We've been working hard behind the scenes on the judging assignments, and we've put together an enthusiastic panel of fans and bloggers to read the best in graphic novels for both young adult and elementary/middle grade audiences. Panel Organizer: Liz Jones, Liz Jones Books Panelists (Round I Judges): Alyssa Feller, The Shady Glade Maggi Idzikowski, Mama Librarian Liz Jones (see …
Introducing Anastasia Suen, Easy Readers and Short Chapter Books
Today we're happy to welcome back Anastasia Suen, category organizer for Easy Readers and Short Chapter Books: As an author, consultant, and teacher for children and adults, I wear many hats. With my author hat, I've written 115 books for children and adults. I've worn my teacher hat in elementary school (for Kindergarten, first, fifth and sixth grades) as well …
Easy Readers and Short Chapter Books Panel
The Cybils panels are beginning to take shape with a fabulous cast of bloggers, both familiar faces and Cybils newbies. Today we're starting off with the Easy Readers and Short Chapter Books panel. Our Easy Readers category was brand new last year, and this year we've made a few refinements, including changing the name for the sake of clarity. For …
Introducing Susan Thomsen, MG/YA Non-Fiction Category
Happy Monday! Please join us in a warm welcome for new Middle-Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction category organizer Susan Thomsen: Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, with leaves crunching under my feet, apples to be picked, and the resplendent glory of the Cybils nominations! That's where so many good new books come to my attention. Just one example: …
Introducing Liz Jones, Graphic Novels Category
Today we meet Liz Jones, our organizer for the Graphic Novels category: I am a children's writer and illustrator, a cyberschool writing teacher and a professor of children's literature at the University of Pittsburgh's Greensburg campus. I chalk up my drawing skills to years of doodling in the margins of notebooks. These days, my work usually appears in my blog …
Introducing Jackie Parker, Young Adult Fiction Category
We're happy to welcome back Jackie Parker as category organizer for YA Fiction. In honor of her upcoming nuptials, we present her bio as seen through the eyes…well, pen…well, keyboard…of her fiancé Kyle Robinson. Read on to find out more: Jackie Parker blogs regularly on her YA book review website, interactivereader.blogspot.com. The name, Interactive Reader, comes from the physical and …
Bling for Your Blog
Help us spread the word about the Cybils and get people thinking about their favorite nominations–put one of these fab buttons on your blog or website. Pretty please? Smaller version (175px high) Larger version (300px high) Just right-click and save-image-as to capture the icon on your own computer. Questions? Problems? Let us know in the comments and we'll do our …
Introducing Jen Robinson, Literacy Evangelist
The panels of Round I and II judges are rapidly taking shape, and we'll be announcing those soon! In the meantime, we're going to start introducing the Cybils '09 organizing team. Today, we meet Jen Robinson, our hardworking Literacy Evangelist: I'm Jen Robinson, and I've been blogging for nearly 4 years at Jen Robinson's Book Page. My blog is dedicated …
A Little Night-Light Music
We have a really good friend over at Zooglobble, which does for kids music what many of us try to do for books. In fact, Stefan, who runs the show, was a judge in Fiction Picture Books last year and counts himself a Cybils fan. This year, he's asking our help for a very important and amazingly cool task. He's on a quest …
The Cybils are Wiki-Fabulous
The word is spreading, and thanks to everyone who's made the Cybils such a well-organized and respected endeavor over the past three years, we're now officially a fixture on Wikipedia! That's right, the Cybils has a Wikipedia entry, complete with lists of award winners, a little history, and everything else the world needs to know about us. So go check …