Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine

What’s it like being the new kid in a fancy private school? Jordan is black and desperate to go to art school, but his parents want him to get the best education he can. A full cast animates this lively middle-grade graphic novel.

The award-winning team of author Angie Thomas and narrator Bahni Turpin is back with ON THE COME UP. Sixteen-year-old Bri is desperate to make it big as a rapper. Listen as Turpin brings Bri vibrantly to life.

Andoh’s dynamic characterizations combined with Leckie’s intelligent and well-developed fantasy world make this an audiobook you’ll love. Known for her sci-fi, Leckie proves that she can write fantasy just as well.

Perfect listening for true crime podcast lovers. SADIE has won recognition for being one of the best YA audiobooks this year, for good reason. Part podcast, part vengeance road trip, and narrated by a full cast, it will keep you glued to your earphones.

Golden Voice narrator Robin Miles is known for her powerful, versatile voice and has narrated hundreds of audiobooks, including important works of women's and Black history, fantasy, science fiction, and literary fiction.

Meghan Cox Gurdon, the Wall Street Journal’s children’s book reviewer, delivers her lively discussion of “the miraculous power of reading aloud in the age of distraction.”

The first black female reporter and columnist for the Washington Post during the Civil Rights and Women’s movements, Dorothy Butler Gilliam had a front-row seat at some of the nation's most significant turning points.

Washington Post Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian delivers his own account of his harrowing arrest and imprisonment in Iran. Listeners are with Rezaian every minute of his perilous journey.

Brothers David and Scott have a lot to work out. They have polar opposite takes on the responsibilities of family life. Appreciate Hawley’s abundant literary talent and Ballerini’s perfect delivery.

Get past the legends and folklore and discover the real Will Bill Hickok. The famous Western lawman and scout was more than a dime-novel titan and every bit a larger-than-life character. Narrator Johnny Heller adds a clear, engaging delivery.

The author and narrator of the Flavia de Luce audiobook mystery series meet for the first time after collaborating to create 10 tiles in the series. Alan Bradley shares the origins of his Flavia series, and Jayne pledges her love for Flavia.

A much-anticipated collection of six short stories from Deborah Eisenberg, who narrates along with talented actors Julianne Moore, Josh Hamilton, and Wallace Shawn. Listeners can focus on Eisenberg’s wonderful use of language.

Left alone on a raft with zoo animals that include a 450-pound Bengal tiger, zookeeper’s son Pi Patel is in an unimaginable situation. If you loved the film, this heart-thumping account is a joy. Earphones winner and 2019 Audie Finalist.

Literary forger Lee Israel was down on her luck when she turned to creating letters from celebrities, including playwrights Lillian Hellman and Noel Coward, in order to stay afloat. The hard-to-believe memoir is the basis for the recent film.

Off the coast of Western Australia, a storm destroys the dilapidated skiff that is the lifeline of nine asylum seekers. As the strangers cling together, the backstory of each emerges. An Earphones Award winner, and a 2019 Audie Award Finalist.