The spring audio season brings with it plenty of titles perfect for road-trip listening. Celebrity memoirs from the likes of Carol Burnett and Ozzy Osbourne, biographies of baseball greats Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, and suspense and mystery tales from a bevy of favorite authors like Don DeLillo and Stephen King. Debut novels are still going strong, as are the nonfiction genres of history, religion, politics, and true crime. The children's arena welcomes several new series this spring, including one from Rick Riordan of Lightning Thief fame. And the lineup of innovative teen fiction is impressive as well. What follows is our selected highlights of the new releases.
FICTION
Wild Child: And Other Stories by T. C. Boyle, read by the author. Brilliant, incisive, and always engaging, Boyle's short stories showcase the mischievous humor and socially conscious sensibility that have made him one of the most acclaimed writers of our time. Boyle won the 2007 Audie Award for his reading of Tortilla Curtain. (Blackstone, Jan.)
Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin, read by Samantha Eggar. Is there life after Wonderland? Benjamin's debut historical novel imagines the later life of Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. (Random House Audio, Jan.)
A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood, read by Simon Prebble. This novel, which is now a major motion picture starring Colin Firth, is available on audio for the first time as narrated by a former PW Narrator of the Year and AudioFile Golden Voice. Isherwood's satirical novel Prater Violet is being simultaneously released as an audio production read by J. Paul Boehmer, and HighBridge is releasing Isherwood's memoir, Christopher and His Kind, read by James Clamp, in January as well. (HighBridge Audio, Jan.)
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway, read by Gareth Armstrong. In this novel inspired by the true story of a cellist facing extreme danger during the siege of Sarajevo, the music referred to was an arrangement of Albinoni's famous Adagio. For the audio book, English cellist Sarah Butcher, who plays for Glyndebourne Opera and the London Mozart Players, plays the work and adds background music to the narration. (Naxos AudioBooks, Jan.)
Doctor Who: Hornet's Nest by Paul Magrs, read by Tom Baker. Baker returns to the Whoniverse for the first time since 1989 to bring to life this five-episode original series. Available exclusively on audio, the adventure tracks the doctor and Mike Yates (played by Richard Franklin) from the English seaside to a smalltown circus as they face down powerful enemies. (BBC Audiobooks America, Jan.)
Ghosts and Lightning by Trevor Byrne, read by John Lee. Lee tackles this tale of a man's disillusionment set in contemporary Dublin. He was named an AudioFile Golden Voice Narrator in 2009 and is the recipient of numerous audio awards including an Audie for solo narration. (Tantor Media, Jan.)
Hearts, Keys, and Puppetry by Neil Gaiman and the Twitterverse, read by Katherine Kellgren. In a groundbreaking literary experiment, Gaiman culled an original rollicking fable from the collective creativity of more than 120 contributors to the social network Twitter. (BBC Audiobooks America, Jan.) Digital only, free at www.bbcaudiobooksamerica.com or available via iTunes.
The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris, read by the author. For this production, Ferris was asked to audition to read his own book. “Hachette Audio had some great professional actors chomping at the bit to read this amazing story, but Ferris had a specific idea of how it should be read and heard,” says publicist Megan Fitzpatrick. “Producer Michele McGonigle gave some direction following his initial audition, telling him to channel the voice in which he wrote the book, advice that made sense to the author, who felt that it was easy to narrate once he tapped into that voice.” (Hachette Audio, Jan.)
The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova, read by Treat Williams, Anne Heche, Erin Cottrell, Sarah Zimmerman, and John Lee. According to Megan Fitzpatrick at Hachette Audio, “TheSwan Thieves was a very complicated production: five narrators (two celebrity readers), recorded in L.A. and Salt Lake City, with French words, art terms, and varying locales and historical times. As with Kostova's previous audiobook, The Historian, Hachette used these behind-the-scenes challenges to create an audiobook that will take listeners to an entirely different time and place.” (Hachette Audio, Jan.)
