By now, the usual flurry of spring and summer conferences—replete with giveaway ARCs and advance audio samplers—have whet the appetites of audiobook buyers and listeners for new fall titles. We've sifted through the latest offerings from audiobook publishers and have compiled our own sampler of sorts, of selected highlights for the season. (A number of familiar, blockbuster names with fall releases won't be listed here, not because their titles don't generate enthusiasm, but because their titles traditionally receive lots of attention already.)


The demand for celebrity/entertainment memoirs remains strong, demonstrated by yet another strong crop, including volumes from Florence Henderson, Roger Ebert, Diane Keaton, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Rogers, and William Shatner, among others. Fall usually ushers in a bounty of political and presidential entries, and this year listeners will hear a memoir from Dick Cheney, Joe McGinniss's investigative portrait of Sarah Palin, and a thoughtful exploration of some of the letters received by President Obama. And if the many illuminating nonfiction titles on topics ranging from war and financial crisis to corporate whistle-blowing start to seem a bit heavy, there's no shortage of humor—from Mindy Kaling, Penn Jillette, John Hodgman, and Ellen DeGeneres—to lighten the mood. Adventure, fantasy, and, yes, more dystopian and paranormal fiction are all thriving in the children's and YA categories as well. We trust there is plenty here to tempt a broad listening audience.

FICTION

The Kid by Sapphire, read by the author. Sapphire's Push, published 15 years ago, was made into the Academy Award–winning film Precious. This new recording gives voice to Precious's son Abdul. (Penguin Audio, July)

Iron House by John Hart, read by Scott Sowers. Part thriller, part literary family drama, Sowers Southern gothic writing style is again paired with narrator Sowers, who won critical kudos for performances of Hart's Down River and The Last Child. The title is part of Macmillan Audio's Sounds of Summer Suspense promotion. (Macmillan Audio, July)

Thick as Thieves by Peter Spiegelman, read by William Dufris. Ex-CIA agent Carr leads an elite team of thieves planning a grand heist that ultimately doesn't go as planned. (Dreamscape Audio, July)

We're Alive: A Story of Survival, the First Season by Kc Wayland, created by Shane Salk and Kc Wayland, read by a full cast. This audio drama is based on a popular podcast that has received hundreds of positive reviews and has had over four million downloads—and counting. The story: riots in L.A. spread beyond containment as people transform into zombies and attack each other. Three reserve soldiers, believed to be the last remaining armed servicemen in the area, set out to secure an apartment building and rescue any survivors while trying to stay alive themselves. (Blackstone Audio, July)

Salvation Boulevard: A Novel by Larry Beinhart, read by Michael Kramer. This thriller grapples with the ecstatic and entropic nature of religious faith in contemporary America. Kramer has recorded more than 200 audiobooks and has received several Audie nominations. (Tantor Audio, July)

Adrenaline by Jeff Abbott, read by Kevin T. Collins. A brilliant CIA agent stationed in London with his pregnant wife seems to have it all, until it's lost in an instant. The thriller was featured in a BEA Playbutton giveaway and features original music. (Hachette Audio, July)

This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman, read by Hillary Huber. When teenage Jake receives a sexually explicit video that goes viral, his family's upscale life in New York City is turned upside down. (Blackstone Audio, Aug.)

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer, read by Roger Allam. Debut title in the Clifton Chronicles, a five-book multigenerational saga. A bonus interview with Archer is included, and a link on the ARC will allow listeners to download an excerpt from the audiobook. (Macmillan Audio, Aug.)

Any Human Heart: A Novel by William Boyd, read by Simon Vance. The journals of the worldly Logan Mountstuart take listeners from his boyhood through his 85 years. (Blackstone Audio, Aug.)

Reamde by Neal Stephenson. A wealthy tech engineer gets caught in the crossfire of his own online fantasy war game. (Brilliance Audio, Sept.)

John Dies at the End by David Wong, read by Stephen R. Thorne. A drug that promises an out-of-body experience is the gateway to a mysterious otherworldly invasion that can only be stopped by John and David, two college dropouts who can barely hold down a job. (AudioGO, Sept.)

