Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




22 Top July Books for Teens


Showing

Cover art for GUITAR NOTES
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 24, 2012

"This one will resonate. (Fiction. 12-16)"
Tripp Broody and Lila Marks (Mr. Odd and Ms. Even) alternate lunch-period use of an instrumental practice room and a school guitar, developing a bond through their shared feelings of pressure and their love for making their own music. Read full book review >
Cover art for SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 24, 2012

"Readers who can look past the gloomily generic paranormal cover will find themselves pleasantly occupied. (Paranormal historical fiction. 12 & up)"
Zombies strike the 1876 Philadelphia World's Fair. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE GIRL WITH BORROWED WINGS
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 19, 2012

"Infused with an urgent hope, this glimmering love story exhilarates and refreshes. (Magical realism. 12 & up)"
Her name--Frenenqer--means "restraint" in "some language or other," and she is the only child--creation, really--of a man for whom affection is unspeakable: Pfft. Read full book review >
Cover art for SMALL DAMAGES
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 19, 2012

"Lovely and unusual--at once epic and intimate. (Fiction. 13 & up)"
A young woman is forced into unexpected territory when she is packed off to a vividly imagined, shimmering Spanish countryside in order to conceal an unexpected pregnancy. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE FRIENDSHIP MATCHMAKER
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 17, 2012

"Abdel-Fattah demonstrates a savvy understanding of the middle school experience in this keenly observed tale. (Fiction. 10-13)"
Seventh-grader Lara Zany's reign as the self-appointed "Potts County Middle School official Friendship Matchmaker" is in peril. Read full book review >
Cover art for A WORLD AWAY
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 17, 2012

"Simply lovely. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
This sensitive debut grabs hearts right away and doesn't let go. Read full book review >
Cover art for SPARK
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 17, 2012

"Readers hungry for the next installment will have plenty to ponder in the meantime. (Science fiction. 14 & up)"
The sequel to Glow (2011) delivers a page-turning plot while delving deeper into questions of leadership, trauma and violence. Read full book review >
Cover art for SERAPHINA
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 10, 2012

"Dragon books are common enough, but this one is head and talons above the rest. (cast of characters, glossary) (Fantasy. 12 & up)"
In Hartman's splendid prose debut, humans and dragons--who can take human form but not human feeling--have lived in uneasy peace for 40 years. Read full book review >
Cover art for LONG LANKIN
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 10, 2012

"A good, old-fashioned literary horror tale for sophisticated readers. (Historical fantasy. 10-14)"
A thoroughly terrifying, centuries-old monster stalks two children sent from London to stay with their great-aunt in the country. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE THING ABOUT THE TRUTH
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 10, 2012

"Romance fans will find the conclusion satisfying even as it is refreshingly messy. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
A teenage he said/she said caper. Read full book review >
Cover art for FURY'S FIRE
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 10, 2012

"Less grounded than the previous volume, which is perhaps fitting for a heroine who loses and must regain her sense of self. (Fantasy. 12-16)"
Will and Gretchen may have narrowly avoided being killed by Sirens, but they're not in safe waters yet in this lyrical, eerie fantasy. Read full book review >
Cover art for I AM (NOT) THE WALRUS
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 8, 2012

"The witty nonchalance of both dialogue and narration keeps this rock-'n'-roll romp light and entertaining and successfully balances it with suspense. (Mystery. 12 & up)"
Toby's life in Port Jackson, England, is frankly weird. Read full book review >
Cover art for AMELIA ANNE IS DEAD AND GONE
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 5, 2012

"A perceptive, contrapuntal character study with a light thriller flavor--utterly compelling. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
The lives of two girls on the cusp of something bigger intertwine on a dusty road in a small, dead-end New England town. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE BEST NIGHT OF YOUR (PATHETIC) LIFE
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 5, 2012

"Funny and nostalgic, a highly contemporary riff on a timeless rite of passage. (Fiction. 13 & up)"
It's the week before high school graduation, time for the annual Senior Week Scavenger Hunt. Over a long day, Mary and the three other members of her team will bond one last time, settle old scores with rival teams, and pursue the elusive prize: a giant lawn-ornament Yeti. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE GIRL IS TROUBLE
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 3, 2012

"A solid addition to what is turning into a swell series. (Historical mystery. 12 & up)"
Teen detective Iris Anderson struggles to solve parallel mysteries while coming to terms with her Jewish identity in World War II–era New York City in this engrossing follow-up to The Girl is Murder (2011). Read full book review >
Cover art for CORNERED
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 3, 2012
edited by Rhoda Belleza

"For the most part, a diverse, robust collection that looks unflinchingly at cruelty. (Anthology. 12 & up)"
This bully-themed anthology stands out in both the breadth of its scope and its tolerance for moral ambiguity. Read full book review >
Cover art for DARK COMPANION
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 3, 2012

"Acosta's savvy take on sexist vampire traditions is refreshing even if much of its bracing astringency gets lost in the melodramatic resolution. Young readers won't mind, and all can look forward to the inevitable sequel. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)"
This enjoyable, chick-lit update of undead culture gives vampires and their victims a long-overdue makeover. It's a breath of fresh air in a genre marked by creaky gender relations and unchallenged class stratification. Read full book review >
Cover art for TEAM HUMAN
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 3, 2012

"Laugh-out-loud funny, heart-wrenchingly sad and fist-pump-in-the-air triumphant, this sparkling gem proves that vampires, zombies and even teenagers…at heart, we're all on Team Human. (Fantasy. 12 & up.)"
Both lovers and loathers of teen vampire romance will revel in this hilarious satirical take on the genre. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE WHITE GLOVE WAR
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 3, 2012

"Though lighter on the romance, this creepy, cliffhanging thrill ride will still delight Magnolia League fans and leave them desperate for the next episode. (Supernatural thriller. 12 & up)"
In the second installment of the Magnolia League series, the stakes are higher, the drama more palpable and the hoodoo even hairier. Read full book review >
Cover art for TIGER LILY
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 3, 2012

"Working with the darker threads of Barrie's bittersweet classic, Anderson weaves an enchanting tale. (Fantasy. 14 & up)"
It's no paradise--white-sand beaches and spectacular sunsets come with mud, mosquitoes and croc-infested swamps--but guided by fragile, insect-size faerie Tink, readers are drawn into this richly re-imagined Neverland anyway. Read full book review >
Cover art for BOUND
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 1, 2012

"Jam-packed with meaty storylines, spot-on pacing, an active heroine and the strongest romance yet, this ending will thrill fans of the series. (discussion questions) (Paranormal romance. 13 & up)"
Mo must play all sides, magical and mob, in this complex trilogy conclusion. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE UNQUIET
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 1, 2012

"A shocking, spine-tingling ending proves that ghost stories never go out of style. (Supernatural thriller. 14 & up)"
Even small towns have urban legends. Read full book review >