KIRKUS ANNOUNCES THE FINALISTS FOR THE 2024 KIRKUS

New York (August 28, 2024) – Kirkus Reviews, founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus and now the nation’s leading prepublication journal of book reviews, announces the 18 finalists for the 2024 Kirkus Prize in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, and Young Readers’ Literature. 

Winners in the three categories will receive $50,000 each, making the Kirkus Prize, now in its 11th year, one of the richest annual literary awards in the world. Writers become eligible by receiving a rare, starred review from Kirkus Reviews. An esteemed panel of jurors, along with Kirkus’ editors, select the Kirkus Prize finalists and winners.

Kirkus Reviews editor-in-chief Tom Beer says, “The finalists for the 2024 Kirkus Prize represent the very best of an outstanding crop of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers’ titles published in the U.S. this year. Our fiction finalists reimagine the art of storytelling while addressing the vital concerns of our day. The nonfiction finalists cast new light on misunderstood historical events and offer affecting personal narratives. Our young readers’ finalists present powerful narratives for children and teens through a combination of prose, verse, and art. They’re all books that speak to our time, and we know they’ll be read for years to come.” 

This year’s finalists were chosen from a total of 9,957 titles reviewed during the eligibility period. On average, Kirkus’ editors award the Kirkus star to 10% of the titles they assign for review each year. One of the most coveted designations in the book industry, the Kirkus star marks books of exceptional merit. Past winners include Lily King for Euphoria, Jack E. Davis for The Gulf, Christina Soontornvat for All Thirteen, and James McBride for The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.

 

The finalists for the 2024 Kirkus Prize are listed below, followed by a quote from their Starred Kirkus Review:

 

FICTION:

“The author of Make Your Home Among Strangers (2015) delivers a stunning second novel…Unclassifiable and unforgettable.”

“The Red River of the North cuts a vivid track through the hardscrabble lives that anchor Erdrich’s surpassing North Dakota fiction…In this tender and capacious story, love and tragedy mingle along the river and into the world.”

“Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as told from the perspective of a more resourceful and contemplative Jim than the one you remember…One of the noblest characters in American literature gets a novel worthy of him.”

“A story of friendship, technology, oceans, and a small island…An engaging, eloquent message for this fragile planet.”

“A college freshman finds out that everyone was right: Her decision to have her English professor’s baby really does ruin her life. Until it doesn’t.…Terrific characters, rich worldbuilding, deep thoughts about fiction and morality, a love story, and a happy ending.”

“As Ireland devolves into a brutal police state, one woman tries to preserve her family in this stark fable...Captivating, frightening, and a singular achievement.”

The jurors for the 2024 Kirkus Prize in Fiction are:

Christine Bollow, the co-owner and director of programs for Loyalty Bookstores in Washington, D.C., and Silver Spring, Maryland; Jeffrey Burke, a Kirkus reviewer and former editor at Harper’s magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, and Bloomberg News; and Kirkus fiction editor Laurie Muchnick.

 

NONFICTION:

“The Pulitzer Prize–winning author returns with a tour de force examination of the events leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq…Required reading for all conscientious citizens. ”

“A searching history of a disaster-laden effort to build and launch a space shuttle…A deeply researched, fluently written study in miscommunication, hubris, and technological overreach.”

“A graphic novelist contends with her maternal family’s complicated history…A work that glimmers with insight, acumen, and an unwillingness to settle for simple answers.”

“The award-winning author pens a fascinating and personal journey of paradise…An intellectually verdant and emotionally rich narrative journey.”

“The human consequences of the Dobbs decision…Vivid portrayals of lives disrupted and freedom denied.”

“The story of a poet and podcaster’s journey to claim the fullness of his identity and power as a queer Black American…An exquisite, soulful must-read.”

The jurors for the 2024 Kirkus Prize in Nonfiction are:

Hannah Bae, journalist, author, and illustrator whose work has appeared in the Asian American Writers’ Workshop’s the Margins, Catapult, the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the anthologies Our Red Book and (Don’t) Call Me Crazy; Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Mary Ann Gwinn, whose reviews have appeared in publications including Kirkus Reviews, the Los Angeles Times, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and the Seattle Times; and Kirkus editor-in-chief Tom Beer. 

 

YOUNG READERS’ LITERATURE:

Picture Books

“Eyes That Kiss in the Corners (2021) author Ho reflects on Asian American history…Striking and defiant: an unabashed declaration of hope.”

Middle Grade

“In this novel inspired by a true account of French Resistance during World War II, a courageous 11-year-old Muslim girl joins the effort to save lives…A must-read distinguished by its powerful plot and poignant writing. ”

“A Florida middle schooler tries to hide her problems at home as she attempts to have a normal school experience…A deeply satisfying tale with an irresistible protagonist. ”

Young Adult

“Family matters; friends, both two- and four-legged, help too…A heartfelt novel about the challenges of youth and the value of community.”

“A teen poet in Washington, D.C., becomes entangled with an older man as she tries to break free from her mother’s expectations…A stunning work that deeply explores poetry, the complexities of identity, and the longing for love.”

The jurors for the 2024 Kirkus Prize in Young Readers’ Literature are:

Christopher A. Biss-Brown, curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collection at the Free Library of Philadelphia and Kirkus reviewer; Michelle H. Martin, the Beverly Cleary Endowed Professor in Children and Youth Services in the Information School at the University of Washington; and Kirkus young readers’ editors Mahnaz Dar and Laura Simeon.

The three 2024 Kirkus Prize winners will be announced at an in-person ceremony at the TriBeca Rooftop in New York on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. The announcement will be livestreamed on Kirkus’ YouTube channel at 7:30pm Eastern.

 

 

About Kirkus Reviews

For over 90 years, Kirkus has been the most trusted voice in book discovery. Kirkus Reviews covers more than 7,000 books published by traditional houses and more than 3,000 self-published books every year. The magazine is published on the 1st and 15th of every month, and because of the scope of its coverage, its authoritative voice, and the timeliness of its reviews, Kirkus Reviews is revered by many as the first indicator of a book’s potential.

Herb Simon and Marc Winkelman are Co-Chairmen of Kirkus Media, and Meg LaBorde Kuehn is the Chief Executive Officer and Publisher of Kirkus Reviews. The Chief Marketing Officer is Sarah Kalina. The Editor-in-Chief of Kirkus Reviews is Tom Beer. The President of Indie is Chaya Schechner. John McMurtrie is the Nonfiction Editor, Laurie Muchnick is the Fiction Editor, and Laura Simeon and Mahnaz Dar are the Young Readers’ Editors.

Kirkus Prize Publicity Contact: Kimberly Burns / kb@broadsidepr.com / 917.405.8708

For more information about the 2024 Kirkus Prize, including dates of eligibility, rules, and selection process, as well as complete bios of the 2024 Kirkus Prize finalists and jurors, please visit Kirkus Reviews/prize.

 

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