REVIEW: Spot the Plot: A Riddle Book of Book Riddles

The Miss Rumphius Effect is a fixture of the kidlitosphere. It's where Tricia Stohr-Hunt blogs about poetry and non-fiction for young readers and maintains an impressive array of thematic book lists–check out her list of books about snow and snowflakes for some wintry (but heartwarming) seasonal reads. Tricia, a round I panelist for Poetry, reviewed Cybils nominee Spot the Plot: …

Cybils Appreciation from a Well-Loved Author

In the course of today's blog reading, I was pleased to come across a post in which repeat Cybils honoree (and Newbury Honor recipient) Shannon Hale expressed her appreciation for the Cybils. She said: "I've mentioned before my affection for the Cybil Awards, given out by the children's and YA book bloggers. As national and newpaper review space is diminishing, I think book …

Merry Christmas, Cybilians everywhere

I want to express my profound appreciation to our organizers and first-round judges who'll still be reading and debating books over the course of Christmas break.  You make Cybils happen — and you keep coming back with brilliant, unpredictable and fascinating short lists year after year. Things will be quiet on the blog this week, but we'll be roaring back …

REVIEW
Sacred Mountain: Everest by Christine Taylor-Butler

Biblio File is the blog of Middle Grade/YA Non-Fiction panelist Jennie Rothschild, a children's librarian at a public library who loves to read and review both children's and YA books. On her post entitled "Why I Blog," she noted that she values the conversation and sense of community in the kidlitosphere–something I think we can all relate to. In a …

Advertise for a good cause

Our ads are a main source of revenue for Cybils, and the money goes toward a lovely prize for our winners.  The BlogAds people have included us in a major book promotion featuring some of the most prominent book blogs. Woot!  So, if you want to reach the book-buying hordes, the BlogAds Book Hive would help us and help you.  …

REVIEW
What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe?

Susan Thomsen, our category organizer for MG/YA Non-Fiction, posts about a dizzying array of book-related topics on her blog, Chicken Spaghetti, where she's been posting since 2005. Recently, she reviewed a Non-Fiction/Information Picture Book nominee that's bound to come in handy during these wintry holiday days when kids are on vacation from school and looking for something to do. What …

REVIEW
Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder

Fantasy and Science Fiction Round I panelist Eva Mitnick is a Senior Children's Librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library and, as she describes herself, a "crazed reader of books for kids, teens, and adults." She blogs about books as well as children's library issues at Eva's Book Addiction. Eva also reviews books for School Library Journal, where she wrote …

Fantasy/Science Fiction Round 2 Panels

A note from SFF organizer Sheila Ruth: Since the Cybils was founded four years ago, the number of nominations has increased dramatically each year. Back in that first year, Fantasy/Science Fiction was one unified category, with only 88 nominations in the entire category. By the second year, Fantasy/Science Fiction selected two groups of finalists, one for the elementary/middle age group …

REVIEW
Hatter M. Vol. 2: Mad with Wonder

Kim Baccellia is a familiar face on the Cybils Graphic Novels panel and an avid blogger who posts about graphic novels, YA fiction, and the YA writing life at Si, se puede! Yes we can. She is the author of the YA fantasy Earrings of Ixtumea and the upcoming novel Crossed Out. Kim also reviews books for Young Adult Books …

REVIEW
Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up

Sweet on Books is a virtual book community and "a place to help adults match young readers with books at just the right reading level and interest." The site was founded by two book-loving Melissas, one of whom (Melissa Young) is one of our Round I judges for Easy Readers and Short Chapter Books. She and her co-Melissa blog about …