starring a 30-year-old James Bond. (Simon & Schuster Audio, June)

Other Notable Fiction

Delirious by Daniel Palmer, read by Peter Berkot (Brilliance Audio, Jan.); A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley, read by Jayne Entwistle (Random House Audio, Feb.); Frostbitten: A Women of the Otherworld Novel by Kelley Armstrong, read by Jen Taylor (AudioGO, Feb.); The Adults by Alison Espach, read by Tavia Gilbert (Dreamscape Media, Feb.); This Side of the Grave: A Night Huntress Novel by Jeaniene Frost, read by Tavia Gilbert (Blackstone Audio, Feb.); Devotion of Subject X by Keigo Higashino, trans. by Alexander O. Smith, read by David Pittu (Macmillan Audio, Feb.); A Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear (HarperAudio, download only, Mar.); Other Kingdoms by Richard Matheson, read by Bronson Pinchot (Blackstone Audio, Mar.); The Priest by Gerard O'Donovan (Dreamscape Media, Mar.); City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare (Simon & Schuster Audio, Apr.); Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark, read by January LaVoy (Hachette Audio, Apr.); The Uncoupling by Meg Worlitzer (AudioGO, Apr.); Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Elizabeth Berg (Random House Audio, Apr.); The End of Everything by Megan Abbott (Blackstone Audio, Apr.); In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard (Dreamscape Media, Apr.); Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans (Simon & Schuster Audio, Apr.); Saints and Sinners by Edna O'Brien (Dreamscape Media, May); The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe (Brilliance Audio, May); Those in Peril by Wilbur Smith (Macmillan Audio, May); Dreams of Joy by Lisa See (Random House Audio, May); Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares (Random House Audio, June); Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich (Random House Audio, June); The Two Deaths of Daniel Hays by Marcus Sakey (Brilliance Audio, June); The Crook Factory by Dan Simmons (Brilliance Audio, June).

Nonfiction

Bird Cloud by Annie Proulx, read by Joan Allen; first chapter narrated by Proulx. In a work that began as a book about building a house and evolved into a family history as well as an archeology of the wild landscape of Wyoming, the author comes as close to memoir as she ever has. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Jan.)

Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet by Jennifer Homans, read by Kirsten Potter. The first cultural history of ballet. (Tantor Audio, Jan.)

Jackie as Editor: The Literary Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis by Greg Lawrence, read by Bernadette Dunne. Audie-nominee Dunne gives voice to this portrait of the enigmatic Onassis, who edited several of Lawrence's books. (Blackstone Audio, Jan.)

The Memory Palace by Mira Bartók, read by Hillary Huber. The author's account of her 17-year estrangement from her homeless and schizophrenic mother, and their eventual reunion. (Tantor Audio, Jan.)

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels—A Love Story by Ree Drummond. The popular blogger tells of her journey from city life to ranch wife after falling in love with a cowboy. (HarperAudio, download only, Feb.)

Mr. Funny Pants by Michael Showalter, read by the author. Actor/comedian Showalter is one of the first authors to upload content—Mr. Funny Pants excerpts—to Broadcastr.com, a social media platform that enables the recording, organizing, listening, and sharing of audio. (Hachette Audio, Feb.)

Townie by Andre Dubus III, read by the author. According to Blackstone Audio, the audio engineer working with Dubus was brought to tears by the end of the recording of this intimate memoir. (Blackstone Audio, Feb.)

And Furthermore by Judi Dench, read by Samantha Bond. Actress Dame Judi Dench, who has won an Oscar, a Tony, and an Olivier Award, offers a memoir of her life, loves, and acting work. She also contributes an introduction to this recording. (Macmillan Audio, Feb.)

The Story of the Bible by Peter Whitfield, read by Oliver Ford Davies. Whitfield marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible with a look at that version's place in history and the role other translations have played as well. (Naxos AudioBooks, Feb.)

Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall—from America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness by Frank Brady, read by Ray Porter. This Fischer biography is the first to capture the full arc of his life, read by veteran actor Porter. (Blackstone Audio, Feb.)

Inconceivable: A Medical Mistake, the Baby We Couldn't Keep and Our Choice to Deliver the Ultimate Gift by Carolyn Savage and Sean Savage, read by Cassandra Campbell. A woman mistakenly implanted with the wrong embryo carried the baby to term, and she and her husband turned the child over to his biological parents. (HarperAudio, download only, Feb.)

Ever by My Side: A Memoir in Eight Acts Pets by Nick Trout, read by Simon Vance. Vance, a multi Audie- and Audiofile Earphones Award winner, relays the story of Dr. Nick Trout through the lens of all the pets Dr. Trout has had. (Tantor Audio, Feb.)