The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan, performed by David Robb and Tom Baker. This dramatization, performed for BBC Radio, is a thrilling tale of wartime espionage that pays homage to the classic Hitchcock film of the same name. A new adaptation is airing on PBS Masterpiece Classics series this spring. (BBC Audiobooks America, Jan)
Black Hills by Dan Simmons, read by Erik Davies and Michael McConnahie. Simmons's last two audiobooks (The Terror and Drood) have been sent to the directors (David Fincher and Guillermo del Toro) who optioned the titles for films as inspiration. This historical novel, which PW said has a “supernatural slant,” includes lots of Native American language. Audiobook producer Bob Deyan noted: “The pronunciation of the vast number of Lakota words within the text was a hurdle that took much thought and time to overcome. With much help from the Alliance Project and other native language preservation associations, we were able to make the pronunciations of the Lakota extremely accurate, with reference MP3s from a native speaker for consistency throughout the project. These Native American associations have been hit hard with the recent economic crisis, and we are very thankful for the huge amount of work they put into making this project historically accurate.” (Hachette Audio, Feb.)
Conspirata by Robert Harris, read by Simon Jones. This sequel to Imperium is second in a trilogy about the power struggles of ancient Rome and centers on Marcus Cicero. Jones is a multiple Audie winner and a former PW Narrator of the Year. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Feb.)
Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb, read by Susan Ericksen. Fantasy in Death is the 30th novel in the “In Death” series, and Susan Ericksen has narrated all of them for Brilliance. In addition to simultaneous J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts titles, Brilliance has an extensive publication plan to bring classic Nora Roberts romances to the marketplace in 2010. (Brilliance Audio, Feb.)
The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold by Evelyn Waugh, read by Michael Cochrane. This darkly comic tale from the 1957 about a middle-age author on the verge of a nervous breakdown was reportedly based on Waugh's own experience. (CSA Word, Feb.)
Point Omega by Don DeLillo, read by Campbell Scott. DeLillo's latest is a suspenseful tale of the meetings between a secret war adviser and the filmmaker intent on documenting his story. Fun fact: the exhibit described in the prologue of Point Omega is Douglas Gordon's 24 Hour Psycho, a video artwork installed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2006. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Feb.)
Texas Rangers 1: The Buckskin Line by Elmer Kelton, read by Terence Aselford and a full cast. The kickoff of award-winning western author Kelton's new series includes sound effects and cinematic music. (GraphicAudio, Feb.)
The Clouds Roll Away by Sibella Giorello, read by Cassandra Campbell. Campbell, who has read more than 100 audio books, has received several Earphones awards from AudioFile magazine. She gives voice to Richmond, Va., forensic geologist Raleigh Harmon as she tries to solve a mystery. Giorello won a Christy Award in 2008 for her debut novel. (Oasis Audio, Mar.)
Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl with April Henry, read by Pam Turlow. Turlow specializes in character voice work, but has also done commercials, educational projects, and appeared in numerous stage roles. This is the second title in the Triple Threat series written by Fox News legal analyst Wiehl. (Oasis Audio, Mar.)
Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon, narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck. After 20 years, Moon returns to the world of Paksenarrion, setting for the Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy. Oath of Fealty is the first novel of a new trilogy set in the Paksenarrion world. Brilliance, in association with Audible, will release Sheepfarmer's Daughter, the first novel in the initial trilogy, to be followed later in 2010 by Divided Allegiance and Oath of Gold. The entire series is to be narrated by Van Dyck. (Brilliance Audio, Mar.)
Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline, read by Jennifer Van Dyck. This thriller is Macmillan Audio's third audiobook by the Edgar Award—winning and bestselling author. Scottoline, a self-proclaimed “audioholic,” lent her voice to the narration of her second title with Macmillan Audio: Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog, last fall. Audio-specific marketing for Think Twice includes a morning drive radio tour, the addition of sampler CDs to accompany ARCs from St. Martin's Press, a bonus interview with the author at the end of the audiobook program, and a feature spot in Macmillan Audio's monthly Breakroom e-newsletter. (Macmillan Audio, Mar.)
Blood Rites: Book Six of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters. Marsters, who played vampire Spike on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, returns to familiar ground reading the latest novel starring wizard detective Harry Dresden. (Penguin Audio, Apr.)
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes, read by Ray Porter. Written by a Marine veteran of Vietnam over the course of 30 years, this is a remarkable literary discovery, a big, powerful, timeless saga of men in combat. News anchor Dan Rather praises it as “one of the most powerful and moving novels about combat, the Vietnam War, and war in general that I have ever read.” (Blackstone, Apr.)
The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose, read by Phil Gigante. Brilliance Audio's publication of The Hypnotist is tied to both Mira's hardcover release of the third mystery /fantasy novel about the intertwining of past and present lives and the premiere of the new Fox television series, Past Life, which is based on Rose's bestselling Reincarnationist series. Brilliance published The Reincarnationist, in August 2009, and will publish The Memoirist, in March 2010. (Brilliance Audio, Apr.)
Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende. Bestselling novelist Allende has shown steady success in the audio format, with sales of over 15,000 copies of her previous recording Daughter of Fortune. This novel spans four decades of the life of a woman born in 1770 in Saint-Domingue. (HarperAudio, Apr.)
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman. Pullman offers a thought-provoking retelling of Christ's life that will likely stir controversy. The audio edition will be read by the author and published as part of the Canongate Myth series. (Brilliance Audio, May)
Innocent by Scott Turow, read by Edward Herrmann. Actor and Audie-winner Herrmann was cast to record both Turow's landmark legal bestseller Presumed Innocent and this explosive sequel. Herrmann, a prolific audiobook narrator, was gracious enough to take a break from recording the two books to record a promo for June Is Audiobook Month. (Hachette Audio, May)
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin, reader TBA. The audio program for Griffin's fifth novel, about a marriage on the brink, includes a bonus interview with the author and will be part of Macmillan Audio's book club promotion in June, along with the publisher's annual Girls Gone Audio campaign. (Macmillan Audio, May)
The Good Son by Michael Gruber, reader TBA. Nine members of a symposium on peace are being held captive by armed terrorists. While they wait for an uncertain rescue, Jungian psychologist Sonia Laghari tries to keep them alive by working her way into the kidnappers' psyches. (Blackstone, May)
Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis. Ellis's work catches listeners up with Clay Easton 25 years after he made the scene as the protagonist of Less than Zero. (Random House Audio, June)
Sizzlin' Sixteen by Janet Evanovich, read by Lorelei King. The 14th Stephanie Plum novel read by Lorelei King. King won the 2008 Audie Award for female solo narration and she has received Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine for three previous Janet Evanovich titles: Eleven on Top, Twelve Sharp, and Fearless Fourteen. Macmillan Audio will be teaming up with St. Martin's Press to incorporate audio clips and offer free excerpts on the interactive “The Burg” Web site, which takes Evanovich fans inside Stephanie Plum's world. (Macmillan Audio, June)
The Boy with the Cuckoo Clock Heart by Mathias Malzieu, translated from the French by Sarah Ardizzone, read by Jim Dale. Silk meets The Little Prince, as styled by Tim Burton or Edward Gorey, in a fantastical and original tale of a boy with a clockwork heart who shouldn't fall in love—but of course, he does. This recording includes songs from the author's French rock band Dionysos. The author will co-direct an animated feature-film adaptation, optioned by Luc Besson. (Blackstone, Mar.)
Beautiful Maria of My Soul by Oscar Hijuelos, reader TBA. Hijuelos takes readers back to the world of the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. Years ago, Maria broke Nestor Castillo's heart, inspiring him to write the hit song “Beautiful Maria of My Soul.” Now in her 60s, Maria thinks back to Havana, and an entirely new perspective on the Mambo Kings story unfolds. (Blackstone, Jun.)
The Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay by Beverly Jensen, read by Bernadette Dunne. Set in the hardscrabble world of 1916 New Brunswick, these stories offer a compelling and wry vision of two remarkable sisters and evoke the spirit of a time gone by. An instant American classic. (Blackstone, Jun.)
OTHER NOTABLE FICTION
Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani, read by Cassandra Campbell (HarperAudio, Feb.); The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow, read by Karen Murray, Emily Bauer and Kathleen McInerney (HighBridge Audio, Feb.); Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian, read by Mark Bramhall, Susan Denaker, Rebecca Lowman, and Kathe Mazur (Random House Audio, Feb.); The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens, read by Justine Eyre (Brilliance Audio, Feb.); Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith, narrated by Katherine Kellgren (Brilliance Audio, Mar.); Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson, read by Peter Altschuler (Random House Audio, Mar.); Lady Audley's Secret, by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, read by Juliet Stevenson (CSA Word, Mar.); Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, read by Kate Lock (Naxos Audio, Mar.) The Golden Mile by Martin Cruz Smith (Simon & Schuster Audio, Mar.); The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer (Tantor Media, Mar.); I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells (Tantor Media, Mar.); The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster Audio, Apr.); Private Life by Jane Smiley (Random House Audio, May); The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees (Penguin Audio, May); My Name Is Memory by Anne Brashares (Penguin Audio, June); The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (Random House Audio, June); The Passage by Justin Cronin (Random House Audio, June); Insatiable by Meg Cabot (HarperAudio, June); In the Name of Honor by Richard North Patterson, read by John Bedford Lloyd (Macmillan Audio, June)
NONFICTION
The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists by Neil Strauss. This new unabridged recording of Strauss's study of how to pick up women is read by the author, whose other bestseller, Emergency, is being simultaneously released on CD. There are more than 450,000 hardcover copies of The Game in print. (HarperAudio, Jan.)
