Today’s featured panelist review is Early Chapter Books nominee Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business, written by Lyla Lee and illustrated by Dung Ho: Through Mindy’s honest, endearing voice, humor, and a lot of heart, Lyla Lee expertly explores topics like grief, cultural identity, loneliness, friendship, and responsibility in age appropriate and fun ways. Click here to read the …
REVIEW: Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera
Today’s featured review looks at Elementary Nonfiction nominee Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann: HONEYBEE: The Busy Life of Apis Millifera by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohman ( 2020) is robust in text, illustrations and backmatter. It pushes all of us to help out our honeybees. The full review was …
REVIEW: The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems
Today’s review The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from Poetry round one panelist Anastasia, who has a blog on her author website. She wrote: Be they practical or fanciful, the poems in this book boast a flair and joy that you won’t find in any instruction manual. Read the whole review here.
REVIEW: Huggle Wuggle, Bedtime Snuggle
Today we’re looking at Board Book Finalist Huggle Wuggle, Bedtime Snuggle (Amazon, IndieBound). I’ve discovered that board books are challenging to review; not many people do it! That is, except for our Fiction Picture Book chair Deb, who blogs at ReaderBuzz. About Huggle Wuggle she wrote: An off-to-bed book that lingers over the joy of the process of getting ready, that …
REVIEW: Frank and Bean
Today’s review is of Easy Reader finalist Frank and Bean (Amazon, IndieBound). Round one panelist Kelley,who blogs at Kidlit Underground, wrote: While this is a classic “opposites clash but learn to complement each other” story, the not-so-subtle bean/fart references will delight kids. Read the whole review here.
REVIEW: A Stone Sat Still
Today’s review of Fiction Picture Book finalist A Stone Sat Still (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from round one panelist Maria, who blogs at Maria Marshall: Making Nature Fun. She wrote: Each time I read it, I find a new treasure in the illustrations and text. I truly hope this book finds a home in every classroom and library. Read the rest …
REVIEW: Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure
We’re highlighting finalists this month, and we’re going to start with Early Chapter Book finalist Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure (Amazon, IndieBound). Round one panelists Kelley, who blogs at KidlitUnderground, wrote this: It’s hard to pull off a children’s book where none of the characters appear to be… you know, actual children, but author/illustrator Alex T. Smith nails it …
REVIEW: H Is For Haiku
Welcome to our last featured blog review of the Finalist judging period! Today’s featured review comes from longtime Cybil-ite, former category organizer, and Round 2 judge Jone MacCulloch, who blogs at Check It Out. A few months ago, she reviewed Poetry finalist H Is For Haiku: A Treasury of Haiku from A to Z, written by Sydell Rosenberg and illustrated …
REVIEW: Peek-a-Who?
We’re returning to the Board Books category for today’s featured review, which introduces finalist title Peek-a-Who? by Elsa Mroziewicz. The reviewer is Ami Jones, a Round 1 judge, youth services librarian, and, amazingly, a recent kidney donor, who blogs at A Mom’s Spare Time. About the book, she said: Normally when patrons ask me where the “lift the flap books” …
REVIEW: Inkling
Our featured blog review for today comes from Round 1 judge Dr. Cheryl Vanatti, an education specialist and former teacher in Florida who blogs at Reading Rumpus. One of the books she recently reviewed was Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction finalist Inkling by Kenneth Oppel: Inkling is a master class in personification. Taking an ink blot and not only giving it …