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, performed by a full cast. This recording of the classic play, starring Rutina Wesley from the HBO hit series True Blood, chronicles a working-class African-American family struggling to maintain dignity in a harsh world. (L.A. Theatre Works, Feb.)

NPR American Chronicles: The Civil War. This new series launches with such radio broadcast pieces as Sam Waterston reading the Gettysburg Address and author Shelby Foote talking about his landmark Civil War trilogy. (HighBridge Audio, Mar.)

Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering by Meredith Baxter. The TV actress shares her triumphs and struggles in her career and love life. (Random House Audio, Mar.)

Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell. An in-depth look at the unusual history of Hawaii, which Vowell thinks is "the most American state." (Simon & Schuster Audio, Mar.)

Uncommon Gratitude: Alleluia for All That Is by Joan Chittister and Rowan Williams, read by Chittister. This series of reflections demonstrates how gratitude can help one discover a broader, deeper reality. (St. Anthony Messenger Press, Mar.)

Fire on the Horizon: The Untold Story of the Explosion Aboard the Deepwater Horizon by Tom Shroder and John Konrad. An account of the BP oil disaster, told through exclusive first-person interviews and investigative reporting. (HarperAudio, download only, Mar.)

Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton, read by the author. The culinary and emotional journey of the chef/owner of New York City's Prune restaurant. (Random House Audio, Mar.)

The Social Animal by David Brooks, read by Arthur Morey. An exploration of how human beings and communities flourish, by the New York Times op-ed columnist. (Random House Audio, Mar.)

Bottom of the 33rd: Hope and Redemption in Baseball's Longest Game by Dan Barry. A tribute to players who toil in the minors, featuring the 1981 game between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox. (HarperAudio, download only, Apr.)

Plastic: A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel. Journalist Freinkel looks at how dependent we have become on plastic and how it may not be a healthy relationship. She tells her story through eight familiar objects, including a comb, a plastic bag, and plastic water bottle, and concludes that society needs to get off its plastic-paved path. (Dreamscape Media, Apr.)

Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon. For the first time the actress tells the story of her May-December relationship and marriage to Hollywood legend Cary Grant. (HarperAudio, download only, Apr.)

The Times to Remember: A Memoir by Billy Joel. Includes never-before-told stories from the piano man's private life. (HarperAudio, download only, Apr.)

Summer Love Tour by Garrison Keillor and the cast of A Prairie Home Companion. A best-of compilation of never-before-broadcast performances from the troupe's 25-city summer 2010 Summer Love tour. (HighBridge Audio, Apr.)

Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption—from South Central to Hollywood by Ice-T and Douglas Century. The acclaimed rapper and actor serves up his personal hip-hop Horatio Alger story. (Blackstone Audio, Apr.)

She Walks in Beauty: A Woman's Journey Through Poems by Caroline Kennedy. An anthology that speaks to women at midlife. (Hyperion Audio, download only, Apr.)

Bossypants by Tina Fey, read by the author. The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor winner will record this audiobook about her journey from nerd to writer, TV star, and mom, from her husband's home music studio. (Hachette Audio, Apr.)

Untitled memoir by Shania Twain, read by the author. Twain recounts the difficulties in her childhood and the road to her country music superstardom. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Apr.)

Grand Pursuit by Sylvia Nasar. Nasar (A Beautiful Mind) explores how economics has changed the lives of every person on Earth—from Dickens's London and FDR's New Deal to contemporary Kolkata and beyond. (Simon & Schuster Audio, May)

Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Quirk Theory and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School by Alexandra Robbins. The Loner; the Popular Bitch; the Awkward Nerd; the New Girl; the Gamer; the Weird Alterna-Girl; the Band Geek: Robbins uses her fast-paced signature style to return to the worlds of high school and college to examine the treatment of outcasts and outsiders. (Hyperion Audio, download only, May)

My Lucky Life in and out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke. One of the great song and dance men/comedians from the golden age of TV reflects on his personal and professional success. (Random House Audio, May)

Nothing to Be Frightened Of by Julian Barnes, read by the author. In what might be called a selective memoir, novelist Barnes presents some of his philosophical musings on mortality. (AudioGO, May)

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe, read by the author. The actor chronicles his rise to and from teen heartthrob over a long, successful career. Bonus material will include a video feature and a q&a with Lowe while he is in the recording studio. (Macmillan Audio, May)

An Accidental Sportswriter: A Memoir by Robert Lipsyte. The New York Times's lead sports columnist mines his long career to write a book that is more about relationships and culture than the athletes and teams he has covered. (HarperAudio, download only, May)

Those Guys Have All the Fun by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales. This is a heavily embargoed title that Hachette says is a "natural for audio," as it's culled from oral histories to produce a behind-the-scenes chronicle of the rise of ESPN. (Hachette Audio, May)

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. Larson offers a narrative nonfiction account of William Dodd, America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany, and his family as they live through a tumultuous 1933. (Random House Audio, May)