The Orchard by Theresa Weir, read by Ellen Archer. A memoir about the deep roots of a Midwestern family that reads like a novel. (Hachette Audio, Sept.)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, read by Jim Dale. Noted children's audio narrator Dale takes on his first adult fiction title with this romantic story of the magical, dangerous, and potentially deadly competition between two young magicians in Le Cirque des Reves. (Random House Audio, Sept.)

Plugged by Eoin Colfer, read by John Keating. Everyone around him is being murdered—and the New Jersey mob and dirty cops are on his tail—but Lincoln has no idea why. This is the first work of adult crime fiction from the author of the Artemis Fowl series for younger readers. (AudioGO, Sept.)

The Barbarian Nurseries by Hector Tobar. A Mexican maid in Los Angeles is left alone with two small boys when their parents have a nasty fight, each leaving unbeknownst to the other. When neither parent returns after a few days, the maid sets off on a journey to deliver the boys to their grandfather. (Blackstone Audio, Sept.)

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. Eugenides returns with a humorous and heartbreaking look at young love. His previous novel, Middlesex, won the Pulitzer Prize and the audio adaptation won the Audie in the Best Unabridged Fiction category. Audio publicity plans include a National Public Radio sponsorship. (Macmillan Audio, Oct.)

Down These Strange Streets, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. An urban fantasy anthology featuring all original stories from Charlaine Harris, Simon R. Green, and others. (Brilliance Audio, Oct.)

Nightwoods by Charles Frazier. Smalltown North Carolina in the 1950s is the backdrop for this novel of love and suspense. (Random House Audio, Oct.)

Leaving Home: Short Pieces by Jodi Picoult, read by the author. Three short pieces on the titular theme. (Brilliance Audio, Oct.)

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo, read by Susan McInearny, Kathleen McInearny, Eileen Stevens, Ax Norman and Lisa Rothe. The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. The narrators each tackle a different point of view in the story. The best gift to the publisher: Hachette Audio has sold more than five million copies of Patterson audiobooks. (Hachette Audio, Oct.)

The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick, edited by Pamela Jackson and Jonathan Lethem. The editors offer an abridgment of what was visionary author Dick's final, epic work was based on his notes, journal entries, letters, and other papers. (Brilliance Audio, Nov.)

11/22/1963 by Stephen King. A man travels back in time to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Nov.)

Micro by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston. A group of graduate students is lured to Hawaii to work for a mysterious biotech company in this high-concept thriller, the last work by the late Crichton. (HarperAudio, Nov.)

The Devil's Elixir by Raymond Khoury, read by Richard Ferrone. The discovery of a mysterious elixir among the Huichol tribe in 1800s Mexico sets in motion an action-filled thriller performed by Ferrone, who has recorded more than 150 audiobook titles to date. (Penguin Audio, Dec.)

OTHER NOTABLE FICTION

A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book Five by George R. R. Martin, read by Roy Dotrice (Random House Audio, July); Overbite by Meg Cabot (HarperAudio, download only, July); Split Second by Catherine Coulter, read by Paul Costanzo and Renée Raudman (Brilliance Audio, July); Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva, read by Simon Vance (HarperAudio, July); The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman (HarperAudio, Aug.); Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon, read by Holter Graham (Macmillan Audio, Aug.); Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole (Simon & Schuster Audio, Aug.); Dark Predator by Christine Feehan, read by Erik Bergmann and Kristine Ryan. (Penguin Audio, Sept.); The Pub Across the Pond by Mary Carter (Blackstone Audio, Sept.); Heat Rises by Richard Castle (Hyperion Audio, Sept.); Son of Stone by Stuart Woods, read by Tony Roberts (Penguin Audio, Sept.); Miracle Cure by Harlan Coben, read by Scott Brick (Brilliance Audio, Sept.); The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta, read by Dennis Boutsikaris (Macmillan Audio, Sept.); Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (Simon & Schuster Audio, Oct.); Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard (HarperAudio, Oct.); The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (Random House Audio, Oct.); The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck (Simon & Schuster Audio, Oct.); As the Pig Turns: An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M.C. Beaton, read by Penelope Keith (AudioGo, Oct.); The Great Leader by Jim Harrison, read by Ray Porter (Blackstone Audio, Oct.); A Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry (AudioGo, Oct.); The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian (Random House Audio, Oct.); The Outlaw Album by Daniel Woodrell (Hachette Audio, Oct.); V Is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton, read by Judy Kaye (Random House Audio, Nov.); Out of Oz: Volume Four in the Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire (HarperAudio, Nov.); The Drop by Michael Connelly, read by Len Cariou (Hachette Audio, Nov.); The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant, read by Erik Steele (AudioGO, Dec.)

