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LATEST ISSUE OF
Kirkus Reviews
Best-seller Jeannette Walls talks about mining her own history for her new novel, The Silver Star.
Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS



2011 Best Books for Children: Exploring the Past (page 3)

Cover art for DRAWING FROM MEMORY
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 1, 2011
Kirkus Star DRAWING FROM MEMORY
by Allen Say, illustrated by Allen Say
"Aesthetically superb; this will fascinate comics readers and budding artists while creating new Say fans. (author's note) (Graphic memoir. 10 & up)"
Exquisite drawings, paintings, comics and photographs balance each other perfectly as they illustrate Say's childhood path to becoming an artist. Read full book review >
Cover art for HIDDEN
CHILDREN'S
Released: May 10, 2011
Kirkus Star HIDDEN
by Helen Frost
"Both tender and insightful, this well-crafted, fast-paced tale should have wide teen appeal. (notes on form) (Poetry. 10-16)"
From the award-winning Frost comes a wildly imaginative, thought-provoking novel in verse that centers on the unlikely friendship that arises between two teenage girls as a result of an accidental kidnapping. Read full book review >
Cover art for INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN
CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 22, 2011
Kirkus Star INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN
by Thanhha Lai
"In her not-to-be-missed debut, Lai evokes a distinct time and place and presents a complex, realistic heroine whom readers will recognize, even if they haven't found themselves in a strange new country. (Historical fiction/verse. 9-12)"
An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse is rooted in the author's childhood experiences. Read full book review >
Cover art for EDDIE'S WAR
CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 1, 2011
Kirkus Star EDDIE'S WAR
by Carol Fisher Saller
" "
In her first outing for children, Saller (The Subversive Copy Editor, 2009) provides a poignant look at boyhood before and during the long years of World War II. Read full book review >
Cover art for JEFFERSON'S SONS
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 15, 2011
Kirkus Star JEFFERSON'S SONS
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
"A big, serious work of historical investigation and imagination; the tale has never before been told this well. (Historical fiction. 9-14) "
It was a secret everybody knew at Monticello: Thomas Jefferson was the father of Beverly, Harriet, Madison and Eston Hemings, and their mother was Sally Hemings, a slave owned by Jefferson. Read full book review >
Cover art for DEAD END IN NORVELT
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 13, 2011
Kirkus Star DEAD END IN NORVELT
by Jack Gantos
"Characteristically provocative gothic comedy, with sublime undertones. (Autobiographical fiction. 11-13)"
An exhilarating summer marked by death, gore and fire sparks deep thoughts in a small-town lad not uncoincidentally named "Jack Gantos." Read full book review >