Hero of the Pacific: The Life of Legendary Marine John Basilone by James Brady, read by Grover Gardner. Gardner's last book for Oasis earned him an Audie nomination. This is Brady's final work, as he died in early 2009. (Oasis/Springwater Audio, Jan.)
I Am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne, read by Frank Skinner. Regarding the casting of comedian Skinner, Osbourne said, “It was a good choice, he's got the humour—and the accent.” (Hachette Audio, Jan.)
Mindsight by Daniel J. Siegel. Dr. Siegel, the originator of “interpersonal neurobiology,” the field that studies how our minds and relationships are shaped by the brain, has written his first work for a general audience. Includes an introduction written and read by Daniel Goleman, who has written extensively about emotional intelligence. (Brilliance Audio, Jan.)
Tea with Hezbollah: Sitting at the Enemies' Table, Our Journey through the Middle East by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis, read by George K. Wilson. In this look at religion and conflict, the authors sit down in conversation with some of the most notorious leaders of the Arab world. Wilson has narrated over 100 fiction and nonfiction audiobook titles, and has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards. (Tantor Media, Jan.)
Willie Mays by James S. Hirsch, read by Michael Boatman. The first biography authorized by and written with the cooperation of Willie Mays includes interviews with the baseball legend and his family, friends, and teammates. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Feb.)
Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific by Robert Leckie, read by John Allen Nelson. U.S. Marine Leckie offers his account of battles in the Pacific during WWII. Producers Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman have adapted material from Leckie's book for HBO's forthcoming miniseries The Pacific. (Tantor Media, Feb.)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, read by Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin. Science and medical writer Skloot delivers a moving account of medical research and its consequences as she trails the research cell line known as HeLa—still being studied today—that was taken from 1950s cancer patient Henrietta Lacks without her knowledge or consent. (Random House Audio, Feb.)
Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse by James L. Swanson. Swanson's previous book, Manhunt, was a New York Times bestseller and the unabridged CD edition has over 17,000 copies in print. (HarperAudio, Apr.)
The Council of Dads: My Daughters, My Illness, and the Men Who Could Be Me by Bruce Feiler. The bestselling author of Walking the Bible has framed as a book his very personal account of how he and his family have been living with his diagnosis and various treatments for bone cancer. Feiler has shared his experiences in a blog on his Web site, www.brucefeiler.com. (HarperAudio, Apr.)
The History of Science by Peter Whitfield. According to Naxos's William Anderson, Whitfield is a keen cyclist and arrived at the Naxos studios in London on his bike, having cycled some 40 miles from his home in Oxfordshire, even though it was windy and pouring rain. He changed out of his wet gear, took the script of The History of Science out of a waterproof rucksack, and read the text straight through. Then he put his gear back on and cycled home. (Naxos AudioBooks, Apr.)
The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood by Jane Leavy. A definitive biography of the baseball legend from Leavy, whose bestselling first baseball biography, Sandy Koufax, is also available unabridged in downloadable audio from HarperAudio. (HarperAudio, Apr.)
