December 1, 2025
Cover Story
Kirkus’ Best Books coverage continues with the 200 best children’s and 100 best YA books of the year, plus author interviews and our Holiday Gift Guide.Featured In This Issue
This Issue's Starred Reviews
FICTION
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DREAMING OF DEAD PEOPLE
By Rosalind Belben
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SALVATION
By C. William Langsfeld
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THIS BOOK MADE ME THINK OF YOU
By Libby Page
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EVERY ONE STILL HERE
By Liadan Ní Chuinn
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AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COTTON
By Cristina Rivera Garza Christina MacSweeney
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THE MURDER AT WORLD'S END
By Ross Montgomery
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THE SHAPE OF DREAMS
By April Reynolds
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HOW TO COMMIT A POSTCOLONIAL MURDER
By Nina McConigley
NONFICTION
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SCALE BOY
By Patrice Nganang
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KINGS AND PAWNS
By Howard Bryant
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FOOTBALL
By Chuck Klosterman
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FEARLESS, SLEEPLESS, DEATHLESS
By Maria Pinto
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INVISIBLE ILLNESS
By Emily Mendenhall
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WILD GRACE
By Sara Veale
TEEN
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UNTIL THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT
By Alechia Dow
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SUNDOWN GIRLS
By L.S. Stratton
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SPARKING FIRE OUT OF FATE
By Brigid Kemmerer
CHILDREN'S
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TINY GARDEN
By Deborah Underwood Jax Chow
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VANISHING SEA
By Dinara Mirtalipova
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TWELVE DARING GRAYS
By Nora Nickum Elly MacKay
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A SCAR LIKE A RIVER
By Lisa Graff
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MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL BINTY
By Shawn K. Stout
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RELIC HAMILTON, GENIE HUNTER
By Joseph Coelho Hyun Song We
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EOWULF
By Mike Cavallaro Sarah Buck
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THE LIONS' RUN
By Sara Pennypacker Jon Klassen
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THE WILDEST THING
By Emily Winfield Martin
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HOW TO HATCH
By Sara Holly Ackerman Galia Bernstein
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MARIE'S MAGIC EGGS
By Sandra Neil Wallace Evan Turk
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THE ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY AUDEN GREENE
By Corey Ann Haydu
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INTO THE WILDERNESS
By Haven Iverson August Zhang
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ARTHUR'S CAT
By Johan Leynaud Sarah Ardizzone
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HOUDINI'S LIBRARY
By Barb Rosenstock Mar Delmar
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A KID LIKE ME
By Norm Feuti
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LEAVE THE TREES, PLEASE
By Benjamin Zephaniah Melissa Castrillón
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WHAT A SMALL CAT NEEDS
By Natalia Shaloshvili Lena Traer
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THE MONSTER AND PUPPET SHOW!
By Mo Willems Kate Miccucci
INDIE
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The Passionate Sister
By John Thorndike
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HARLO
By Brian Petersen
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THE TENDERNESS OF GLASS
By Jodi Lin
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LIVE FROM MY STUDIO
By Edie Baskin
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THE JUDGY BUNNY
By Gramma Sir
