Maybe He Just Likes You (Amazon, IndieBound) by Barbara Dee Aladdin Nominated by: Joanna Marple Starting middle school can be tough and scary for anyone. For Mila especially so, things are tough at home so school should be her safe place. That is not the case. It starts with an unwanted hug by a classmate and continues and escalates. She …
2019 Finalists: Young Adult Speculative Fiction
Aurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle) (Amazon, IndieBound) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers Nominated by: Rebecca J. Allen Six cadets are brought together by circumstance. A rescued girl joins their crew; she’s powerful, mysterious, and over 200 years old. When the group uncovers a massive conspiracy, it takes all of their skills to …
Finalists Announced Tomorrow!
It’s our favorite day of the year (granted, it’s the first day, so it’s easy to be our favorite!): the day which we get to reveal the results of all our hard work and share with you our 2019 Cybils Finalists! Stay tuned to this space (and our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter) at 9 a.m. PST for the big reveal. …
REVIEW: Dig
A. S. King’s Dig (Amazon, IndieBound) was originally nominated in Young Adult Fiction, but has since found a home in Young Adult Speculative Fiction. Before it was moved, Young Adult Fiction panelist Kara, who blogs at Great Imaginations, reviewed it: One thing I do have to mention though is that this is my first A.S. King novel, and it won’t be …
REVIEW: Cracking the Bell
Today we’re featuring the Young Adult Fiction nominee Cracking the Bell (Amazon, IndieBound). Young Adult Fiction chair Gary Anderson, who blogs at What’s Not Wrong, wrote: As Isaiah considers the life-or-death implications of continuing to play football after suffering concussions, Cracking the Bell honors those attitudes while leading young readers to consider how and when to move on and how to …
REVIEW: All of Me
Today’s review comes from Middle Grade Fiction chair Alex Baugh, who blogs at Randomly Reading. She reviewed Poetry nominee All of Me (Amazon, IndieBound), and wrote this about it: If All of Me rings true to readers, perhaps it is because it is based on the author’s own experiences as a overweight child. Read the full review here.
REVIEW: A Good Kind of Trouble
Today’s review comes from Middle Grade Fiction round one panelist Dr. Genevieve Ford, who does short reviews on her twitter feed. She recently read Middle Grade Fiction nominee A Good Kind of Trouble (Amazon, IndieBound), writing: A thoughtful look at #BlackLivesMatter protests and how families deal with conflict in their communities. You can see the whole tweet here.
REVIEW:
Today’s review of Junior High Non-Fiction nominee Eiffel’s Tower for Young People (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from our illustrious Fiction Picture Book chair Deb Nance, who blogs at Readerbuzz. She writes: It’s a wonderful ride of a story, taking us through the process of trying to get backing for the Eiffel Tower as centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris, through …
REVIEW: Operatic
Today’s review comes from Graphic Novel round one panelist Elizabeth, who blogs at The Dirigible Plum (which is an awesome blog name!). She’s reviewed middle grade graphic novel nominee Operatic (Amazon, IndieBound), writing: A new Kyo Maclear title is always cause for celebration. Operatic is quiet and delicate but powerful. Read the full review here.
REVIEW: Pride Colors
Today’s review is from Fiction Picture Book panelist Valerie, who gamely reviews the board book (it’s challenging to review board books!) Pride Colors (Amazon, IndieBound) at her blog Library Goddess. She writes: So colorful – bright photographs. You can use it to talk about pride and the rainbow flag any time of year, but one to bring out around Pride …