Today’s featured nominee is from the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category: Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older. Greg Pattridge, a Cybils veteran and Round 2 judge in Middle Grade Fiction, reviewed this book a couple of days ago on his blog, Always in the Middle: [T]his interesting new series combines fantasy and real life events for readers. It’s a …
REVIEW: The Secret Life of the Little Brown Bat
We’re rapidly approaching Halloween, so here’s a nominee in the Elementary Nonfiction category that is relatively on topic: The Secret Life of the Little Brown Bat written by Laurence Pringle and illustrated by Kate Garchinsky. Featured by Round 1 Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction judge Roberta Gibson on her Growing With Science blog, this should be an appealing title for readers aged …
REVIEW: Spirit Hunters
Round 1 Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction judge Katy Kramp is a public librarian who blogs at A Library Mama, and she brings us our featured review of the day. A couple of months ago she reviewed finalist title Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh: Here’s a super-creepy book by We Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh for those who want to …
REVIEW: Shark Lady
The category of the day today is Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction, and the featured blogger is Jen Naughton, a writer and homeschool educator who blogs at Geek Reads Kids. Recently, she reviewed Elementary Nonfiction finalist Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist, written by Jess Keating and illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens: I’d …
REVIEW: All’s Faire in Middle School
Today’s featured review looks at a new Middle Grade Graphic Novel nominee from 2015 Cybils winner Victoria Jamieson. Her newest book is All’s Faire in Middle School, and if you’re a Renaissance Faire fan, you won’t want to miss it. Round 1 judge Corrina Allen, who is a podcaster at Books Between and blogger at All the Wonders, reviewed this …
REVIEW: Ghosts of Greenglass House
The co-editor of this very blog, Melissa Fox, is also a Round 1 judge this year in Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Melissa is a bookseller, mom, and reader in Kansas who blogs at The Book Nut (and, of course, here!). A couple of months ago she reviewed Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford, the sequel to Greenglass House and …
REVIEW: Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code
Round 1 judge in Elementary and Middle Grade Nonfiction, Ellen Zschunke, is an elementary school librarian in Pennsylvania who blogs at On the Shelf 4 Kids. A few weeks ago, she reviewed Elementary Nonfiction nominee Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code written by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by Katy Wu. Grace is notable for more than just witty remarks; she …
REVIEW: Fish Girl
The featured blog review of the day looks at a nominee in the Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels category: Fish Girl by David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli. Earlier this year, Fish Girl was reviewed by one of our Round 1 judges, Mel Schuit, a picture book author and illustrator who blogs at All the Wonders and Let’s Talk Picture Books. …
REVIEW: Elizabeth and Zenobia
Our featured reviewer for today, Jenna Grose, is a Round 2 Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction judge and aspiring librarian from Canada. She blogs about a variety of books for children and adults at her blog, Falling Letters. Elizabeth and Zenobia by Jessica Miller is a nominee that follows the spooky Gothic tradition; in her review, Jenna said: A delightful tale …
REVIEW: Lockwood & Co., Book Five: The Empty Grave
In honor of Halloween tomorrow, here’s a review of a spooky spec fic nominee for the Elementary/Middle Grade SF category. Lockwood & Co., Book Five: The Empty Grave, by Jonathan Stroud, is the latest installment in the series, and is sure to please fans of the Lockwood books. Our Middle Grade Fiction category chair, middle school librarian Karen Yingling, reviewed …