Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




Authors at ALA


Cover art for CONSENT OF THE NETWORKED
NONFICTION
Released: Feb. 1, 2012

"An informed call to action by the "networked" to protect their rights."
An incisive overview of the global struggle for Internet freedom. Read full book review >
Cover art for IN ONE PERSON
FICTION
Released: May 8, 2012

"Woody Allen's bon mot about bisexuality is that it doubled one's chances for a date, but in this novel Irving explores in his usual discursive style some of the more serious and exhaustive consequences of Allen's one-liner. "
Billy Dean (aka Billy Abbott) has a difficult time holding it together in one person, for his bisexuality pulls him in (obviously) two different directions. Read full book review >
Cover art for TOO BIG TO KNOW
NONFICTION
Released: Jan. 3, 2012

" A witty and wise companion in this new age of information overload."
Razor-sharp analysis of the state of knowledge in the age of computer networking. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE LAND OF STORIES
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 17, 2012
by Chris Colfer, illustrated by Brandon Dorman

"Cardboard characters and awkwardly episodic situations result in a poorly manufactured tale. (Fantasy. 8-12)"
Celebpub collides with fairy-tale redux in this unsuccessful debut. Read full book review >
Cover art for A DANCE WITH DRAGONS
FICTION
Released: July 12, 2011

"Is Ice and Fire drawing to a close? There's plenty of wiggle room for more volumes in the series, but on the evidence, one wonders if Martin isn't getting a little tired of it."
The fifth installment in Martin's (A Game of Thrones, 1996, etc.) Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 19, 2012

"A plainspoken but inspiring tale of homespun ingenuity. (afterword) (Picture book/biography. 7-9)"
The true story of a Malawian teenager who leveraged need and library research into a windmill constructed from found materials. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE (HONEST) TRUTH ABOUT DISHONESTY
NONFICTION
Released: June 5, 2012

"Ariely writes in a conversational tone one might associate with a popular teacher, providing readers with a working knowledge of what shapes our ethics--or lack thereof."
Ariely (Psychology/Psychology and Behavioral Economics/Duke Univ.; The Upside of Irrationality, 2010, etc.) explores how honest we are, how honest we think we are and every white lie in the middle. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE KID
FICTION
Released: July 5, 2011

"Powerful and disturbing, though not always coherent."
The larger audience attracted by the award-winning adaptation of the author's debut novel (Push, 1996, adapted into the film Precious) will recognize this sequel as "Son of Precious." Read full book review >
Cover art for BETWEEN THE LINES
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 26, 2012

"Fizzy fairy-tale fun. (Fantasy. 9-13)"
In her first foray into teen fiction, Picoult and her co-author daughter deliver an enjoyable, metafictive twist on the traditional teen-romance novel. Read full book review >
Cover art for WAR DANCES
FICTION
Released: Oct. 1, 2009

"The author's considerable talent is only intermittently in evidence here."
From prolific Alexie (Face, 2009, etc.), a collection of stories, poems and short works that defy categorization. Read full book review >
Cover art for RATHER OUTSPOKEN
NONFICTION
Released: May 1, 2012

"An engaging grab-bag: part folksy homage to roots, part exposé of institutional wrongdoing and part manifesto for a truly free press."
A renowned journalist settles scores in this investigation of how the news media has become dangerously intertwined with politics and corporate interests. Read full book review >
Cover art for MIND IF I READ YOUR MIND?
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 1, 2012

"A go-down-easy book that provides both lightweight character building and several comical turns. (Fantasy. 10-12)"
A sixth-grader and his live-in ghost further cement their friendship while bootstrapping each other toward better social skills in this airy sequel to Zero to Hero (2012). Read full book review >