It’s summertime, and summer vacation usually means traveling. Road trips, trips to relatives, visiting family and friends and places. This summer travel will probably involve long airline delays and canceled flights (though it seems everyone I know is spending the summer in Europe…). My preferred way to travel is the road trip; it’s just a lot more laid-back than flying, …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: Summer is for Romance
There is a specific book I usually turn to when the days get long and hot: Romance. Not the edgy, literary “love stories”, no: I want the fluffy, meet-cute, love at first sight, romcom-trope-filled books. An absolute bonus, for me, is first love, which means a lot of YA books. Thankfully, we have those in abundance here at the Cybils. …
#Cybils2022 Idea Boards are here!
Last summer we launched the first-ever CYBILS Awards Idea Boards using padlet.com. Our goal: create a place where readers can share their favorite recent reads. Books they can’t stop talking about. Titles they want other readers to discover for themselves. Books they think might have some award-worthy potential. The Idea Boards turned out to be not just a place to …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Booklist: Happy Juneteenth!
Happy Juneteenth! We thought, since this is being published on the actual federal holiday, and since the holiday is still fairly new, that we’d do a collection of all the books celebrating Juneteenth specifically, and freedom in general. Enjoy! All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson Simon & Schuster 2014 Fiction Picture Book Nominee Freedom …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: Pride!
Happy Pride Month! In celebration, we’re pulling out all the LGBTQIA+ books that were nominated last year (I’d go beyond last year, but that would be a long list!). There are some excellent books on here, just right for reading during June! I’m sure we’ve missed some; if there are omissions, let us know and we’ll add them! The Accursed …
What the #CybilsAwards Means to Me. Gary Anderson, In His Own Words
This post, written by Young Adult Fiction Chair, Gary Anderson, was first seen on What’s Not Wrong? Gary’s blog. We are reprinting with permission. Want to share why you love the Cybils Awards? Leave a comment on Gary’s post, here. The Cybils Awards, YA Lit, and Meby Gary Anderson If you pay attention to the world of literature for young …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: Jewish Heritage Month
Along with everything else, May is Jewish Heritage Month, and so we thought we’d highlight some of the many books by and about Jewish people that we’ve had nominated over the past few years. (I’m using the Sidney Taylor Award as a guide, in case you’d like a longer list of excellent Jewish books). Irena’s Children: Young Readers Edition; A …
Dear Author
Dear Author Friend, I’ve been sharing thoughts about serving as a CYBILS AWARDS Panelist volunteer in some recent letters to bloggers, librarians, and others who are deeply invested in quality books for young readers. I hope that some of those discussions are traveling among friends and colleagues in those groups. Thinking about those peer groups made me realize I was …
Dear Librarian
Dear Library Friend, I’m so was so excited to hear from you! When sharing thoughts about volunteering as a CYBILS AWARDS panelist with my Blogger Friend, I was hoping they might find their way to others. Library friends are the perfect target audience for these discussions since librarians are ALWAYS my best friends, my portal to the reading world that …
Dear Blogger (Part 2)
Dear Blogger Friend, I’m pleased that you understood the intent of my previous letter. I worried I might be sounding pushy, but I was simply reaching out to encourage possible interest. Your questions are great ones and I appreciate your interest in learning more about volunteering as a Cybils Awards panelist. If you’ve hesitated because you have questions about what …