NONFICTION

Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History by Ben Mezrich, read by Casey Affleck. The strange but true tale of the theft of moon rocks by NASA fellow and potential astronaut Thad Roberts. (Random House Audio, July)

Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion by Janet Reitman, read by Stephen Hoye. Reitman had unprecedented access to the church and provides the first full journalistic history of this controversial religion. (Tantor Audio, July)

God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales by Penn Jillette, read by the author. A humorous illumination of the Ten Commandments from the comedian/magician. (Brilliance Audio, Aug.)

In My Time by Dick Cheney. The former vice president shares the story of his life and his nearly 40 year career in American politics. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Aug.)

That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World We Invented and How We Can Come Back by Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum, read by Oliver Wyman. Wyman snagged Best Nonfiction Audies for Friedman's previous bestsellers The World Is Flat and Hot, Flat and Crowded. This new look at major challenges facing America includes an introduction recorded by the authors. (Macmillan Audio, Aug.)

My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark. In 1956 23-year-old Clark was an assistant on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl, where he became an ally and confidante for the film's troubled star, Marilyn Monroe. (Dreamscape Audio, Aug.)

Here Comes Trouble by Michael Moore, read by the author. Described as an antimemoir, this title features 20 far-ranging personal vignettes from the documentary filmmaker's life. Personal photos will be included in a bonus PDF on the audiobook edition. (Hachette Audio, Sept.)

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, read by O'Reilly. The cable news anchor debuts on the Macmillan Audio list with his first work of historical nonfiction, a suspenseful narrative of the events surrounding the assassination of the 16th president of the U.S. (Macmillan Audio, Sept.)

What It's Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes. Former Marine Marlantes's powerful account about the experience of combat and how inadequately we prepare our young men and women for war. The audiobook edition of his bestselling Matterhorn won numerous awards. (Blackstone Audio, Sept.)

Life Itself: A Memoir by Roger Ebert, read by Edward Herrmann. The noted film critic, who has lost his ability to speak since thyroid cancer treatment in 2006, remains a prolific and influential writer. Here he shares the story of his life and career, via the narrator he personally selected. (Hachette Audio, Sept.)

Blood Feud: The Man Who Blew the Whistle on One of the Deadliest Prescription Drugs Ever by Kathleen Sharp. The terrifying vulnerability of millions of patients comes to light in this true story of Big Pharma's power and regulatory weakness, focusing on Procrit, an anti-anemia drug. (Tantor Audio, Sept.)

Love Times Three: Our True Story of a Polygamous Marriage by Joe, Alina, Vicki, and Valerie Darger with Brooke Adams. A memoir from the polygamous family that inspired the clan portrayed on HBO's Big Love. (HarperAudio, download only, Sept.)

The New Kids: Big Dreams, Brave Journeys—Immigrant Teens Coming of Age in the U.S.A. by Brooke Hauser. Inspired by the author's New York Times article on the topic, Hauser writes about a year in the life of students at the International High School in New York City, where no native English-speaking students attend. (Dreamscape Audio, Sept.)

Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon. The actress writes about her May-December relationship and marriage to Cary Grant. (HarperAudio, download only, Sept.)

Happy Accidents by Jane Lynch. The film actress and star of TV's Glee offers a humorous memoir about how she found true happiness in life. (Hyperion Audio, Sept.)

The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin by Joe McGinniss. A look at the former Alaska governor's political, personal, and family life, based on McGinniss's reporting in Alaska and on Palin's activities leading up to the 2012 presidential campaign. (Random House Audio, Sept.)

The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins, illus. by Dave McKean. The science writer and noted graphic novel artist combine to create a graphic science book exploring the myth and reality of the world around us. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Oct.)