Last Call by Daniel Okrent. This look at America's era of Prohibition (1920—1933) is the basis for a forthcoming Ken Burns documentary. (Simon & Schuster Audio, May)
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande, read by John Bedford Lloyd. Lloyd also narrated Gawande's Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance, which Audible.com named one of the best audiobooks of 2007. (Macmillan Audio, May)
In the Still of the Night by Ann Rule. Rule, a former policewoman, delivers a true crime mystery about a young female police officer whose life was cut tragically short under sinister circumstances. (Simon & Schuster Audio, May)
Put On Your Crown by Queen Latifah. Multithreat performer Latifah brings an inspirational book of lessons learned from her life. The listening experience will likely deliver a comforting, powerful vibe via the singer-actress's famous voice. (Hachette Audio, May)
NPR's Sound Treks series: Adventures: Breathtaking Stories from Nature's Extremes; Animals: Unforgettable Encounters in the Wild; and Birds: Spellbinding Tales of Flight, Feather, and Song. This new outdoor adventure series is targeted to National Public Radio listeners, who on the whole, happen to be well above the statistical norm for outdoor activities. (HighBridge Audio, June)
OTHER NOTABLE NONFICTION
Idiots Unplugged by Glenn Beck (Simon & Schuster Audio, Feb.); The Best of Friends: Martha and Me by Mariana Pasternak (HarperAudio, Mar.); Bee Keeping by Samantha Bee (Simon & Schuster Audio, Apr.); Cujo by Stephen King (Penguin Audio, Apr.); Heaven by Lisa Leonard (Simon & Schuster Audio, Apr.); This Time Together : Laughter and Reflections by Carol Burnett (Random House Audio, Apr.); Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin by Hampton Sides (Random House Audio, Apr.); The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by Sarah Silverman (HarperAudio, Apr.); The Language God Talks by Herman Wouk (Hachette Audio, Apr.); Our Last Best Chance: The Pursuit of Peace in a Time of Peril by King Abdullah II of Jordan (Penguin Audio, May); I'll Mature When I'm Dead by Dave Barry (Penguin Audio, May); The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of Little Bighorn by Nathaniel Philbrick (Penguin Audio, May); Triumph: Life After the Cult—A Survivor's Lessons by Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer (Random House Audio, May); Lips Unsealed: A Memoir by Belinda Carlisle (Random House Audio, May); War by Sebastian Junger (Hachette Audio, May); Hitch-22 by Christopher Hitchens (Hachette Audio, June)
CHILDREN'S AND YA TITLES
The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity: The Brixton Brothers, Book 1 by Mac Barnett, read by Arte Johnson. In a promotional video for this new mystery series, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PWLcqPmMUA, Barnett notes that every detective needs a great “chum” who “will get kidnapped instead of you and get in fights on your behalf.” (Listening Library, Jan.)
Murder at Midnight by Avi, read by Jeff Woodman. Woodman is a six-time Audie Award finalist and was a winner in 2007 for the science fiction title The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue. (Scholastic Audio, Jan.)
Steel Trap: The Academy by Ridley Pearson, read by William Dufris. Steven “Steel” Trapp discovers that the East Coast boarding school for gifted kids, where he's been sent by his FBI agent father, is no ordinary institution of learning. Prolific narrator Dufris has also done animation work including voices for Bob the Builder. (Brilliance Audio, Jan.)
Wishing for Tomorrow by Hilary McKay, read by Justine Eyre. McKay delivers a sequel to Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic A Little Princess. Brilliance Audio will also be releasing a new recording of A Little Princess, read by Justine Eyre. (Brilliance Audio, Jan.)
Wolves of the Beyond: Lone Wolf by Kathyrn Lasky, read by Erik Davies. Actor Davies, who won an Audiofile Earphones Award for his previous narration work, takes on this new series about wolves, a spinoff of Lasky's Guardians of Ga'Hoole owls books. (Scholastic Audio, Jan.)
The Harlem Renaissance Remembered by Jonathan Gross, performed by Gross and Mack Jay Jordan. On this original audio production, listeners will hear the story of Harlem told through the words of its poets and the sounds of its musicians—from Duke Ellington and his famous orchestra performing their hit song, “Take the A Train” at the Cotton Club to Langston Hughes's “Theme for English B” recited aloud while the strains of “Mood Indigo” play from a distant radio. (Brilliance Audio, Feb.)
Heist Society by Ally Carter, read by Angela Dawe. Carter, who penned the Gallagher Girls teen spy books, introduces a new series set in the milieu of high-class criminals. (Brilliance Audio, Feb.)
Fang by James Patterson, read by Jill Apple. Apple returns as Max to narrate her third audiobook in the Maximum Ride fantasy/action series that includes plentiful sound design and music. (Hachette Audio, Mar.)
Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast, reader TBA. Burned is the highly anticipated fifth installment in the bestselling House of Night series. Promotion of the audiobook will use social media outlets, including an extensive Twitter campaign, giveaways, and extended clips made available before the April 27 release. (Macmillan Young Listeners, Apr.)
The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell, reader TBA. Bushnell serves up a teen prequel to Sex and the City, the international publishing, television, and film phenomenon. Listeners will hear how a girl named Carrie became the Carrie Bradshaw. (HarperAudio, Apr.)
The Jaguar Stones, Book One: Middleworld by Jon and Pamela Voelkel. This fantasy volume by a husband-and-wife writing team was initially self-published, having sold 10,000 copies of its first incarnation in print. (Listening Library, Apr.)
