The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 86 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earn the Kirkus Star with publication dates between Nov. 1, 2018 to Oct. 31, 2019 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2019 Kirkus Prize. The Kirkus Prize judges will select three winners on Thursday, October 24, 2019.