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THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS



Children's and Teen: High School

Cover art for HIS NAME WAS RAOUL WALLENBERG
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 16, 2012
HIS NAME WAS RAOUL WALLENBERG: COURAGE, RESCUE, AND MYSTERY DURING WORLD WAR II
by Louise Borden
"Moving and inspiring; Wallenberg's is a name to remember for all time, and Borden has done an admirable job of ensuring readers will. (epilogue, author's note, bibliography, sources) (Biography. 11 & up) "
An exceptional individual is brought at last to the up-close-and-personal attention of young readers. Read full book review >
Cover art for MAY B.
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 10, 2012
Kirkus Star MAY B.
by Caroline Starr Rose
"If May is a brave, stubborn fighter, the short, free-verse lines are one-two punches in this Laura Ingalls Wilder–inspired ode to the human spirit. (Historical fiction. 9-14)"
As unforgiving as the western Kansas prairies, this extraordinary verse novel--Rose's debut--paints a gritty picture of late-19th-century frontier life from the perspective of a 12-year-old dyslexic girl named Mavis Elizabeth Betterly… May B. for short. Read full book review >
Cover art for TO THE MOUNTAINTOP
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 3, 2012
TO THE MOUNTAINTOP: MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
by Charlayne Hunter-Gault
"A missed opportunity to offer something special. (Nonfiction. 12 & up)"
Starting with the inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009 and working back to the early 1960s, Hunter-Gault covers many of the significant moments in the civil rights movement, including her own pivotal role in desegregating the University of Georgia. Read full book review >
Cover art for BEHIND THE MASKS
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 1, 2012
BEHIND THE MASKS: THE DIARY OF ANGELINE REDDY, BODIE, CALIFORNIA, 1880
by Susan Patron
"A rip-roaring tale with a satisfying conclusion. (author's note, historical note) (Historical fiction. 9-14)"
A not-so-shy Angeline is a force for justice in a Wild West town that is out of control. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE INVISIBLE TOWER
CHILDREN'S
Released: Dec. 27, 2011
THE INVISIBLE TOWER
by Nils Johnson-Shelton
"Gives new life to Arthurian legends and may just send readers back to more traditional tellings. (Adventure. 10-14)"
In his first novel for middle-grade readers, Johnson-Shelton serves up the first installment of an Arthurian trilogy starring 12-year-old video-gamer Artie Kingfisher. Read full book review >
Cover art for AND THE SOLDIERS SANG
CHILDREN'S
Released: Dec. 15, 2011
Kirkus Star AND THE SOLDIERS SANG
by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Gary Kelley
"Grim, upsetting and utterly beautiful, this is both a strong anti-war statement and a fascinating glimpse of a little-known historical event. (Picture book. 8 & up)"
Definitely for older children (and most likely to be appreciated by adults), this version of the true story of the Christmas Truce of 1914 is told through the eyes of a fictional young Welshman, with a terse yet lyrical text and stark, dramatic illustrations. Read full book review >