By now the tale is quite familiar: the audio segment of publishing has been on the rise—posting large gains in the number of sales, titles, and listeners, according to the Audio Publishers Association—for most of the past decade. And latest stats from the APA, in partnership with Edison Research, revealed that 24% of Americans listened to at least one audiobook in 2016, an increase of 22% over 2015. Additionally, that report found that almost half of all audiobook listeners are under the age of 35, and that they are typically book people in general, reading or listening to 15 books in the year leading up to the survey, on average. All of these indicators point to the continuation of an upward trend.
The new season of audiobooks reflects the industry’s overall growth, with publishers offering even wider selections, publishing not only their megawatt stars and evergreen series but reaching deeper into their backlists, and also producing recordings from more self-published authors.
As is the case with publishing in general, spring audio titles are capturing what’s happening in our culture at the moment. Though there has been a slight slowdown in the number of political titles this season, the ripple effects of the 2016 presidential election continue, with titles from former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, Madeleine Albright, and former director of National Intelligence James Clapper. There are at least two works exploring fascism, and a number of titles—including some children’s and YA—focused on activism, the rising voice of women, racial tensions, survivors of sexual assault and addiction, and finding hope in a complex world. And former president Bill Clinton has teamed with James Patterson on a thriller.
With options galore, we hope you’ll enjoy this list of highlights from the season. Happy Listening!
Adult
Blackstone Audio
Alter Ego by Brian Freeman (May, unabridged CD, $39.95, ISBN 978-1-4417-4641-2. While investigating a case in Duluth involving a car crash victim with a false identity and a missing college student, Det. Jonathan Stride happens upon the set of a film being made about his life.
Devotion: Why I Write by Patti Smith, read by the author (Feb., unabridged CD, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-5385-3958-3). Artist, musician, and author Smith explores the nature of creative invention.
The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore by Kim Fu, read by Tavia Gilbert et al. (Feb., unabridged CD, $34.95, ISBN 978-1-5384-6196-9), follows the experiences, successes, failures, and relationships of five girls who find themselves stranded after an overnight kayak trip goes awry.
A Sharp Solitude by Christine Carbo (May, unabridged CD, $39.95, ISBN 978-1-5047-6081-2) is a mystery set in Glacier National Park.
Son of a Midnight Land by Atz Kilcher, read by the author (Feb., unabridged CD, ISBN 978-1-4708-5839-1). Kilcher, star of Discovery Channel’s Alaska: The Last Frontier and father of singer Jewel, shares his story of growing up under very difficult circumstances in Alaska. The recording includes original songs by the author.
Brilliance Audio
Alternate Side by Anna Quindlen, read by Ellen Archer (Mar., unabridged download, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-5113-6771-4). An unexpected act of violence exposes the tensions in a tight-knit neighborhood and a seemingly happy marriage.
Armed in America: A History of Gun Rights from Colonial Militias to Concealed Carry by Patrick J. Charles (Mar., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-5436-8709-5) uses legal history to show how today’s gun-rights advocates have drastically departed from the long-held interpretation of the Second Amendment.
The Briefing by Sean Spicer (July, unabridged CD, $38.99, ISBN 978-1-5436-9577-9) offers a behind-the-scenes look at the author’s turbulent term as President Trump’s press secretary.
My Days: Happy and Otherwise by Marion Ross and David Laurell (unabridged CD, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-5436-1393-3). Ross reflects on her life growing up in poor, rural Minnesota, and career successes, including her years on TV’s Happy Days.
Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts (May, unabridged download, 24.99, ISBN 978-1-5366-9685-1). The survivors of a mass shooting still feel the effects of the tragedy years later and discover that another conspirator is lying in wait.
Brook Forest Voices
Life in the Wrong Lane: Why Journalists Go in When Everyone Else Wants Out by Greg Dobbs, read by the author (Apr., unabridged download, $21.95, ISBN 978-1-941105-55-9). The Emmy-winning journalist and former foreign correspondent for ABC News recounts stories from his career.