Familyhood by Paul Reiser. The comedian and author shares humorous observations on parenting, marriage, and midlife. (Brilliance Audio, May)
Boomerang by Michael Lewis. An investigative explanation—peppered with humor—of the global effects of the economic crisis. (Simon & Schuster Audio, June)

Other Notable Nonfiction

Chinaberry Sidewalks by Rodney Crowell, read by the author (Random House Audio, Jan.); In the Valley of the Shadow: The Authenticity of Religious Belief and What Matters Most in Our Lives by James L. Kugel, read by George K. Wilson (Tantor Audio, Feb.); Against All Odds: A Life of Beating the Odds by Scott Brown, read by the author (HarperAudio, Feb.); A Widow's Story: A Memoir by Joyce Carol Oates (HarperAudio, download only, Feb.); Forged: Writing in the Name of God—Why the Bible's Authors Are Not Who We Think They Are by Bart D. Ehrman (HarperAudio, download only, Mar.); Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality by Richard Rohr, read by John Quigley (St. Anthony Messenger Press, Mar.); Bringing Adam Home: The Abduction That Changed America by Les Standiford and Joe Matthews (HarperAudio, download only, Mar.); La Lucci: My Story by Susan Lucci (HarperAudio, download only, Mar.); Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock by Sammy Hagar (HarperAudio, download only, Mar.); The Most Dangerous Man in America: Rush Limbaugh's Assault on Reason by John K. Wilson (Blackstone Audio, Mar.); Skyjack: The Hunt for D.B. Cooper by Geoffrey Gray (Random House Audio, Mar.); Heaven's Command by Jan Morris, read by Roy McMillan (Naxos AudioBooks, Apr.); The Big Thirst: A Tour of the Bitter Fights, Breathtaking Beauty, Relentless Innovation, and Big Business Driving the New Era of High-Stakes Water by Charles Fishman, read by the author (Tantor Audio, Apr.); Jeannie Out of the Bottle by Barbara Eden with Wendy Leight (Random House Audio, Apr.); Working It Out: A Journey of Love, Loss, and Hope by Abby Rike, read by the author (Hachette Audio, May); State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (HarperAudio, download only, June).


Children's and YA Titles

Awakened by P.C. and Kristin Cast, read by Caitlin Davies. The eighth installment of the House of Night series, which has sold more than eight million copies in print. Marketing includes a "Read Chapter 1, listen to Chapters 2 and 3" promotion via e-mail newsletter blast and an exclusive audio post featured on MTV.com. (Macmillan Young Listeners, Jan.)

One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt, read by Cassandra Morris. Eliza panics when the notebook that holds her most private thoughts winds up in the hands of her ex-boyfriend—and he and his friends start blackmailing her. (Dreamscape Media, Jan.)

Cloaked by Alex Flinn, read by Alexander Cendese. Set in Miami, Flinn's latest is a mélange of fairy tales including "The Frog Prince," "The Shoemaker and the Elves," and "The Six Swans." Brilliance is simultaneously releasing the movie tie-in edition to Flinn's Beastly, the "Beauty and the Beast" adaptation that hits theaters in March. (Brilliance Audio, Feb.)

Kick by Walter Dean Myers and Ross Workman. Debut teen author Workman collaborates with award-winning author Myers on a novel about impulsive decisions, dire consequences, unlikely friendships, and second chances. (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, Feb.)

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander, read by Mike Rylander. A humorous debut novel about Mac, a middle school problem-solver, and a nefarious bully named Staples. (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, Feb.)

Pick-Up Game: A Full Day of Full Court, edited by Marc Aronson, photos and poems by Charles R. Smith Jr. Nine writers try to capture all the sights and sounds of a steamy July day on the West 4th Street basketball court ("the Cage") in New York City. This program includes sound effects that Smith recorded at the Cage and an afterword read by Aronson. (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, Feb.)

Death Cloud by Andrew Lane, read by Daniel Weyman. Already a hit in the U.K., this is the first in a new Young Sherlock Holmes series that imagines the young sleuth's beginnings investigating murder mysteries. (Macmillan Young Listeners, Feb.)

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta, read by Michael Finney. In this sequel to Saving Francesca, Thomas Mackee must cope with his shattered family after his favorite uncle is blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city. (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, Mar.)

Hothead by Cal Ripken Jr. with Kevin Cowherd. A young shortstop with a short fuse stars in the debut volume of a baseball fiction series by legendary player Ripken and veteran sportswriter Cowherd. (Listening Library, Mar.)

Storm Runners: Wind by Roland Smith, read by Ramón de Ocampo. Chase and his dad are on the trail of hurricanes, tornadoes, and other stormy disturbances in this title kicking off a new series. (Scholastic, Mar.)

