Today’s review comes from first-round panelist Kimberley, who blogs at Books First in Maine. A teacher, parent, and avid reader, Kimberly recently read Easy Reader/Beginning chapter book nominee, Fly Away, by Patricia MacLachlan. She wrote: Patricia MacLachlan has the ability to really move me. She does it so subtly, you almost feel duped. “Hey!” you think, “Why am I crying?” Then …
2014 Publisher’s Weekly Best-of Lists
I figured that since we highlighted the New York Times best picture books last week, we’d do the same with the PW best-of lists. It turns out that we fared better with these. Here’s the ones that made the cut: Picture Books Rules of Summer A Boy and His Jaguar The Farmer and the Clown Take Away the A My Teacher …
Exclusive: Cover Reveal, The Temple of Doubt
We’re always excited when anyone in our Cybils community has a new project forthcoming. But, when it’s our Executive Director, the instigator of the Cybils, the boss lady, the tsar (and however many other titles she’s been known by over the years), then it’s something special. Anne’s publisher, Sky Pony Press (an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing), has allowed us, here …
Review: Viva Frida
A first-round Elementary/Middle Grade Non-fiction panelist, librarian and parent, Ellen, still manages to find time to blog at On the Shelf 4 Kids. She recently read nominee Elementary/Middle Grade nonfiction nominee Viva Frida, by Yuyi Morales. She writes: I like the way the visuals flow through Frida’s boisterous life and into a dreamlike state. Much like the wounded deer she often …
Review: Girls Like Us
Author and blogger Lyn reviews at The Pirate Tree, along with a handful of other bloggers interested in children’s literature and social justice issues. A first round Young Adult Fiction panelist, Lyn reviewed nominee Girls Like Us by Gail Giles. She writes: Gail Giles’s narrative alternates between Biddy and Quincy as they tape-record their tumultuous first months together—a time when Quincy …
Review: The Family Romanov
Blogging at The Fourth Musketter , librarian and Young Adult Nonfition panelist, Margo specializes in historical fiction for young people. She reivews Young Adult Nonfiction nominee The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia, by Candace Fleming, writing: Fleming expertly weaves together the intimate life of Russia’s last czar and his family with the saga of the revolution brewing …
2014 New York Times Best Illustrated Books
It’s late on a Sunday afternoon, and I had almost forgotten in the busyness of the weekend that I wanted to highlight the Cybils nominees on the 2014 New York Times best illustrated books of the year! The Baby Tree, by Sophie Blackall The Pilot and the Little Prince, by Peter Sis Hmmm…. I thought we had done better …
Review: Strange Sweet Song
Kimberly, half of the dynamic duo at Stacked, is a first round Young Adult Speculative fiction panelist. And, as anyone familiar with the Cybils knows, that means she’s doing a LOT of reading. She recently highlighted a few books she finished, along with Speculative fiction nominee Strange Sweet Song, by Adi Rule. She writes: This book lives up to its title. …
Review: Shh! We Have a Plan
Travis Jonker, Cybils veteran and elementary school librarian, knows his way around picture books. Of nominated fiction picture book Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton, Travis writes: Admission: I’ve edited books on the fly. In a school library setting, the clock is king, and I’ve had to trim a sentence or paragraph when running out of time with …
Review: El Deafo
Long-time Cybils volunteer and round one panelist Alysa Stewart at Everead has today’s review of the day. She reviewed Graphic Novel nominee El Deafo, by Cece Bell, with her son. Their final word? This is a landmark book. It feels very true-to-life, gives you all the feels, and helps you sympathize with the deaf and hard of hearing. Two thumbs …