ChristianAudio
Adamant by Lisa Bevere, read by the author (Apr., unabridged CD, $19.98, ISBN 978-1-5459-0061-1), explores the concept of God’s role in helping listeners become adamant in their faith.
In over Your Head by Susie Larson, read by the author (Mar., unabridged CD, $19.98, ISBN 978-1-5459-0411-4), aims to help listeners find balance within their hectic lives.
Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt by Jentezen Franklin, read by the author (Mar., unabridged CD, ISBN 978-1-5459-0063-5). Pastor Franklin offers advice on how to set aside hurt, see others as God sees them, and reach out in love.
Graphic Audio
The Chaos Queen 2: Dark Immolation by Christopher Husberg, read by a full cast (Mar., unabridged CD, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-62851-687-6), continues the fantasy adventure, in which a new religion is rising led by prophetess Jane Oden.
Corvis Rebaine 2: The Warlord’s Legacy by Ari Marmell, read by a full cast (Feb., unabridged CD, ISBN 978-1-62851-668-5). Corvis Rebaine must put on the dark armor and become the Terror to save his homeland.
The Stormlight Archive 3: Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson, read by a full cast (May, unabridged CD, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-62851-688-3). The Voidbringers return to battle humanity with a thirst for vengeance.
Hachette Audio
The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist: A True Story of Injustice in the American South by Radley Balko and Tucker Carrington (Feb., unabridged download, $25.98, ISBN 978-1-4789-4729-5) shines a light on the persistent institutional racism and junk forensic science in the U.S. criminal justice system through the stories of two death row inmates who were freed after being wrongfully convicted based on the testimony of a controversial medical examiner.
Calypso by David Sedaris, read by the author (May, unabridged CD, $35, ISBN 978-1-4789-6417-9), is the humorist’s first collection of essays in five years and includes observations about aging and family vacations.
The Hellfire Club by Jake Tapper (June, unabridged CD, $35, ISBN 978-1-5491-6840-6). CNN’s chief Washington correspondent delivers his first political thriller, set in 1950s D.C., where a young congressman stumbles onto conspiracy reaching to the highest levels of government.
Meghan by Andrew Morton (Apr., unabridged CD, $30, 978-1-5491-4240-6) profiles American actress Meghan Markle, who is engaged to marry England’s Prince Harry.
The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson (June, unabridged CD, $40, ISBN 978-1-4789-9888-4) poses the suspenseful scenario that the president disappears without a trace from the heavily guarded and monitored White House.
HarperAudio
Fascism by Madeleine Albright, read by the author (Apr., unabridged download, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-06-280224-8). The former secretary of state shares a personal and well-considered exploration of the history and current resurgence of fascism.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara, read by Gabra Zackman, Gillian Flynn, and Patton Oswalt (Feb., unabridged download, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-06-279869-5), offers a true crime account of the Golden State Killer by journalist McNamara, who died tragically in 2016. Author Gillian Flynn provides an introduction and Patton Oswalt, McNamara’s husband, has recorded an afterword.
The Perfectionists by Simon Winchester, read by the author (May, unabridged download, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-06-284809-3), in which the author cites attention to precision as the key component for advancement as he traces the development of technology from the Industrial Age to the Digital Age.
Unmasked by Andrew Lloyd Webber, read by the author and Derek Perkins (Mar., unabridged download, $36.99, ISBN 978-0-06-279898-5), is a memoir from the much lauded composer and producer of musicals.
Varina by Charles Frazier (Apr., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-0-06-240603-3). Frazier returns to the setting of Cold Mountain for another tale of the chaos and devastation of the Civil War.
Highbridge Audio
Bluff by Michael Kardos, read by Julia Whelan (Apr., unabridged CD, $34.99, ISBN 978-1-68441-186-3). Has-been magician Natalie gets wrapped up in a dangerous scheme when she takes an assignment to write a magazine article on the art of cheating at cards.
Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck, read by Kristen Potter (Feb., unabridged CD, ISBN 978-1-68441-070-5), is the Swedish author’s debut collection of fantasy short stories.