Ten Letters: The Stories Americans Tell Their President by Eli Saslow. Each night, as part of his briefing session, President Obama receives a folder containing 10 letters from a cross-section of Americans. He answers some, works others into his speeches, and still others are passed among his advisers. Fascinated by the power of these correspondences, Saslow tracked down the stories behind 10 of these letters. (Random House Audio, Oct.)

That Is All by John Hodgman, read by the author. This third and final installment in the Complete World Knowledge trilogy has something to live up to: its predecessor More Information Than You Require was nominated for a 2010 Audie in the humor category. (Penguin Audio, Nov.)

The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (in Real Life) by Chris Hardwicke. A self-help book that teaches readers to succeed by tapping into their true nerd tendencies. (Brilliance Audio, Nov.)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling, read by the author. The comedy writer, producer, and actor (The Office) shares her personal anecdotes, fashion, and musings on pop culture. (Random House Audio, Nov.)

The New New Rules by Bill Maher, read by the author. A collection of rants that draws from "The New Rules" segment of Maher's popular HBO program Real Time with Bill Maher, and also includes new material on current events and the political stage's latest cast of players. (Penguin Audio, Nov.)

Untitled by Regis Philbin. The TV personality and talk show host serves up a memoir and primer for living the good life. (HarperAudio, Nov.)

The Magic Room by Jeffrey Zaslow. Journalist Zaslow tells the stories of several women who visit the family run, generations-old Becker's Bridal shop in Fowler, Mich. (Brilliance Audio, Dec.)

OTHER NOTABLE NONFICTION

It Looked Different on the Model: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy by Laurie Notaro, read by Hillary Huber (Tantor Audio, July); Just Kids by Patti Smith (HarperAudio, July); Prime Time: Love, Health, Sex, Fitness, Friendship, Spirit: Making the Most of All of Your Life by Jane Fonda (Random House Audio, Aug.); The Quest by Daniel Yergin (Penguin Audio, Sept.); Drama: An Actor's Education by John Lithgow, read by the author (HarperAudio, Sept.); Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, from Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-McCain by Jim Lehrer (Random House Audio, Sept.); Shatner Rules: Your Key to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large by William Shatner, read by the author (Penguin Audio, Oct.); The Sibling Effect: What the Bonds Among Brothers and Sisters Reveal About Us by Jeffrey Kluger (Tantor Audio, Sept.); Mahamudra Meditation by Mahasatvaa Ma Ananda Sarita (Findhorn Press, Sept.); Life Is Not a Stage by Florence Henderson (Hachette Audio, Sept.); Luck or Something Like It by Kenny Rogers (HarperAudio, Oct.); When Elves Attack: A Joyous Christmas Greeting from the Criminal Nutbars in the Sunshine State by Tim Dorsey (HarperAudio, download only, Oct.); Seriously… I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres, read by the author (Hachette Audio, Oct.); Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean (Simon & Schuster Audio, Oct.); Best Friends, Occasional Enemies: The Lighter Side of Life as a Mother and Daughter by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Scottoline Serritella, read by the authors (Macmillan Audio, Nov.); Shockaholic by Carrie Fisher, read by the author (Simon & Schuster Audio, Nov.); The Time of Our Lives: Past, Present, Promise by Tom Brokaw (Random House Audio, Nov.); Then Again by Diane Keaton, read by the author (Random House Audio, Nov.); The Greatest by Timbaland (HarperAudio, download only, Nov.); Shaq Uncut by Shaquille O'Neal (Hachette Audio, Nov.)

CHILDREN'S & YA

The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm by Norman Hunter, read by Martin Jarvis. The first in a series of books about the titular absent-minded inventory grabbed Jarvis's interest immediately since he had long admired the author and later met him. "It was a privilege to be invited to record this book," said Jarvis. "I grew up with the idea of Norman Hunter in my mind because he published a lot of books on magic and, like many boys aged nine and 10, I had a collection of conjuring books, including his Successful Conjuring for Amateurs (1951). It was a fantastic book with all kinds of secrets such as slate magic and cabinet magic, the Chinese linking rings, close-up magic and card magic. Actually, you could imagine that some of the explanations for these tricks were written not by Norman but by his alter ego, Professor Branestawm." (Naxos AudioBooks, July)

Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald, read by MacLeod Andrews. An avid non-reader humorously goes to extremes to get out of reading a book. The recording includes an author interview, a song about the joys of reading, and a chapter from Billy's Bargain, the book Charlie refuses to read. (Brilliance Audio, July)

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead, read by Emily Shaffer. First in a new series starring a new set of Guardians-in-training and set in the world of the popular Vampire Academy books. (Penguin Audio, Aug.)

