When it comes to cookbooks, spring is harvest time. After the holidays, publishers hoard their best books until the sun starts shining and people start getting hungry for new ideas. Here’s a quick preview of the cream of the crop.

“MY LIFE IN FRANCE” BY JULIA CHILD AND ALEX PRUD’HOMME (KNOPF, $25.95) Yep, a new book from the now-departed, ever-beloved Julia. In the last two years of her life, she collaborated with her nephew to write a charming account of the most pivotal period in her life – her time in Paris with her husband, Paul. A sweet read for any Julia Child or “A Year in Provence” fan.

“THE NASTY BITS” BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN (BLOOMSBURY USA, $24.95) Anthony Bourdain may not have invented the chef-memoir, but he certainly gave it a welcome dose of testosterone-fueled fearlessness. His new book gathers previously published and unpublished essays into a rich, spicy stew.

“THE REACH OF A CHEF” BY MICHAEL RUHLMAN (VIKING ADULT, $27.95) No one writes about the art of cooking and the gritty reality of the restaurant kitchen as keenly as Mr. Ruhlman. In his newest book, he focuses on the always flashy, often silly, and sometimes delicious world of trendy celebrity chefs, from the elegance of Per Se to the flash of Las Vegas’s food scene.

“THE FAMILY KITCHEN” BY DEBRA PONZEK (CLARKSON POTTER, $25) A cookbook for parents who want to cook with their children, but aren’t content with dumbed-down pizza bagels and sugar cookies. Ms. Ponzek, the owner of a Connecticut specialty-foods store, packs the book with accessible cooking lessons and simple creative fare that should appeal to children and adults alike.

“MEALS MADE EASY” BY THE EDITORS OF REAL SIMPLE MAGAZINE (REAL SIMPLE, $24.95) This cookbook will calm you down. It boasts plenty of terrific answers to the frantic “what’s for dinner?!” question, but the design of the book is the real draw. The clean, elegant photos and crisp design are sure to bring a measure of zen to any hectic weeknight.

“GEOFFREY ZAKARIAN’S TOWN/COUNTRY” BY GEOFFREY ZAKARIAN (CLARKSON POTTER, $37.50) The chef and owner of Manhattan’s Town restaurant and its relaxed counterpart at the Carlton Hotel, Country, brings a fittingly dual approach to his first cookbook – take a favorite ingredient and offer two dishes: a sophisticated “town” recipe and homier “country” recipe. For advanced home cooks who sometimes want to let their hair down, this book is just right.

“DAVID BURKE’S NEW AMERICAN CLASSICS” BY DAVID BURKE (KNOPF, $35) The notoriously whimsical, creative chef at davidburke & donatella turns his eye to classic American food. Mr. Burke starts by offering a traditional version of a dish, then leaps ahead to a contemporary version and, later, a “second-day dish” that makes clever use of leftovers. And that, in a nutshell, is how Barbecued Chicken Parts becomes Pretzel-Onion Crusted Barbecued Chicken with Pretzel Latkes and Barbecued Chicken Sticky Buns. This food is often fancy, but is always fun – and often funny.

“SPICE: FLAVORS OF THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN” BY ANA SORTUN (REGAN BOOKS, $34.95) It’s rare these days to see an important new book on the food of countries like Morocco, Greece, and Turkey – and that makes this book all the more enticing. Ms. Sortun has garnered national acclaim as the chef of Oleanna in Boston, and she spruces up the flavors of the eastern Mediterranean in a refreshingly modern way.

“A MAN, A CAN, A TAILGATE PLAN” BY ZACHARY SCHISGAL AND THE EDITORS OF MEN’S HEALTH (RODALE, $15.95) The title says it all. The third book in the macho “A Man, a Can” series, this one focuses on the convergence of sports, parking lots, and plenty of good grub. A great gift for no-nonsense sports fans who want to do their own cooking, just not too much of it.

“TASTY: GET GREAT FOOD ON THE TABLE EVERY DAY” BY ROY FINAMORE (HOUGHTON MIFFLIN, $30) Roy Finamore knows cookbooks – he’s edited everyone from Martha Stewart to Ina Garten. Now, he’s come out with a massive collection of his own favorite dishes, culled from a lifetime of passionate but simple cooking. Ms. Garten declares these are recipes that “everyone should know” – and I agree.