If ever there was a “year in women’s sports,” 2024 would certainly rank among them. From the Summer Olympic games to the WNBA – and beyond – there is a surge of interest in female athletes. And not just among girls. Sports fans love their sports and the athletes who play the game. Introduce young readers with the women who …
Name that Food: A #CYBILS2024 Foodie’s Booklist
Apparently, we love reading about food as much as we enjoy eating it. This year there are nearly 50 books that dish out a food-ish element. Books with a food in the title. Books with characters with food-y names. Books about cooks and chefs. Books about growing, eating, and making food. Books that celebrate sharing food. All of the above. …
Who’s Got Game?
Sure, these are books about sports, but at their heart, they are stories about people. About persevering in the face of _______. About overcoming obstacles, real and imagined. About finding purpose beyond sports. About realizing there is more to life than [sport.] From ball sports to track and field, wheel sports to ancient games. Explore a sport you love or …
From Classics to MMORPG: #CYBILS2024 Games & Puzzles Book List
Welcome to the #CYBILS2024 Game & Puzzle Emporium … book list style. Make your move on with classic puzzles like Rubik’s Cube, perennial favorite chess; online and roleplaying games, and, last but not least, adventurous quests and escape rooms. And in case you were wondering, there is (a lot) more to these stories than competition and winning. friendship challenges loyalty …
Indigenous Voices Book List #CYBILS2024
November is National American Indian Heritage Month, a time to “celebrate the traditions, languages and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and affiliated Island communities.” As we have done in the past, we are celebrating the histories, rich cultures, and vast contributions of Native peoples in books for children and teens. This list includes books written and illustrated …
Our Not-as-Scary Book List, Part 2
More eerie. Less scary. Mystery and Adventure the unusual and unexplained ghosts, goblins, and witches Monsters and Zombies … and even laugh-out-loud humor! This is the book list for those of us who love mystery with a side of magic and fantasy, but don’t like – or aren’t ready for – truly dark and scary stuff. There are lots of …
Read. If you dare. Our Spooky, Scary Book List Part 1
Spine chilling. Hair-raising. Frightening. Read with the lights on. Nightmare-inducing. If these are the kinds of middle-grade and YA stories you love, have we got the book(s) for you! From creepy to terrifying and chilling to horror. You’ll find realistic, apocalyptic, classic, modern tales and urban legends … all perfect for this, the spooky season! My thanks to judges Hailey …
Spring Forward with these #CYBILS2024 Nomination-eligible Books
Over the last five months we posted review exerpts for more than 450 books nominated or submitted for the 2023 CYBILS Awards. All told, we shared reviews from our judges for more than one-third of the books considered for our 2023 awards. Not an all-time high, but pretty durned good. Look for more #CYBILS2023 titles in future booklists. In the …
Book Reviews: #CYBILS2023 Early Chapter Book Finalists
Here we are, friends! It seems only appropriate that Early Chapter Books be the “final chapter” in our posts sharing judges reviews of 2023 CYBILS Awards finalists and winners. There are a few familiar series and new faces, too. These stories also welcome young readers into stories that may be comfortable and fun, and others that will expose them to …
Book Reviews: #CYBILS2023 EMG Graphic Novel Finalists
Just so you know, we stopped counting the “readers will relate to” references in the reviews at around 15 … and they kept going. Seriously, though, is there anything better than a book where a reader can see themselves and grow with a bookish alter ego? Diverse casts, family, friendship, adventure, gaming, and nonfiction. Angst and courage, fears and acceptance. …