Graphic Novel nominee Bird & Squirrel on Ice, by James Burks is our featured review today. The review comes from Nicola, a round one panelist on Graphic Novels. She writes on her blog It’s All Comic to Me: Another great Bird & Squirrel book! I love these two characters; they are like a modern day Frog and Toad. Two friends with …
A KidlitCon Intermission
While we’re nearing the end of round one here at the Cybils, and the holiday season is in full swing, things are also getting started for (the ninth annual!) KidlitCon 2015 in Baltimore, MD. No dates are set – it will be sometime in the fall – but we did want to give publishers a heads-up of the opportunities to participate, including: …
Review: Once Appon
Today’s review is of the book app Once Appon – A Goodnight Storymaker for Kids. It comes from Emily Lloyd, who blogs at Little eLit, and is a round one panelist for Book Apps. She writes: OnceAppon, released in May 2014, is a beautifully-illustrated app that invites users to assemble a “hero” with an avatar maker, and see that hero imported into …
Review: Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Rise of the Undead Readhead
Today’s review is of the middle grade fiction nominee Rise of the Undead Redhead, by Meghan Dougherty. It was reviewed by Rosemary, a round one Middle Grade Fiction panelist, who blogs at Mom Read It. She writes: Where was this series when I was a kid, watching late-night roller derby on off-network TV and hitting the roller rinks with my friends …
Review: Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor
Perhaps it was because I was just listening to the PW Kidscast interview with Jon Scieszka but that drew me to the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative fiction nominee Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor. Thankfully, Ms. Yingling, the Middle Grade fiction chair, librarian, and super blogger (at Ms. Yingling Reads) reviewed the book. She wrote: It is a rare book that includes BOTH …
Featured Blogger: Elizabeth O. Dulemba
This month’s featured blogger was nominated by Vicky. Who says, “I nominate Elizabeth O. Dulemba. She has consistently featured kidlit authors and illustrators, as well as kidlit books, for many years. As an author/illustrator herself, she also provides many articles, links, and resources for those involved in the kidlit community.” Happily, Elizabeth was willing to answer a few questions about …
Review: Forest Has a Song
Today’s review of poetry nominee Forest Has a Song, by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is by Bridget, a teacher who blogs at Teacher Dance. She wrote: If you love the forest like I do, you will also love what Amy and Robbin have offered in this new book of poems. They have shown the real things, like in the poem Puff, telling …
Review: Dare the Wind
Round one panelist Sondy, blogging over at Sonderbooks where she blogs about a wide range of books, has our review today of Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction nominee Dare the Wind: The Record-breaking Voyage of Eleanor Prentiss and the Flying Cloud, by Tracey Fern. Sondy writes: How wonderful! A nineteenth century young woman navigated clipper ships for her sea captain husband and actually …
Review: Dory Fantasmagory
Today’s review of the day comes from Easy Reader/Early Chapter book round one panelist Melissa, who blogs at Imagination Soup. She did a round up of some pretty great books, one of which was nominee Dory Fantastmagory, by Abby Hanlon. Melissa writes: Dory’s brother and sister invent a baby-stealing robber named Mrs. Gobble Gracker to try to scare Dory only …
Review: Noggin
Today’s review is of YA Speculative fiction nominee and National Book Award finalist Noggin, by John Corey Whaley. Our reviewer is YA speculative fiction round one panelist, and librarian Karen who blogs at Teen Librarian Toolbox. She writes: This book is not at all what I expected, but it IS a richly emotional look at coming of age and coming …