The Perfume Burned His Eyes by Michael Imperioli, read by the author (Apr., unabridged CD, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-68441-066-8). Actor Imperioli’s novel is set in New York City in 1976. Sixteen-year-old Matthew becomes a quasi-assistant to musician Lou Reed and falls hard for a girl he meets at his new school.
Sadness Is a White Bird by Moriel Rothman-Zecher, read by Neil Shah (Feb., unabridged CD, $34.99, ISBN 978-1-68441-052-1). Jonathan is prepared to do his service in the Israeli army but is conflicted when he befriends the twin daughter and son of his mother’s friend, who are Palestinian.
Tasting the Past: The Science of Flavor and the Search for the Original Wine Grapes by Kevin Begos (June, unabridged CD, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-68441-180-1) offers a blend of history, science, and adventure travel as a journalist seeks the origins of wine.
Insatiable Press
Love Game: Love Games Book #1 by Maggie Wells, read by Samantha Cook (Feb. unabridged download, $19.95 ISBN 978-1-62461-382-1). Sparks fly when Kate—a legendary basketball coach at her alma mater, where she was a star player—clashes with the new football coach who’s trying to escape scandal.
L.A. Theatre Works
Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis, performed by Elisa Bocanegra et al. (Feb., unabridged CD, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-68266-064-5), is a production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play in which a retired N.Y.C. police officer is in danger of losing his rent-controlled Riverside Drive apartment when he won’t settle his discrimination suit against the NYPD.
Macmillan Audio
After Anna by Lisa Scottoline (Apr., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-4272-9300-8). Maggie welcomes a second chance to be mother to 17-year-old Anna, the daughter she hasn’t seen since she was an infant. Then, Maggie’s new husband is accused of and tried for Anna’s murder.
Force of Nature by Jane Harper, read by Stephen Shanahan (Feb., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-4272-9313-8). Five women coworkers go on a hike. Only four of them return.
Robin by Dave Itzkoff (May, unabridged CD, $49.99, ISBN 978-1-4272-9697-9). New York Times culture reporter Itzkoff delivers a portrait of comedian and actor Robin Williams.
The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus (Feb., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-4272-9556-9). This fantastic love story between a mute woman and an aquatic creature was written by the artists who created the film of the same name.
So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know by Retta, read by the author (May, unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-4272-8936-0), is a collection of essays featuring the stories that led the Parks and Recreation star to Hollywood success.
What Truth Sounds Like: Robert F. Kennedy, James Baldwin, and Our Unfinished Conversation About Race in America by Michael Eric Dyson, read by the author (Apr., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-250-29593-4), explores America’s tortured racial politics.
North Atlantic Books
7 Principles of Stress: Extend Life, Stay Fit, and Ward Off Fat by Ori Hofmekler (Feb., unabridged download, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-62317-282-4) presents new concepts that challenge conventional approaches to diet, fitness, and anti-aging.
North Shore Chronicles: Big-Wave Surfing in Hawaii by Brue Jenkins (Feb., unabridged download, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-62317-279-4) is surf writer Jenkins’s account of 17 trips to Hawaii’s North Shore beginning in 1974, profiling the superstar surfers who live to conquer the area’s deadliest waves.
Penguin Audio
Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley by Emily Chang, read by the author (Feb., unabridged download, $20, ISBN 978-0-525-53252-1), offers an exposé of the misogynist culture that has shut women out of the tech industry and suggestions on how to fix it.
Facts and Fears by James R. Clapper and Trey Brown (May, unabridged CD, $45, ISBN 978-0-525-63065-4). The former U.S. Director of National Intelligence and advisor to President Obama traces his career rise and discusses the history of several intelligence operations and the truth about Russia’s role in the presidential election, as well as his efforts to make intelligence more transparent.
In the Shadow of Statues by Mitch Landrieu, read by the author (Mar., unabridged download, $17.50, ISBN 978-0-525-63908-4). The mayor of New Orleans serves up a blend of memoir, history, and ideas for confronting America’s most painful legacy in discussing his decision to take down four Confederate monuments from his city.
Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh (Mar., unabridged CD, $40, ISBN 978-0-525-63233-7). Anna has believed that her parents committed suicide two years ago but learns that nothing is as it seemed when she starts digging into the past.
