Our featured blog review for today looks at Young Adult Fiction nominee I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez. Round 1 judge Gary Anderson, a writing professor and tutor as well as educational consultant, reviewed this title on his blog What’s Not Wrong: With this important book, author Erika L. Sánchez gives readers an authentic look …
REVIEW: Blood Water Paint
Today’s featured book review comes from Young Adult Fiction judge Stormy Campbell, a book lover and writer from Texas who blogs at Book.Blog.Bake. Last month she reviewed Poetry nominee Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough, a novel in verse based on the life of Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi: I confess to knowing absolutely nothing about Artemisia before reading this book. …
REVIEW: Just Like Jackie
Today’s featured review looks at Just Like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard, a nominee in our Middle Grade Fiction category. Earlier this year, Round 1 judge Julie Williams reviewed it on her blog Reading by the Pond. Julie is a teacher librarian from Maine who works at a K-5 school, and she’s a Cybils returnee. About this book, she said: Robinson …
REVIEW: Votes for Women!: American Suffragists and the Battle for the Ballot
Our featured blog review for today was written by Round 1 Junior/Senior High Nonfiction judge Heidi Grange, an elementary school librarian and longtime Cybils participant who blogs at Geo Librarian. With elections in the news this month, it seems appropriate to look at Senior High Nonfiction nominee Votes for Women!: American Suffragists and the Battle for the Ballot by Winifred …
REVIEW: The Cardboard Kingdom
Building a fantastical world from cardboard? Sign me up! Today’s featured blog review looks at Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels nominee The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell. The reviewer is Round 1 Middle Grade Fiction judge Beth Mitchell, a reader, writer, mom and former lawyer who blogs at Imaginary Friends. She says even though she doesn’t tend to go for graphic …
REVIEW: A Fall Ball for All
Friday’s review looked at a seasonal winter title, but fall isn’t over yet! Today’s featured blog review looks at Fiction Picture Books nominee A Fall Ball for All, written by Jamie Swenson and illustrated by Chiara Fedele. Round 1 judge Sandy Brehl reviewed it earlier this fall–she’s an education outreach presenter who works specifically with picture books, and she blogs …
REVIEW: Winterhouse
As the seasons change and start moving toward winter, it seems appropriate to feature a somewhat seasonal book for today’s featured review: Winterhouse, written by Ben Guterson and illustrated by Chloe Bristol, a nominee in our Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category. It was reviewed this past week by Round 1 judge Katy Kramp, a public librarian, reader, and mom who …
REVIEW: Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different
Our fantastic Cybils publicity guru and Round 2 judge Terry Doherty wrote today’s featured blog review. Terry is the Executive Director (and, of course, a blogger) at The Reading Tub, an outstanding resource for children’s literacy, with tons of literacy info as well as reviews of books for kids of all ages. She reviewed Middle Grade Nonfiction nominee Stories for …
REVIEW: The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare
Our featured blog review for today looks at Early Chapter Books nominee The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale and illustrated by the incomparable LeUyen Pham. The review was written just last week by Jennifer Miller, a Round 1 Cybils judge, scholar, and writer who blogs at Raise Them Righteous. About the …
REVIEW: Beneath the Citadel
Today’s featured review is a nominee in the Young Adult Speculative Fiction category: Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria, author of Iron CastGreat Imaginations. Round 1 YA Speculative Fiction judge Kara Malinczak reviewed this title for the blog , where she reviews books from a wide range of genres. About this one, she said: I really liked the idea of …