Chanda's Secrets by Allan Stratton. The Printz Honor book tells the story of a girl fighting to survive in sub-Saharan Africa where her family—and world—are overshadowed by AIDS/HIV. A film adapted from the book, entitled Life, Above All, is South Africa's official entry to the 2011 Academy Awards. (Brilliance Audio, Mar.)

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell, read by Emma Galvin. National Book Award–winner Blundell's mystery about love, glamour, and the Mob. An interview with the author is included. (Scholastic Audio, Mar.)

Liar, Liar: The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Deception by Gary Paulsen, read by Joshua Swanson. Kevin's lies pile up, landing him in (often funny) trouble with his friends, family, and teachers. Paulsen says of Kevin: "He showed up in my thoughts and, although this sounds kind of weird, I heard him say to me, ‘I'm the best liar you'll ever meet.' I wrote down the line on a piece of paper and we were off. I've always said that stories are like dog teams—they run out ahead of you and you hold on and see where you're going." (Brilliance Audio, Mar.)

The 39 Clues, Book 11: Vespers Rising by Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman and Jude Watson, read by David Pittu. Though the clue hunt is over, new adventure begins in this four-part story that contains bonus material. (Scholastic Audio, Apr.)

The Resisters by Eric Nylund. Game developer and Halo author Nylund delivers action-packed science fiction in his children's book debut. (Brilliance Audio, Apr.)

Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond, illus. by Diane deGroat. Drummond, the Pioneer Woman herself, makes her children's audiobook debut with a new unforgettable character: Charlie, the perpetually hungry, always lovable basset hound who is already famous via Ree's blog (which gets 20 million hits a month) and Facebook. Drummond cooks for dogs, too, and is including one of her favorite pet meals, which will be featured at the end of this recording. (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, Apr.)

The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, read by Jonathan Davis. Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, Zafón's tale begins on a dark night when an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an unthinkable threat. (Hachette Audio, May)

Troubletwisters, Book 1 by Garth Nix and Sean Williams. A new middle-grade fantasy series starring twins who find they must be wardens against a threatening evil. (Brilliance Audio, May)

Noah Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne. Eight-year-old Noah discovers a magic toyshop and a fascinating toymaker. (Listening Library, May)

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. When a plane filled with teen beauty queens crashes on a desert island, Bray's brand of hilarity ensues. (Scholastic Audio, May)

You'll Like It Here (Everybody Does) by Ruth White. The Blues, a family of intergalactic aliens, try to escape from a hostile, oppressive distant planet. (Listening Library, June)

Philippa Fisher's Fairy Godsister by Liz Kessler. Eleven-year-old Philippa is a pretty average girl at school until a new student named Daisy arrives and confesses that she's Philippa's fairy godsister. (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, June)

Chronicles of the Red King, 1: The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo, read by John Keating. This spinoff fantasy-adventure series introduces Charlie Bone's magical ancestor. (Scholastic Audio, June)

Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach. The first title in a trilogy about three brothers drawn to investigate the mysterious happenings on Superstition Mountain—a real place in Arizona. (Brilliance Audio, June)

Other Notable Children's Titles

Fear Itself by Andrew Clements, read by Keith Nobbs (Simon & Schuster Audio, Jan.); Dear America: Like a Willow Tree by Lois Lowry, read by Sara Barnett (Scholastic Audio, Jan.); Angel (Maximum Ride, 7) by James Patterson, read by Rebecca Soler (Hachette Audio, Feb.); No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko, read by Becca Battoe, Jesse Bernstein, and Tara Sands (Listening Library, Feb.); The Incorrigible Children of Astor Place: Book 2 by Maryrose Wood (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, Feb.); Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon, read by Holter Graham (Macmillan Young Listeners, Mar.); Evercrossed by Elizabeth Chandler (Simon & Schuster Audio, Mar.); Best of the Best by Tim Green (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, Mar.); Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones, read by MacLeod Andrews (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, Mar.); The Red Glove: The Curse Workers, Book Two by Holly Black (Listening Library, Apr.); Book of American Heroes by Glenn Beck (Simon & Schuster Audio, Apr.); FitzOsbornes in Exile (The Montmaray Journals) by Michelle Cooper (Listening Library, Apr.); Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry (Listening Library, Apr.); Kane Chronicles II: Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan, read by Katherine Kelgren, read by Kevin R. Free (Brilliance Audio, May); Wolves of the Beyond: Watch Wolf by Kathryn Lasky, read by Erik Davies (Scholastic Audio, May); The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall, read by Susan Denaker (Listening Library, May); Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, May); Titanic, Book 1: Unsinkable by Gordon Korman (Brilliance Audio, May); The Warlock by Michael Scott (Listening Library, May); Dork Diaries 3 by Rachel Renee Russell (Simon & Schuster Audio, June); Hereafter by Tara Hudson (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, June).