NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Percival Everett's 鈥淛ames,鈥� a reworking of Mark Twain's 鈥淭he Adventures of Huckleberry Finn鈥� from the enslaved Jim's perspective, is among the fiction finalists for the 11th annual Kirkus Prize.
Kirkus Reviews, a leading book review publication, announced finalists Wednesday in fiction, nonfiction and young reader's literature, with winners in each category receiving $50,000. Other nominees range from new novels by Richard Powers and Louise Erdrich, to nonfiction works on abortion rights, the Iraq War and the space shuttle Challenger tragedy, to a picture book by Jason Reynolds.
Besides 鈥淛ames,鈥� fiction finalists include Erdrich's "The Mighty Red," Powers' 鈥淧layground,鈥� Jennine Cap贸 Crucet's 鈥淪ay Hello to My Little Friend,鈥� Paul Lynch's 鈥淧rophet Song" and Rufi Thorpe's 鈥淢argo鈥檚 Got Money Troubles.鈥�
Steve Coll's 鈥淭he Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America鈥檚 Invasion of Iraq鈥� and Adam Higginbotham's 鈥淐hallenger: A True Story of Heroism And Disaster on the Edge of Space鈥� are nonfiction nominees, along with Tessa Hull's 鈥淔eeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir,鈥� Olivia Laing's 鈥淭he Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise,鈥� Shefali Luthra's 鈥淯ndue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America鈥� and Carvell Wallace's 鈥淎nother Word for Love: A Memoir.鈥�
Among the finalists for young reader's literature were two picture books: Joanna Ho's 鈥淲e Who Produce Pearls,鈥� illustrated by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya; and Reynolds' Langston Hughes tribute, 鈥淭here Was a Party,鈥� illustrated by brothers Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey. Nominees also include two middle grade books, Hiba Noor Khan's 鈥淪afiyyah鈥檚 War鈥� and Sherri Winston's 鈥淪hark Teeth,鈥� and two young adult releases, Kenneth M. Cadow's 鈥淕ather鈥� and Safia Elhillo's 鈥淏right Red Fruit.鈥�
Winners will be announced Oct. 16 during a ceremony in Manhattan.
Hillel Italie, The Associated Press