R My Name Is Rachel by Patricia Reilly Giff, read by Cynthia Halloway. Rachel takes on great responsibility as she and her family face tough times when they travel with Pop on his search for work. (Listening Library, Aug.)

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel. Debut title in the Frankenstein Diaries series starring twin brothers Victor and Konrad, whose imaginary adventures turn all too real. (Brilliance Audio, Aug.)

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore. Second in the suspense-action series launched with I Am Number Four. (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, Aug.)

Ashtown Burials #1: The Dragon's Tooth by N. D. Wilson. A strange old man with bone tattoos is the key to the creepy happenings in this mystery adventure. (Listening Library, Aug.)

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld, read by Alan Cumming. The conclusion to Westerfeld's Leviathan trilogy featuring a round-the-globe quest to end WWI and reclaim the prince of Austria's throne. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Sept.)

Wildwood by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. Meloy, the lead singer for the Decemberists, and his illustrator wife, Ellis, pair up for a fantasy about a girl on a quest to save her baby brother who has been kidnapped and carted into the woods by crows. (HarperChildren's Audio, Aug.)

The Name of the Star: Shades of London by Maureen Johnson. A romantic thriller set in contemporary London as a Jack the Ripper mimic starts a deadly crime spree. (Brilliance Audio, Sept.)

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel. This program includes original artwork for the packaging, and a bonus video of the author reading his tale of a cat gone crazy to a class of first graders in New York City. (Macmillan Young Listeners, Sept.)

Daniel X 4: Game Over by James Patterson and Ned Rust, read by Milo Ventimiglia. Young super alien–alien hunter Daniel X takes on a deadly duo of video gamers from outer space. (Hachette Audio, Sept.)

Jefferson's Sons by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley relates what life at Monticello was like for Jefferson's children by one of his slaves, Sally Hemmings, told in three parts from three points of view. (Listening Library, Sept.)

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, read by the author. Gantos reads his somewhat true history-mystery loosely based on his childhood in a small Pennsylvania town named for Eleanor Roosevelt. A bonus author q&a is included. Advance Listening Copies were given out at BEA, and the print ARCs include a link to an advance excerpt. (Macmillan Young Listeners, Sept.)

You Have to Stop This by Pseudonymous Bosch, read by Joshua Swanson, Robert Petkoff, Cassandra Morris, Bryan Kennedy, Peter Kim, Suzanne Toren, Gabra Zackman, and a planned cameo by the author. The conclusion of the series, said to possibly be about "the mummy's missing finger." (Hachette Audio, Sept.)

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan kicks off a sci-fi adventure trilogy set in New Earth. Audio excerpts will be posted on Tor.com and will be part of a read chapter one, listen to chapter two promotion in the WordsNStuff e-newsletter. (Macmillan Young Listeners, Sept.)

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce. A daring immigration tale about two brothers' struggle for survival. (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, Sept.)

The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Michael Chabon. The first picture book from this Pulitzer Prize–winning author. (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, Sept.)

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay, read by Justine Eyre. The imagined story of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (who was, here, murdered by Romeo), who are granted immortality. (Listening Library, Aug.)

The Flint Heart by Katherine Paterson and John Paterson. A new fairy tale about a magical talisman from the Stone Age, abridged from the 1910 fantasy by Eden Phillpott. (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, Sept.)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, read by Khristine Hvam. A young art student in Prague gets caught up in a monster-filled otherworldly war. (Hachette Audio, Sept.)

Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. Diary entries, letters, encyclopedia articles, and a play are all stitched together in this tale of magic, cunning, and one clever cat. (Brilliance Audio, Sept.)

The Clumsy Ghost and Other Spooky Tales by Alastair Jessiman and others, read by Sean Barrett, Anne-Marie Piazza et al. An anthology of seven new, slightly sinister ghost stories written especially for Naxos AudioBooks, replete with music and sound effects. (Naxos AudioBooks, Oct.)

