Another popular category with 63 titles. Here’s the short list: Drowned Maiden’s Hair, A Laura Amy Schlitz Candlewick This gothic page-turner features a feisty orphan, a houseful of secrets, and a villain preying on unsuspecting victims. Framed Frank Cottrell Boyce Harper Collins Take a small grey Welsh town. Add great works of art. Stir. Heat Mike Lupica Philomel A heartwarming …
Finalists: Young Adult Fiction
Eighty nominated YA books contended for a Top 5 berth: Book Thief, The written by Markus ZusakKnopf Books for Young Readers Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life, A written by Dana ReinhardtWendy Lamb Books Hattie Big Sky written by Kirby LarsonDelacorte Books for Young Readers Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist written by Rachel Cohn and David LevithanKnopf Books for Young …
Finalists: Fiction Picture Books
Nominations: 111. Finalists: 5. Phew. Many thanks to the fiction picture book panelists who winnowed the looooong list: Emily’s Balloon Written and illustrated by Komako Sakai Chronicle Books A bittersweet glimpse into the mind of a toddler who has befriended a yellow balloon. Learning to Fly Written and illustrated by Sebastian Meschenmoser Kane/Miller A simple book with an important message, …
Non-fiction Picture Book Finalists
Out of 40 nominations in this category, here are the five finalists: 3-D ABC: A Sculptural Alphabet written and illustrated by Bob Raczka Milbrook Press This art exhibit in a book begins with "A is for Arrow" and ends with "Z is for Zigzags." In between a and z, readers are treated to a visual feast, with the different types …
Poetry Finalists
Here are the Top Five poetry books, out of 26 nominations: Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadowwritten by Joyce Sidman; illustrated by Beth KrommesHoughton Mifflin Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich written and illustrated by Adam RexHarcourt Children’s Books Handsprings written and illustrated by Douglas FlorianGreenwillow Books/ HarperCollins Jazz written by Walter Dean Myers; illustrated by Christopher MyersHoliday House Tour America: A Journey …
Happy New Year!
We’re going to welcome 2007 in a big way here, with the short lists of all eight categories. There’s just one hitch: I set all the posts to begin at 9:15 a.m., but then forgot to change the default from Central time. Whoops! I meant Eastern time. Rather than reset each one, I’m just going to let you suffer a …
Short list countdown …
Only two more days until we publish the finalists in all eight categories. I wanted to take this time to thank all our hard-working panelists for sifting through roughly 700 books in only six weeks, and to our organizers for birthing this baby in record time and with almost zero complications. But the biggest shout-out goes to Kelly Herold, whose …
Review of the Day
Silver City
Our own Sheila Ruth contributes today’s review, a fantasy about children defending their planet. Sheila writes Wands and Worlds, perhaps one of the best-known blogs for fans of science fiction and fantasy, and was the first volunteer to sign up for Cybils duty. We’ve all been awed by her keen insight, publishing acumen and organizational wizardry. She prompted us to …
Review of the Day
Dairy Queen
Today we bring you a review of a Young Adult Fiction title by our own Graphic Novels coordinator, Liz B. Liz reviews books for a wide range of age levels at her wonderfully named blog, A Chair, A Fireplace and a Tea Cozy. She’s always up on the kidlitosphere’s news and hot topics, and also features a Buffy Quote of …
Merry Christmas
Most of us at Team Cybils have spent this holiday season with our noses deep in a book. We’d like to come up for air long enough to wish you all a happy holiday, whereever you are and however you celebrate. We’re sure there’ll be a stack of books under your tree. But if you’re stuck on what to get, …