This combination of book cover images features "The Slip" by Lucas Schaefer, on the left, and "King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation" by Scott Anderson. (AP Photo)
The 2025 Kirkus Prize has celebrated three remarkable books that explore identity, history, and creativity in strikingly different ways. This year’s winners — a thought-provoking novel, a sweeping historical account, and a playful picture book — each receive a $50,000 award, one of the richest literary honors in the United States.
Lucas Schaefer’s The Slip took home the fiction prize. Scott Anderson’s King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation earned the nonfiction award. And Thao Lam’s picture book Everybelly charmed judges to win in the young readers’ literature category.
Stories That Reflect the Times
Each winning book brings a unique perspective on the human experience. Schaefer’s The Slip follows a man’s search for his long-missing nephew, intertwining themes of loss, self-discovery, and identity. The novel resonated with judges for its emotional depth and exploration of how family and memory shape who we become.
Anderson’s King of Kings offers a gripping retelling of Iran’s 1979 revolution and the fall of the Shah. It examines how ambition, misjudgment, and global politics collided to alter history. The book was praised for its meticulous research and narrative power, making complex events both vivid and accessible.
In a lighter but equally creative spirit, Lam’s Everybelly celebrates something as ordinary — and often overlooked — as the belly button. Through colourful illustrations and playful storytelling, Lam turns a simple body feature into a symbol of connection, diversity, and joy. Judges hailed it as an inventive ode to self-acceptance and the beauty of difference.
Literature That Speaks to the Present
Tom Beer, Editor-in-Chief of Kirkus Reviews, praised this year’s selections for their relevance and artistry.
“These books deliver vital messages for our time,” Beer said in a statement. “They remind us of the joys of community, the power of self-transformation, and the fluidity of history — all told through exhilarating prose and pictures.”
The Kirkus Prize, established in 2014, is administered by Kirkus Reviews, a long-standing authority in literary criticism. Each year, it recognizes outstanding works in fiction, nonfiction, and young readers’ literature that have received starred reviews from the publication.
Honouring the Best Among Equals
The competition was fierce this year, with finalists that included acclaimed works like Angela Flournoy’s The Wilderness, Nicholas Boggs’ Baldwin: A Love Story — a biography of writer James Baldwin — and Arundhati Roy’s deeply personal memoir Mother Mary Comes to Me.
Still, judges noted that the winning books stood out for their originality, emotional resonance, and bold storytelling.
With topics ranging from the mystery of identity to the shifting tides of revolution — and even a whimsical look at belly buttons — this year’s Kirkus Prize proves that literature continues to challenge, surprise, and connect readers in unforgettable ways.
