For most Kirkus readers—and for any literature and humanities scholar—the answer to the above question is obvious: Absolute† However, it seems our leaders at all levels, from federal to local, don’t necessarily agree, as art funding is often the first…
Every February, there is a flood of interest in books honoring African American history, a topic inextricably linked to American history as a whole and deserving of year-round attention. Stories of enduring and overcoming adversity—though they offer critical awareness—must be…
When I saw the bulletin announcing Ashley Bryan’s passing on Feb. 4 at 98, I was alone in my office. Wanting to connect with someone who would understand the magnitude of the loss, I texted a friend, “Ashley. [Teary face…
As we often point out at Kirkus, black history is a subject to be read and studied all year round – not just in the month of February, when it is officially recognized. Nevertheless, many publishers take this opportunity to…
When I was a school librarian, I noticed that many of the kids their parents perceived as “reluctant readers” were, in fact, extremely avid readers—if only one regarded nonfiction as “real” reading. Nonfiction can offer all the creativity, suspense, well-rounded…
The biography genre offers a dizzying array of subjects, from Malcolm X (Les Payne and Tamara Payne’s The dead rise) to Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna (Walter Isaacson’s The code breaker† The most stimulating and astute biographies gracefully immerse readers in…
The Folio Society is known for lavish, beautifully illustrated editions of classic books – you can buy the full Jane Austen from them, or TS Eliot or Thomas Hardy or any of the Brontës. They also publish more recent fiction,…
Several articles reporting on the book industry have noted a healthy surge in novel sales during the pandemic, noting that in stressful and unpredictable times, a genre that reliably brings joy has clear appeal. The following YA titles provide hours…
The news of Anne Rice’s passing in mid-December came as a shock to fans. Just into her 80s, Rice was still writing novels at a brisk pace; she had released six in the past 10 years, and her most recent,…
In mid-May last year I met a trans boy; I call him Jay. Jay was 9, with a bowl cut and a crazy smile. He waddled like a penguin to the snack table to fill his pockets with candy, because…