Destined by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, read by Caitlin Davies. Zoey Redbird is with her Guardian Warrior preparing to battle Neferet. But is she really safe? Fans of the House of Night series will want to find out, and can win giveaways via planned social media promotions including on Twitter and Facebook. (Macmillan Young Listeners, Oct.)

A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber. First in the Star Kingdom series serves as an origin saga for the bestselling Honor Harrington sci-fi adventures for adults. (Brilliance Audio, Oct.)

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick. In the sequel to the chilling supernatural story Hush, Hush, Nora and her father—a fallen angel—team up against a villain. (Simon & Schuster Audio, Oct.)

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg, with an introduction by Lemony Snicket. A collection of 14 stories by such authors as Sherman Alexie, Kate DiCamillo, Jon Scieszka and Stephen King, all inspired by the illustrations in Van Allsburg's 1984 book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. (Brilliance Audio, Oct.)

Seizure by Kathy Reichs, read by Cristin Milioti. The Virals—four friends who have developed canine abilities that help them solve crimes—return for a second mystery-thriller. (Penguin Audio, Oct.)

Crossed by Ally Condie, read by Kate Simses and Jack Riccobono. Dual narrators tackle the suspense of Cassia's search for Ky in the second title in the dystopian trilogy. (Penguin Audio, Nov.)

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. The long-awaited finale to the dragon-riding fantasy Inheritance cycle begun with Eragon. (Listening Library, Nov.)

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi kicks off a dystopian trilogy in which Juliette has the power to kill with a single touch—and the power to save her shattered world. (HarperChildren's Audio, Nov.)

Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth, read by B.D. Wong. The Zen monks teach a group of villagers a lesson about sharing. (Scholastic Audio, Sept.)

The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 1: The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman, read by David Pittu. A new enemy and an even deadlier challenge are part of this return of the bestselling multiplatform series. (Scholastic Audio, Aug.)

Seriously, Norman! by Chris Raschka, read by Jesse Bernstein. Caldecott medalist Raschka makes his fiction debut. (Scholastic Audio, Oct.)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stief-vater, read by Steve West and Fiona Hardingham. A fantasy about horses that live under the ocean for part of the year and have violent tendencies when they're on land. (Scholastic Audio, Oct.)

OTHER NOTABLE CHILDREN'S AND YA

It's the First Day of School… Forever! by R.L. Stine, read by Matthew Brown (Macmillan Young Listeners, July); Hades by Alexandra Adornetto, read by the author (Brilliance Audio, Aug.); Big Nate on a Roll by Lincoln Pierce, read by Fred Berman (HarperChildren's Audio, download only, Aug.); Lucky for Good by Susan Patron, read by Cassandra Campbell (Listening Library, Aug.); Now Playing Stoner & Spaz II by Ron Koertge, read by Josh Hamilton (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, Aug.); All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin (Macmillan Young Listeners, Sept.); The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by Dr. Seuss (Listening Library, Sept.); Paintings from the Cave: Three Novellas by Gary Paulsen (Brilliance Audio, Sept.); Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev, read by Jim Dale (Brilliance Audio, Sept.); Guys Read: Thriller, edited by Jon Scieszka (HarperChildren's Audio, Sept.); A Monster Calls, inspired by an idea by Siobhan Dowd, by Patrick Ness, read by Jason Isaacs (Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, Sept.); The Heroes of Olympus, Book Two: Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (Listening Library, Oct.); Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver and Kei Acedera (HarperChildren's Audio, Oct.); Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, read by Kevin T. Collins (Hachette Audio, Oct.); Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (Simon & Schuster Audio, Dec.); Witch & Wizard: The Fire by James Patterson, read by Elijah Wood and Spencer Locke (Hachette Audio, Dec.); The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, read by Dan Bittner (Scholastic Audio, Sept.); Finally by Wendy Mass, read by Kathleen McInerny (Scholastic Audio, Sept.); Floors by Patrick Carman, read by Jesse Bernstein (Scholastic Audio, Sept.); Ice Fall by Matthew Kirby, read by Jenna Lamia (Scholastic Audio, Oct.).