ICYMI – This year’s slate of Young Adult Fiction finalists includes two debut authors. In fact, the award-winning book is the debut novel of Jas Hammonds. The stories are contemporary, compelling, heart-tugging, and heart-wrenching. Things you’d expect in coming-of-age stories. There’s drama, intense storytelling, mystery, family, and … well, let’s turn it over to our judges to tell you more. …
#CYBILS2023 Book Reviews: Fiction Picture Book Finalists
What are you doing this Monday morning? Us? Oh, we’re “March-ing Fourth” with reviews for the 2023 CYBILS Awards finalists and winner in the Fiction Picture Book Category. From “lovely,” “beautiful,” and “powerful” to “funny,” “hilarious,” and “extra outlandish,” our judges not only share their thoughts, but give you some inside scoop on what their kiddos thought, too! Go on …
Book Reviews: #CYBILS2023 EMG Speculative Fiction Finalists
A quick recap for those who are just now discovering our review series … excerpts of judges reviews. Their own opinions (not their panels). Did not necessarily judge this category. 2023 WINNER The Grace of Wild Things Heather Fawcett Balzer + Bray Nominated by: marsenault13 Deb @ The Book Search – This one’s a charmer. The whole story is just …
Book Reviews: #CYBILS2023 Middle-Grade Nonfiction Finalists
start here 2023 WINNER The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity Nicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist Random House Studio Nominated by: KtStar Hilary @ Goodreads – Loved this. Day writes in a style that is irrestistable to the middle grade reader and never ceases to fascinate. The saying that reality …
Book Reviews: #CYBILS2023 YA Graphic Novel Finalists
Tuesday seems like a great day to enjoy Graphic Novels, yes? Yeah, you’re right. ANY DAY is an awesome day to dive into graphics. So let’s do it! 2023 WINNER In Limbo Deb JJ Lee First Second Books Nominated by: Kristen Tamara @ Bookish Things -The art in this is so gorgeous. It’s pretty much all in blue and gray …
Book Reviews: #CYBILS2023 Easy Reader Finalists
Today for your reading enjoyment we’ve got … 2023 WINNER Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends: Ready-to-Read Graphics Level 1 Kaz Windness, illustrated by Kaz Windness Simon Spotlight Nominated by: Kate Talbot Kirsten @ Goodreads – This is a wonderful story with colorful illustrations and panels that are sometimes put in the middle of another large panel, straying from the classic …
Book Reviews: #CYBILS2023 Elementary Nonfiction Finalists
As is our tradition, we held off sharing judges’ reviews of the #CYBILS2023 finalists until the winners were announced on February 14. With that behind us, we decided to start a new tradition: giving you, our readers, a chance to see all the amazingness in one blog post. Read on to learn about the books themselves, as well as what …
Announcing the 2023 CYBILS Awards Winners
Before we say “congratulations,” we want to shout out a big thanks to everyone who helped make the 2023 CYBILS Awards another great year! 💞 THANK YOU 💞 We can’t say enough about our judges … who can’t say enough about the great books you sent us for consideration. We were thrilled to have many books with positive representation that …
#CYBILS2023 The Ones That Got Away – Poetry Edition
If you’re looking for books that evoke all the emotions, then you need to check out this list of poetry books that our judges loved, but which didn’t make the finalist lists. . If you are saying to yourself but I don’t like poetry, then read on. No, seriously. We think Sarah, Sheri, and Matt can change your mind. History. …
#CYBILS2023 The Ones That Got Away: Middle-Grade Edition
Remember when we said our judges read more than 1,240 books for the 2023 CYBILS Awards? Well, more than 350 of those books were written for the middle-grade audience. As you might expect, there were some books that judges crossed their fingers and toes for in hopes *that book* making the finalist list – that weren’t on those lists. HOWEVER. …