What we should have said in Friday’s post is that for now meant until Sunday… A couple more quick changes before we get the ball rolling this year. First, we’d like to welcome two more new chairs! Jennie Rothschild will be heading up the YA Non-Fiction category and Jodie Rodriguez as our Easy Readers and Early Chapter Book chair. The bigger change, …
Change Is Fun!!
Or: What’s New at the Cybils this year. We aren’t really changing anything substantial, but we thought we’d try out a few new things, just to see how they go. First: with the increasing number of good non-fiction titles out there, we felt that it would be best if we split both of the non-fiction titles into two award. The …
Watch This Space….
*sweeps floor* *dusts off bookcases* *straightens papers* *gathers cats* It’s Cybils Time again! Keep an eye out over the next week or so. We’ve got a few changes to the award to announce (Change Is Fun!) and we’re going to be looking for able and willing bloggers to help out (as always). So excited! *throws cats in the air* *arms …
List Fun: Baseball Stories You (Probably) Didn’t Know
Take me out to the ballgame! Cybils supporter Annette Bay Pimentel, who blogs about picture books (as well as writing them), has put together another great list of Cybils titles for us. For kids who enjoy the crack of the bat, these books are sure to be a home run. Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu. …
List Fun: Diverse Cybils Picture Book Finalists
Having served on my first Cybils committee this year, I can attest that a great deal of thought, discussion, and debate goes into narrowing down the finalists to the eventual winner. This experience has made me realize that finalists and winners of any award should be considered on nearly-equal footing. This Top 10 list was created not only to honor …
List Fun: Diverse YA Speculative Fiction by Diverse Authors
At the Cybils Awards, we care a great deal about diversity in children’s books. We put great importance on finding and promoting books which meet our high standards and which have protagonists from under-represented groups. In addition to the importance of diverse characters, though, it’s equally important to find and recognize books written by voices from marginalized groups. Such books …
List Fun: Women in the Spotlight
Summerstock theater, blockbuster movies, dance camp, the circus. Summertime is the perfect time to perform in or watch a show. I’ve rounded up here some fascinating Cybils titles about great women performers who broke barriers and overcame obstacles for their moment in the spotlight. Pick one up to share with your kids before your next show. —Annette Bay Pimentel Ballet …
Interview with JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith
First off, congrats! We adored Sidewalk Flowers. Can you tell us a bit about how you came up with the idea for the book? JL: Thank you so much! It was a thrill to find out that Sidewalk Flowers got the Cybils Fiction Picture Book Award! The idea for the book came from a walk I was taking with my …
List Fun: Cybils Books of Jewish Interest
As a synagogue librarian and Past President of the Association of Jewish Libraries, I am very happy that the diverse selections of the Cybils judges include quite a few books of Jewish content. By now we’ve all heard the “windows and mirrors” maxim, that authentic literature about any minority provides insight for outsiders and validation for members. Jews have a …
Interview with Kevin Sands
First off, congrats! We really loved The Blackthorn Key. Can you tell us a bit about how you came up with the idea?Thank you! I’m absolutely thrilled to have won the Cybils. The idea for The Blackthorn Key actually came during one of those times where I was specifically trying to think up new ideas (which almost never works). It …