Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




2011 Best Books for Children: Realistic Novels Set in the Here and Now


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Cover art for MOON PIE
CHILDREN'S
Released: Nov. 8, 2011

"Love conquers all in this big-hearted and heartbreaking story of Martha, Tug and their errant father who, in time, stops acting like a wild gibbon and finds his way home. (Fiction. 9-12)"
British author Mason has conjured a rarity indeed--a tremendously charming, unflinching account of a parent's downward spiral. Read full book review >
Cover art for HOUND DOG TRUE
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 19, 2011

"This outstanding, emotionally resonant effort will appeal to middle-grade readers. (Fiction. 8-12)"
With a little help from a caring adult, a child crippled by shyness begins to bloom. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE UNFORGOTTEN COAT
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 1, 2011

"A tricky, magical delight. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)"
Treading water in her last term of elementary school, Julie figures she's learned all there is to learn, when two Mongolian brothers in fur-lined coats (it's summer) arrive: Chingis and Nergui. Read full book review >
Cover art for HIDDEN
CHILDREN'S
Released: May 10, 2011

"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 WILD WINGS
CHILDREN'S
Released: April 19, 2011
by Gill Lewis, illustrated by Yuta Onoda

"With universal themes of life and death, friendship and respect for the natural world, this is still quite particular, a powerfully memorable story of a boy's grief and determination to keep a promise. (Fiction. 9-13)"
Striving to protect the osprey nesting on his family's farm in Scotland, 11-year-old Callum McGregor watches the bird throughout summer, uses a computer to follow her migration to Africa and sets in motion a remarkable chain of events. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE SUNDOWN RULE
CHILDREN'S
Released: March 1, 2011

"Unfolding with the implacable clarity of the natural world Louise reveres, the novel proves that a quiet story can be as gripping as the busiest action-packed narrative—and with more staying power. (Fiction. 8-12)"
This spare, lovely novel concerns that moment in childhood, at once universal and utterly lonely, when one is forced to recognize that all life is mortal. Read full book review >
Cover art for CAMO GIRL
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 4, 2011

"John Steptoe Award–winning debut, The Rock and the River (2009). (Fiction. 8-14)"
Ella and Zachary, sixth-grade misfits, cling to each other to get through the taunts, rejection and, sometimes, abuse from their classmates. Read full book review >