The 2021 Cybils Winners!

As we wrap up another year, we sit back and marvel at how many people are willing to step up and participate, to help out, to find and read all the books, and to make decisions that pick books we feel are excellent, and yet kid-friendly. We are grateful for everyone’s support and help and are glad we have come …

#KidsLoveNonfiction Campaign Begins Today

We will be announcing the 2021 Cybils Awards winners later today, but we could not let today go without supporting something near and dear to our hearts: Nonfiction for Young Readers. This morning, Mary Ann Cappiello, Professor of Language and Literacy at Lesley University, and Xenia Hadjioannou, Associate Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the Harrisburg campus of Penn …

2021 Winners Announced TOMORROW!

Cybils Awards

Just a quick reminder that the winners of the 2021 Cybils will be announced tomorrow, February 14, 2022 at 9 a.m. PST. Be here! We’re excited about this year’s winners!

#CybilsAwards Book Lists: Celebrating the Black Experience, YA Edition

It’s Black History Month, and I thought it would be good to highlight all the wonderful books we have celebrating all aspects of Black Life. I’m sure I didn’t catch them all, but these are definitely worth checking out! I was going to do them all, but there are so many (yay!) we needed to split them up. Stay tuned. …

#CybilsAwards Book Lists: Princesses and Fairy Tales!

retelling-fractured-fairy-tales

We did a non-fiction heavy list last week, so I thought we’d give fantasy some love. I’ve noticed a huge number of princess and fairy tale books as I’ve gone through the lists, and thought they’d be fun to highlight! Besides, who doesn’t love a good fairy tale retelling or a princess story?   Goldilocks and the Three Engineersby Sue …

#CybilsAwards Book Lists: Non-Traditional Sports

Everyone knows books about the “traditional” sports: basketball, baseball, football, and soccer. But what about the sports that aren’t as big a deal to the general public. They are important to those who participate in them, and they can serve as backdrops for some pretty amazing stories.   Why We Flyby Kimberly Jones and Gilly SegalSourcebooks Fire “Why We Fly …

#CybilsAwards Book Lists: Snow!

It is snowing and cold today, as I put this together, and as I was scrolling through the lists of nominated books, I noticed a handful of snowy and wintery books. It seemed a good day to feature them!   The Snow Dancerby Addie Boswell, illustrated by Mercè LópezTwo Lions “I loved this story of making your own way and …

#CybilsAwards Book lists: The Ones That Got Away

Every year, our round-one panelists read lots of books, debate, whittle down, and pick what they think — collectively — is the best, most kid-friendly books of the nominations. However, since it’s a collective decision, it means individual judges’ personal favorites are bound to not make it to the finalist list. It’s just the way a collective decision goes. However, …

2021 Finalists: Young Adult Fiction

2021 YA fiction finalists

  A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Namey, Laura Taylor Atheneum Books for Young Readers Nominated by: Jen at Introverted Reader Lila Reyes always knew she’d become head baker at her family’s panadería, but then the Trifecta happened. The woman who taught her everything about cooking—her abuela—dies, her best friend upends their plans to move in together, …

2021 Finalists: Board Books and Fiction Picture books

  Board Books Animals Go Vroom! by Cushman, Abi Viking Books for Young Readers Nominated by: Isabella K. Following in the footsteps of Richard Scarry, in ANIMALS GO VROOM!, Cushman illustrates a world in which animals drive cars, ride bikes, and navigate cities, all in their own unique animalistic ways. Cut-outs on solid-color pages provide a teaser for the following …