Rod Serling, creator of "The Twilight Zone," said "Fantasy is the impossible made probable. Science fiction is the improbable made possible." In the Fantasy and Science Fiction category, that sentiment is at the heart of the best novels for children and teens. The winning novel published in 2008 will have amazing world building that brings newly discovered lands and worlds …
2008 Nominations
Easy Readers
Easy readers are books with simple words and short sentences for children who are learning how to read. While picture books are read to a child by an adult, easy readers are meant to be read by the child himself. Easy readers are the bridge between picture books and chapter books. (You’ll know you’ve found an easy reader when you …
Introducing Jackie Parker, Young Adult Fiction Category
Today we meet the category organizer for YA Fiction, Jackie Parker: I’m Jackie Parker, organizer of the YA Fiction category. This is my second year organizing the category, and my third year on the panel. As a teen librarian, YA literature is something I’m constantly immersed in at work, but it’s also something that I spend a lot of my …
The Fantasy and Science Fiction Panel
We’re almost there…today we announce the Fantasy and Science Fiction panelists, and tomorrow, the day nominations open, the panels will be complete with the Graphic Novel panel. Once again, we are thrilled with the members of the F/SF team which includes librarians, writers, teachers, and a high school student. Organizer: Tasha Saecker Kids Lit Panelists: Laini Taylor Growing WingsCharlotte Taylor …
Introducing Pam Coughlan, Fiction Picture Books Category
Today we meet Pam Coughlan, organizer for the Fiction Picture Books category: I am the mother of two girls, ages nine and twelve, and a voracious reader. Hence the Mother and Reader part of my blog name. At MotherReader, I review children’s literature from board books to Young Adult, but my heart is in picture books. Along with my occasional …
The Third Annual Cybils Awards
Welcome to the premier Web awards for children's literature. You, the public, nominated the books. Now we, the bloggers, are busy reading them and will eventually hand out prizes. Nominations are now closed. Please come back as we post reviews and news. Below the jump you'll see contest rules.
Introducing Tasha Saecker, Fantasy and Science Fiction Category
Today we meet our Fantasy and Sci-Fi category organizer, Tasha Saecker: I am the director of the Elisha D. Smith Public Library in Menasha, Wisconsin. Which, by the way, just won Wisconsin Library of the Year for 2008! When I started in librarianship, I was a children’s and teen librarian in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. From there, I returned to my …
The Young Adult Fiction Panel
Today we announce the members of the Young Adult Fiction panel. This panel received the most applications for membership, so it was a struggle to balance experience vs. new perspectives, reviewer vs. writer. In the end, we have a great panel of talented people. Let’s go, YA! Organizer: Jackie Parker Interactive Reader Panelists (Round I judges) Leila Roy Bookshelves of …
Introducing Fiona Bayrock, Non-Fiction Picture Books Category
Today we meet Fiona Bayrock, our category organizer for Non-Fiction Picture Books: Adding international flavoUr to the organizer mix, I’m a Canadian children’s author specializing in "way cool" science aimed at the 10-and-under crowd. Publishing-wise, I’ve got books with Scholastic, Capstone, and Charlesbridge as well as 60+ articles, stories, and poems in magazines such as Highlights for Children, KNOW, and …
Introducing Sarah Stevenson, Deputy Editor
Today we meet Sarah Stevenson, Deputy Editor for the Cybils blog: I’m a freelance writer and artist, as well as co-founder (with writer Tanita S. Davis) of the YA literature blogs Finding Wonderland: The WritingYA Weblog and ReadingYA: Readers’ Rants, both founded in 2005. I also help out with the group blog Guys Lit Wire and participate in online literary …