You’re on an Airplane by Parker Posey (July, unabridged CD, $40, ISBN 978-0-525-49894-0). Posey’s memoir reveals her perspective on life in the spotlight, the art of acting, and her relationships with such directors as Christopher Guest and Woody Allen.
Raincloud
House of Rougeaux by Jenny Jaeckel, read by Bahni Turpin (Apr., unabridged download, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-941203-27-9), follows the struggles and achievements of generations of the Rougeaux family beginning with Abeje and her brother Adunbi, who grew up in the slave quarters of a Caribbean sugar plantation with their mother.
Random House Audio
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover, read by Julia Whelan (Feb., unabridged CD, $40, ISBN 978-0-525-52805-0). A girl who was kept isolated and out of school by her survivalist family leaves home and works diligently to earn a Ph.D. from Cambridge University.
The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian, read by Erin Spencer, Grace Experience, and Mark Deakins (Mar., unabridged CD, $40, ISBN 978-0-525-49610-6). Binge-drinking flight attendant Cassandra wakes up in a Dubai hotel room after a blackout and slips out of bed, where her unknown “date” lies in a pool of blood, to catch her flight to Paris.
Macbeth by Jo Nesbø (Apr., unabridged CD, $40, ISBN 978-0-525-58833-7) sets Shakespeare’s tale in a 1970s industrial Scottish town where Chief of Police Duncan and his officers struggle to shut down the community’s incessant drug trade ruled by Hekate.
Warlight: A Novel by Michael Ondaatje (May, unabridged CD, $40, ISBN 978-0-525-62751-7). In 1945, teen siblings Rachel and Nathaniel stay behind in London when their parents move to Singapore, leaving them in the care of a mysterious figure named the Moth. A dozen years later, Nathaniel begins to uncover things that he didn’t know and understand then.
Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes (Apr., unabridged CD, $40, ISBN 978-0-525-52661-2). Three single older women who are new friends lease a stone manse in Tuscany and blossom in ways they never thought possible.
Recorded Books
A Long Way from Home by Peter Carey, read by Colin McPhillamy, Saskia Maarleveld, and Craig Baldwin (Feb., unabridged download, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-5019-6873-0), focuses on three people who take part in the wild 10,000-mile Redex Trial road race that circumnavigates Australia in 1954.
Accidental Heroes by Danielle Steel, read by Luis Moreno (Mar., unabridged CD, $34.99, ISBN 978-1-5019-7979-8). The fates of a former Air Force pilot, a pregnant flight attendant, a dedicated TSA agent, and others become entwined in the face of a potential tragedy on a flight from New York to San Francisco.
The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick (May, unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-5019-9439-5). In 1930s California, Adelaide tries to start over after escaping from a private sanitarium.
Shattered Mirror by Iris Johansen (Apr., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-5019-8063-3). After forensic sculptor Eve Duncan receives a package containing a skull, she begins a reconstruction, and a dangerous new case.
Sweet Vengeance by Fern Michaels (Mar., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-5019-6583-8). A woman convicted of murdering her husband and daughters tries to prove her innocence and avenge her family after she’s released on bail to await a new trial.
Simon & Schuster Audio
Every Note Played by Lisa Genova (Mar., unabridged CD, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-4440-0) tells the story of a married couple as the concert pianist husband suffers deterioration from ALS, and the piano teacher wife becomes his reluctant caregiver.
Hey Mom by Louie Anderson, read by the author (Apr., unabridged CD, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-5075-3). Comedian and actor Anderson—who plays a mom on TV’s Baskets—shares stories about and for his cherished late mother, bringing her up to date on how his life has been going.
I’ve Got My Eyes on You by Mary Higgins Clark (Apr., unabridged CD, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-4443-1). The body of 18-year-old Kerry is found at the bottom of her family’s pool after a party when her parents are away. Kerry’s older sister Aline is determined to learn the truth about what happened.
Make Trouble by Cecile Richards, read by the author (Apr., unabridged CD, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-5078-4). The president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America looks back on her life and her activist family’s proud tradition of being troublemakers in order to create change.