Swim the Fly by Don Calame. Calame chronicles the funny—and raunchy—adventures of three adolescent boys with a single goal: see a real live naked girl. (Brilliance Audio, Apr.)
The Time Pirate by Ted Bell, read by John Shea. The sequel to Nick of Time follows time-traveling Nick to the Caribbean where he confronts an old enemy: the world's largest pirate armada. Shea's narration of Nick of Time was praised in the Los Angeles Times: “[his] rich voice gives a sense of grand adventure while maintaining the proper square-jawed demeanor for the British gentleman-in-training.” (Macmillan Young Listeners, Apr.)
We the Children by Andrew Clements. Budding historians solve mysteries using history (and technology) in this first of a projected six-book series. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Apr.)
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan, reader TBA. In this collaboration between Printz Medalist John Green and David Leviathan, the executive editorial director of Scholastic's Push imprint, two teens—both named Will Grayson—cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions. (Brilliance Audio, Apr.)
A Child's Book of Prayers, edited by Michael Hague, read by multiple narrators. Hague's collection of traditional prayers will be accompanied on this CD by favorite hymns sung by a children's choir from Fairfield, Conn. (Macmillan Young Listeners, May)
Dark Life by Kat Falls, read by Keith Nobbs. Nobbs makes his Scholastic Audio debut with this title set in an apocalyptic future; it contains bonus material penned by the author. (Scholastic Audio, May)
For the Win by Cory Doctorow. This suspenseful story of teens in the virtual gaming world caught up in a conspiracy is Doctorow's second YA book inspired by technology. The first, Little Brother, was a New York Times bestseller. (Listening Library, May)
The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. From the author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and creator of the 39 Clues comes this new project in which siblings Carter and Sadie embark on a dangerous journey across the globe—a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. (Brilliance Audio, May)
Keeper by Kathi Appelt. Ten-year-old Keeper, who believes she is a mermaid, seeks her long-lost mother—in the ocean. (Simon & Schuster Audio, May)
The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
This is Hachette Audio's first Carlos Ruiz Zafón title, and the first children's title from the bestselling author available in the U.S., translated from the original Spanish by Lucia Graves. Enhancements include sound design, multicast, and special effects and audio extras, including the voice of the author himself. A dedicated Web site is currently being built that will draw fans into this tale of mystery, magic, and adventure. (Hachette Audio, May)
She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott. High school drama in a northern New Jersey town sparks this new teen novel touted as an antidote to the excess of the ritzy Manhattan Gossip Girl crowd. (Simon & Schuster Audio, May)
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. This action-filled paranormal thriller stars siblings Scarlett and Rosie March, two highly skilled sisters who have been hunting werewolves since Scarlett lost her eye years ago while defending Rosie in an attack. Hachette Audio will multicast so each sister has a unique voice, echoing the use of different fonts in the print edition. (Hachette Audio, June)
Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Kenyon tells an origin story of her paranormal Dark-Hunter series, when Nick Gautier was first dragged in as a teenager. (Macmillan Young Listeners, June)
OTHER NOTABLE CHILDREN'S AND YA TITLES
Captivate by Carrie Jones, narrated by Julia Whelan (Brilliance Audio, Jan.); When The Whistle Blows by Fran Cannon Slayton, narrated by Peter Berkrot (Brilliance Audio, Jan.); Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, read by Peter Francis James (Caedmon Audio, Jan.); Secrets of a Lab Rat: Mom, There's a Dinosaur in Beeson's Lake by Trudi Trueit, read by Oliver Wyman (Scholastic, Jan.); My Life with the Lincolns by Gayle Brandeis, read by Emily Janice Card (Listening Library, Feb.); The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan, read by Tara Sands (Listening Library, Mar.); The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork, read by Ryan Gesell (Listening Library, Mar.); Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman (Listening Library, Apr.); Jake Random and the Howling Sphinx by James Rollins (HarperChildren's Audio, Apr.); Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick (Listening Library, Apr.); The 39 Clues, Book Eight by Gordon Korman, read by David Pittu (Scholastic Audio, Apr.); Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo, read by Simon Jones (Scholastic Audio, May); Boom! by Mark Haddon (Listening Library, May); The Cardturner by Louis Sachar (Listening Library, May); The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt (Listening Library, May); The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon (Brilliance Audio, May); Beastly by Alex Flinn (Brilliance Audio, June)
