Want to make it really easy to let people know how great the Cybils are? We’ve got a nifty double-sided Cybils flyer with all the information you need to get the word out in libraries, schools, bookstores or anywhere. The front page of the flyer includes a description of what the Cybils are all about, nomination instructions, important dates, and …
Attention, Teachers!
Get your students nominating! At the Kidlitosphere Conference last month in Portland, we held a Cybils session, and one helpful audience member gave us a most excellent suggestion. It’s really a suggestion for the classroom, so we’re passing it along to all you Cybils-blog-reading teachers out there. The idea is to get your classes involved in nominating books for the …
Introducing Mindy Rhiger, Middle Grade/Young Adult Non-Fiction
Today we meet Mindy Rhiger, organizer for the Non-Fiction MG/YA category: I’m Mindy Rhiger, organizer for the Young Adult and Middle Grade Non-Fiction category. I’ve been involved with the Cybils since the first year, and I’ve been blogging about books at propernoun.net since 2005. I read and review all over the map. My strongest ties are to YA Fiction, as …
Sharing the Cybils Love
News flash: Bloggers love the Cybils! Well, actually, it’s several news flashes–far too many to post here, but we’ve provided a sampling of the Cybils love from around the web. The Cybils team appreciates the help that everyone has given us in spreading the word about the Cybils and about nominations (and if you haven’t done it yet, be sure …
Introducing Kerry Millar, Middle Grade Fiction Organizer
Today we meet Kerry Millar, category organizer for Middle Grade Fiction: Hello fellow Cybilers: nominators, panelists and judges! I’ve been teaching Grade 5 for three years, so I’ve got some solid first-hand know-how about what’s going on out there in Middle-Grade-land–what’s cool, what’s old, what has true kid appeal and what doesn’t. Before teaching, I was part pastry chef, part …
Got Nomination Questions?
Please keep your questions to genre-bending books. Is it a graphic novel, or is it a picture book? Is it fantasy, or is it YA? Lots of titles cross genre boundaries, and it’s part of the job of the Cybils organizers to help you figure out where a book belongs. If you’re not sure which category is most appropriate for …
2008 Nominations
Young Adult Fiction
You’ll find no dragons or magic, robots or vampires here. Just real people, in the real world, in real situations. In a good YA novel teens will find themselves and discover their world. A great YA novel will do both of those while respecting and appealing to its audience. We are looking for a handful of the greatest teen novels …
2008 Nominations
Poetry
Poetry is what this category is all about. We’re seeking the best poetry collection for kids or teens. Now, some of the poetry collections are fully illustrated and have the size, shape & appearance of picture books. When deciding if something belongs here, ask yourself "Is this a collection of poems?" A picture book that is written in rhyme belongs …
2008 Nominations
Middle Grade Fiction
The middle grade years are those with the most potential to turn a child into a reader for life. It’s often the books you read between the ages of 8-12 that you remember long into adulthood as your dearest books of all. These are the years when kids really and truly start to figure themselves out as readers–their likes and …
2008 Nominations
Fiction Picture Books
A good picture book is a pleasing merger of text and artwork. A great picture book is a celebration of story and illustration, with lasting appeal for kids and/or adults. The best picture books completely excel in art, story, kid-friendliness, and adult appeal. A Cybils-winning picture book adds that special "It Factor." In message, in world-view, in connection, in humor, …