The Outsider by Stephen King (June, unabridged CD, $49.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-5221-4). In King’s thriller, a seemingly upstanding citizen—father, teacher, Little League coach—is charged with the murder and abuse of an 11-year-old boy.
Tantor Audio
Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India by Sujatha Gidla, read by Soneela Nankani (Apr., unabridged CD, $42.99, ISBN 978-1-5414-1484-6), tells the story of Gidla’s family, who were untouchables in the Indian caste system, yet some of them became teachers, and one became a poet and revolutionary. Gidla herself is now a conductor for New York City’s MTA.
Hot and Badgered: The Honey Badgers Chronicles, Book 1 by Shelly Laurensten, read by Kasha Kensington (Mar., unabridged CD, $42.99, ISBN 978-1-5414-1976-6), kicks off a paranormal romance series featuring female honey badger shifters.
Inside the Star Wars Empire: Making Magic at George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic by Bill Kimberlin, read by Johnny Heller (Feb., unabridged CD, $37.99, ISBN 978-1-977300-13-3), is a memoir chronicling Kimberlin’s two decades as a department director at ILM.
Thomas Nelson Audio
Finish First by Scott Hamilton, read by the author (Feb., unabridged download, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-7852-1634-6). Olympic gold medalist Hamilton posits that competition is good thing in all areas of life.
Once upon a Farm by Rory Feek, read by the author (June, unabridged download, $21.99, ISBN 978-0-7852-2104-3). Grammy-winner Feek offers a glimpse of what he calls “lifesteading”: living on a small farm in a way that cultivates faith and love as he raises his young daughter with fellow musician Joey, who died in 2016.
The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi by Kathie Lee Gifford, with Jason Sobel, read by Gifford (Mar., unabridged download, $18.99, ISBN 978-0-7852-2101-2), reveals the Today cohost’s quest to study Scripture in the original Hebrew and Greek and to visit the land where the stories took place.
Vibrance Audio
Buddhism Is Not What You Think: Finding Freedom Beyond Beliefs by Steve Hagen, read by Paul Heitsch (Feb., unabridged download, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-62461-522-1), offers a look at the most essential and enduring questions at the heart of the Buddha’s teachings: how can we see the world in each moment, rather than merely as what we think, hope, or fear it is?
Zondervan Audio
Don’t Stop Believin’ by Jonathan Cain, read by the author (May, unabridged download, $18.99, ISBN 978-0-310-35197-9). Cain shares stories from his successful career as keyboardist for the rock band Journey and describes his path to faith.
Even in Our Darkness: A Story of Beauty in a Broken Life by Jack Deere (Mar., unabridged download, $21.99, ISBN 978-0-310-5381-96) is the preacher’s memoir describing how he saw unexpected glimpses of God’ beauty, even as he struggled with the pain of tragic loss and the disintegration of his marriage.
Kind Is the New Classy by Candance Cameron Bure, read by the author (Apr., unabridged download, $24.99, ISBN 978-0-310-35229-7), chronicles how TV personality Bure learned to stand her ground and stay true to her faith with integrity and elegance.
Children’s/YA
Blackstone Audio
Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire by John August, read by James Patrick Cronin (Feb., unabridged CD, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-5384-6077-1). Twelve-year-old Arlo, newly arrived in Pine Mountain, Colo., joins the Boy Scouts–like Rangers and attracts the attention of dark forces that test his commitment to the Rangers’ vows of loyalty, bravery, kindness, truth.
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton, read by Rosie Jones (Feb., unabridged CD, $34.95, ISBN 978-1-5385-4058-9). In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered for controlling beauty, a commodity coveted above all else.
Lost by P.C. and Kristin Cast, read by Caitlin Davies (July, unabridged CD, $34.95, ISBN 978-1-5384-3006-4), follows Zoey, Stevie Rae, and Rephaim to a dangerous, alternate version of the House of Night.
Mars One by Jonathan Maberry (Apr., unabridged CD, $34.95, ISBN 978-1-5385-0316-4). Sixteen-year-old Tristan and his family are chosen to be on the first mission to colonize Mars.
