Kirkus Prize

The Kirkus Prize was created in 2014 by Kirkus Reviews, a book review magazine published since 1933, to celebrate its long record of criticism. It awards $50,000 each year in three categories: fiction, nonfiction and young readers' literature. There is no separate entry process. Any book that earns a Kirkus Star during the yearly eligibility window is automatically in contention, and starred titles from traditional publishers and self-published authors both qualify.

Kirkus editors first narrow the starred books. A two-person jury of outside readers, such as critics, booksellers or librarians, then works with the editors to choose six finalists in each category, announced in late summer. In young readers' literature the six always include two picture books, two middle-grade books and two young adult books. The editors select the three winners, who are revealed at an October ceremony in New York.

Books that received a Kirkus Star and were first published between November 1 of the prior year and October 31 of the prize year; picture books and starred Indie titles use slightly shifted dates, and reissues are excluded.