Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




2010 Texas Book Festival Authors

The Texas Book Festival is celebrating 15 years of excellence in gathering outstanding authors in Austin each year to read, discuss and meet with audiences. This year is no different. Here is a sampling of some reviews of major authors who will appear at the Festival this weekend, Oct. 16-17.


Cover art for SHARK VS. TRAIN
CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2010
by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

"It's hard to choose; both are winners. (Picture book. 3-6)"
With two boys at a toy chest, one clutching a shark and the other a train, thus begins the most unlikeliest of competitions. Read full book review >
Cover art for ZOMBIES VS. UNICORNS
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 21, 2010

"Readers, of course! (Fantasy/horror/short stories. 14 & up)"
Forget vampires vs. werewolves; the hottest feud is between fans of the fiercely magical horses and the shambling, brain-eating undead. Read full book review >
Cover art for AMERICAN COLOSSUS
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 12, 2010

"An educational, briskly written pseudo-textbook aimed at readers outside university classrooms."
A loosely themed survey of 35 years of American history. Read full book review >
Cover art for TORTILLA SUN
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2010

"A beautiful and engaging debut novel. (author's note, tortilla recipe, glossary) (Fiction. 8-12)"
Twelve-year-old Izzy Roybal, who loves writing stories, is reluctant to spend the summer in a small village in the New Mexican desert, where she was born. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE PASSAGE
FICTION
Released: June 8, 2010

"The young girl as heroine and role model is a nice touch. Otherwise a pretty ordinary production, with little that hasn't been seen before."
Literary author Cronin (Mary and O'Neil, 2001, etc.) turns in an apocalyptic thriller in the spirit of Stephen King or Michael Crichton. Read full book review >
Cover art for A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD
FICTION
Released: June 8, 2010

"Another ambitious change of pace from talented and visionary Egan, who reinvents the novel for the 21st century while affirming its historic values."
"Time's a goon," as the action moves from the late 1970s to the early 2020s while the characters wonder what happened to their youthful selves and ideals. Read full book review >