Brilliance Audio
Blue Window by Adina Gewirtz (Mar., unabridged CD, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-5012-0016-8). Five siblings fall through the window of their family’s house into a dark and violent world from which they must escape.
The Button War: A Tale of the Great War by Avi (June, unabridged CD, $21.99, ISBN 978-1-5436-8714-9). In their village in Poland during World War I, Patryk and his friends try to prove themselves by stealing military buttons, but their game soon spins out of control.
The Ruinous Sweep Tim Wynne-Jones (June, unabridged CD, $23.99, ISBN 978-1-5436-8778-1) is a murder mystery that begins with a car crash and follows prime suspect Donovan, who is on the run from police, and his girlfriend who fights to clear his name.
The Tale of Angelino Brown by David Almond (Mar., unabridged CD, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-5436-8790-3). Bus driver Bert finds an angel in his shirt pocket one day, and suddenly he and his wife have a son of their own to love and care for.
Graphic Audio
Alcatraz 4: Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians: The Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson, read by a full cast (Feb., unabridged CD, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-62851-667-8), finds Alcatraz and his friend Bastille up against the army of evil librarians and their giant librarian robots.
Black Panther: Who Is the Black Panther by Jesse J. Holland, read by a full cast (Mar., unabridged CD, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-62851-680-7), introduces Marvel superhero T’Challa, a warrior-king from the African nation of Wakanda.
Hachette
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, read by the author (June, unabridged CD, $20, ISBN 978-1-4789-2268-1). This recording of the 10th-anniversary edition of Alexie’s National Book Award winning novel features bonus material and includes a foreword by Jacqueline Woodson.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan (Mar., unabridged download, $22.98, 978-1-5491-6792-8). Following her mother’s suicide, Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time and learn more about her family.
Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake (Mar., unabridged download, $24.98, ISBN 978-1-5491-1490-8). Twelve-year-old Ivy begins to develop romantic feelings for another girl in the wake of a destructive tornado.
Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles (Mar., unabridged download, $24.98, ISBN 978-1-5491-6798-0). In this debut, Marvin’s twin brother Tyler is found dead after a party that was raided by police, and video footage shows that Tyler was shot by an officer.
HarperAudio
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, read by the author (Mar., unabridged download, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-06-282248-2). A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (May, unabridged download, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-06-284068-4) follows a teen girl whose dreams of a career in rap music turn into a desperate necessity when her family home burns down.
Endling #1: The Last by Katherine Applegate (May, unabridged download, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-06-284145-2) launches a middle grade animal fantasy series.
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard (May, unabridged download, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-06-284170-4) concludes the bestselling Red Queen series.
L.A. Theatre Works
My Teacher Fried My Brains by Bruce Coville, performed by Arye Gross (June, unabridged download, $6.96, ISBN 978-1-68266-056-0) is a dramatization of Coville’s novel in which seventh-grader Dougal tries to find out which of his new teachers is an alien before it tries to fry his brains, and the whole planet.
Listening Library
Aru Shah and the End of Time (A Pandava Novel, Book 1) by Roshani Chokshi (Mar., unabridged download, $20, ISBN 978-0-525-58751-4). When Aru tries to prove to her classmates that an ancient lamp in her house is cursed, she lights the lamp and unwittingly unleashes a demon who freezes her classmates and mom in time.
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favill and Francesca Cavallo (Mar., unabridged download, $20, ISBN 978-0-525-63645-8) features bedtime stories about the lives of extraordinary women from the past and present.
Hope Nation, edited by Rose Brock, narrated by various performers (Feb., unabridged download, $20, ISBN 978-0-525-53165-4), presents a spectrum of essays, poems, and letters from such YA authors as Gayle Forman, David Levithan, and Marie Lu, meant to inspire hope in listeners.
The Lifters by Dave Eggers (Apr., unabridged download, $25, ISBN 978-1-5247-8284-9). Twelve-year-old Gran follows his friend Catalina through a magical doorway into an underground world of tunnels and passageways filled with mysterious forces.
Macmillan Audio
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Mar., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-4272-9551-4) launches a fantasy trilogy set in West Africa.
Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrienne Kisner (June, unabridged CD, $34.99, ISBN 978-1-250-29694-8). In this debut, a high school girl deals with school politics and life after her brother’s death by drafting emails to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.
The Dysasters by P.C. and Kristin Cast (May, unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-4272-9701-3) launches a new fantasy-adventure series that follows real teens into a superhero multiverse.
How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation by Tim Federle and Maureen Johnson (May, unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978—1-4272-9629-0) collects essays, songs, illustrations, and interviews about standing up and being heard from such contributors as Rosie O’Donnell, Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Hamilton star Javier Muñoz.
Recorded Books
A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena, read by Adam Vikas et al. (Feb., unabridged download, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-5019-7936-1), presents multiple viewpoints on the complex life of a free-spirited girl in present-day Saudi Arabia after her death in a car crash with a male friend.
All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson (May, unabridged download, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-5019-9631-3). Eleven-year-old Imogene begins public school after years of being homeschooled while her parents worked the Renaissance fair circuit.
Rebound by Kwame Alexander (Apr., unabridged download, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-5019-9462-3). This novel-in-verse-prequel to Newbery-winning The Crossover focuses on Josh and Jordan’s jazz-worshipping basketball-star dad.
Whatshisface by Gordon Korman (May, unabridged download, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-5019-9630-6). When a boy named Roderick communicates with Cooper through is new smartphone, Cooper realizes that his device isn’t buggy; it’s haunted.
Scholastic Audio
The Fandom by Anna Day, read by Fiona Hardingham (May, unabridged CD, $42.99, ISBN 978-1-338-26873-7). At Comic-Con, a freak accident transports Violet and her friends into the world of their favorite book and movie franchise.
Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond: The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta, read by Soneela Nankani (Mar. unabridged CD, $34.99, ISBN 978-1-338-22574-7), is the first title of a middle-grade fantasy adventure series starring a sixth grader from New Jersey who learns she is an interdimensional demon slayer.
Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter, read by Britanny Pressley (Mar., unabridged CD, $34.99, ISBN 978-1-338-15764-2). A girl is stranded in the Alaskan wilderness with the boy who wronged her, as an assassin moves in.
Out of the Wild Night by Blue Balliett, read by Alison Edwards (Apr., unabridged download, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-338-22721-5), tells a tale of an island haunted by ghosts of the past.
Simon & Schuster Audio
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi (Apr., unabridged download, $17.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-4605-3). When aspiring writer Penny heads to college, she crosses paths with Sam, an aspiring movie director. They exchange numbers and soon become digitally inseparable, building an intense relationship without having to actually see each other.
For Every One by Jason Reynolds (Apr., unabridged download, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-4611-4). Reynolds’s poem, originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and also as a tribute to the late Walter Dean Myers, is a rallying cry to dreamers of the world—especially kids.
I Have the Right To by Chessy Prout, with Jenn Abelson, read by Prout (Mar., unabridged CD, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-4910-8). A young survivor of a sexual assault that took place when she was a high school freshman shares her story, including her path to healing, and solutions for upending rape culture and advocating for other survivors.
The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed (Mar., unabridged download, $23.99, ISBN 978-1-5082-5668-7). In the wake of a classmate’s rape, three girls form a group to resist sexist culture at their high school.
Tantor
A Kiss in the Dark by Gina Ciocca, read by Amy Melissa Bentley (Mar., unabridged CD, $44.99, ISBN 978-1-5414-1906-3). Macy is determined to figure out which of three boys kissed her when the lights went out during a football game.
Rising Above: Inspiring Women in Sports by Gregory Zuckerman, read by Gabra Zackman (Feb., unabridged CD, $37.99, ISBN 978-1-5414-1469-3), profiles such superstar female athletes as Simon Biles, Carli Lloyd, and Serena and Venus Williams.
The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski, read by Amy Melissa Bentley (Feb., unabridged CD, $34.99, ISBN 978-1-5414-1155-5). As a girl from the Jersey Shore, Lucy knows better than to get attached to the summer tourists.
