Today’s review comes from Jennifer, an elementary school librarian and first time Fiction Picture Book judge, who blogs at Reederama. She reviewed Jacquline Woodson’s National Book Award shortlist-making book Brown Girl Dreaming. She writes: This is a story that is at once universal and unique. For this reader, born in the same year as Jacqueline Woodson and raised in the inner …
Review: Colors of the Wind
Today’s review comes from Elementary/Middle Grade Non-Fiction round one panelist Reshama, at Stacking Books. I have to admit I featured this 1) because I met Reshama at KidlitCon last week and she’s delightful and 2) I met the author of this book at KidlitCon last week and she’s delightful as well. Of Colors of the Wind, Reshama writes: This is …
Nominations Now Closed
You blew it. You had your chance to nominate, and now it’s gone. You missed the boat, you’re out of time, past deadline, unpunctual, late. Done, finished, kaput. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news here, but nominations are now closed. Of course, if you nominated a book or few, we’re delighted. We collected more than 880 nominations altogether …
So You Need a Book to Nominate?
Your favorite book got nominated already, the nominations close TOMORROW, and you don’t know what to do? We’re here to help! A number of bloggers have complied lists of books that haven’t been nominated (yet), but deserve to be. Feel free to pick and choose from their lists! Nominations close tomorrow, October 15, so you do need to hurry. Theres …
Review: Cress
Today’s review comes from Round 2 Young Adult Fiction panelist (and 16-year-old) Summer, a Palestinian girl who loves all things books. (She’s also Harry Potter’s long-lost twin sister, so we love her for that already.) Summer blogs at MissFictional’s World of YA Books where she writes about all sorts of YA books, including Young Adult Speculative Fiction nominee Cress, by Marissa Meyer. …
Review: Always Emily
Today’s review of the day comes from long-time Cybils’ panelist and judge, Leila Roy. A librarian tucked away in Maine, Leila blogs at both Bookshelves of Doom and Kirkus, where she releases her enthusiastic love (and snark) on books. Of Young Adult Fiction nominee Always Emily by Michaela MacColl, Leila writes: As the cover art and the name “Brontë” suggest, the book features plenty …
Review: Eerie Elementary #1: The School Is Alive!
Today’s featured review of Eerie Elementary #1: The School is Alive! by Jack Chabert comes from round one panelist, Katie Fitzgerald. A former children’s librarian in Washington D. C., Katie now blogs at Story Time Secrets. Of the Easy Reader/Chapter Book nominee, Katie writes: Kids who like scary adventures will feel that they have hit the jackpot with this new series. These plot-driven tales are …
Diverse Book Recommendations for #WeNeedDiverseBooks
If you’re not already aware, there’s a wonderful thing happening in the book world these past few days. A campaign called #WeNeedDiverseBooks (link is here) is trying to bring together likeminded folks to push for change in the publishing industry. We all envision lists that include more books for people of every color, ethnicity, faith, sexuality, and ability level. I …
REVIEW: Dragonbreath #9 by Ursula Vernon
Today's featured review comes from Laura Purdie Salas, a Round 1 judge for Easy Readers and Early Chapter Books. Besides being a past Cybil-ite, she's an author herself–and, in fact, a Cybils winner in 2012 for her poetry collection Bookspeak. So she knows whereof she speaks, when it comes to kids' books. Last week, Laura reviewed Early Chapter Books nominee …
REVIEW: Orleans by Sherri L. Smith
Sherry Early of the long-running Semicolon blog is today's featured reviewer. She's a longtime Cybils supporter and participant and writes excellent, in-depth reviews of titles ranging from picture books to adult fiction. This year she's a Round 1 judge for YA Nonfiction, but she reviews a wide variety of genres, as evidenced by today's review. Earlier this year Sherry reviewed …