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THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS



2011 Best Books for Children: Poetry & Verse

Cover art for PABLO NERUDA
CHILDREN'S
Released: March 29, 2011
Kirkus Star PABLO NERUDA: POET OF THE PEOPLE
by Monica Brown, illustrated by Julie Paschkis
"A visual and thematic stunner. (author's note, bibliography) (Picture book. 4-11)"
More than a heartwarming portrait of Chile's most revered poet, this splendid tribute to Pablo Neruda animates his global appeal with a visceral immediacy capable of seducing readers of any age. Read full book review >
Cover art for WE ARE AMERICA
CHILDREN'S
Released: May 1, 2011
Kirkus Star WE ARE AMERICA: A TRIBUTE FROM THE HEART
by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Christopher Myers
"Stunning. (Picture book/poetry. 8 & up)"
The Myers team shares their heartfelt and stirring vision of an America flawed but filled with promises and dreams. Read full book review >
Cover art for RAH, RAH, RADISHES!
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 14, 2011
Kirkus Star RAH, RAH, RADISHES! : A VEGETABLE CHANT
by April Pulley Sayre, photographed by April Pulley Sayre
"A winning recipe blending crispy verse and fresh photography: Go team! (Picture book. 3-7)"
Let's hear it for the veggies! Read full book review >
Cover art for ROOTS AND BLUES
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 3, 2011
Kirkus Star ROOTS AND BLUES: A CELEBRATION
by Arnold Adoff, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
"An incandescent, important work. (Poetry. 8 & up)"
Adoff creates a moving meditation on the roots of American blues. Read full book review >
Cover art for WHAT'S NEW AT THE ZOO?
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2011
Kirkus Star WHAT'S NEW AT THE ZOO?
by Adolph Green, Betty Comden, illustrated by Travis Foster
"Fresh and vintage at the same time; an accompanying CD would have made it perfect. (Picture book. 3-7)"
Can't all the animals just get along? Read full book review >
Cover art for TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 3, 2011
Kirkus Star TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR
adapted by Jerry Pinkney, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
"Just another superb outing from a fixed star twinkling in the children's-literature firmament. (Picture book. 3-6)"
In Pinkney's sumptuous elaboration of the familiar lullaby a chipmunk's nighttime odyssey takes on the same epic scope as his Caldecott winning The Lion and the Mouse (2009). Read full book review >
Cover art for SPINSTER GOOSE
CHILDREN'S
Released: March 8, 2011
Kirkus Star SPINSTER GOOSE: TWISTED RHYMES FOR NAUGHTY CHILDREN
by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
"Gorey kids. (Picture book/poetry. 8 & up)"
Delectably satiric nursery rhymes play with naughtiness and punishment. 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 >