Monday Books | #CYBILS2023 Reviews 01.15.2024

Without really intending to, we’re shooting for the stars with today’s selection of featured reviews. From the literal making of stars to wishing upon a star to (kidlit) star power, we explore the concept in all its brilliance! Summaries excerpted from Goodreads. Click the cover to see full descriptions. EARLY CHAPTER BOOK The Mountain Bookie @ Goodreads – This book …

Monday Books | #CYBILS2023 Reviews 1.8.24

It’s time to get back to the books … the #CYBILS2023 books, that is. We’ve introduced the finalists for each of the categories. Truth is, they are a small portion of the books that readers nominated and believe are CYBILS worthy. So we’re going to keep going. If a reader nominated it and a (round 1) judge wrote a review, …

Wee Ones Wednesday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 12.27.2023

Hint: According to our reviewers, young kiddos are going to be captivated by – and draw a lot from – the illustrations in these two picture books. Be prepared to read these again and again, as these books will engage young readers in similar, yet unique ways.  Firehouse Rainbow explores colors, but it also gives young readers a day-in-the-life look at …

Wee Ones Wednesday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 12.20.2023

Chris Van Allsburg said it better than we ever could … “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.” Plus, it’s a “seasonal” quote that perfectly illustrates the concepts behind this week’s featured picture books. Have You Seen My Sock? is all about that sock that inexplicably goes missing. In Invisible Things …

Wee Ones Wednesday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 12.13.2023

The closest we could come to creating a “theme” for this week’s featured board book and fiction picture book is to say they are about love. These books are for readers who ❤️ big machines. ❤️ building and construction ❤️ family and culture ❤️ spending quality time together. Bottom line: there is a lot of love in these “little” books. …

Wee Ones Wednesday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 12.6.2023

Can I tell you a secret? One of my favorite things as a new mom was watching my daughter play with books. If there was a flap to be lifted, a sound to make, something to touch, a silly word … she was on it, and usually giggling. Which leads us to this week’s picks. Both of these books are “built” …

Dinos. And dragons. And monsters. OH MY!

Don’t be scared! This gathering of dinosaurs, dragons, and monsters are (for the most part) pretty harmless. In fact, they’re playful and funny and cute, too. From well-known fantasy writers to debut authors, there are lots of wonderful stories to share … and might we suggest reading aloud? Yes, we might. Summaries are from Goodreads. Click the book cover link …

Full STEAM Ahead: a #CYBILS2023 Book List

First things first: there is no such thing as “boy books” or “girl books.” Books are books. Kids are kids. And for young readers curiosity, fascinating stuff, and (possibly) great illustrations drive interest more than the identity of the main character. Space exploration, mythology, robotics, virtual reality … all equal-interest subjects. Now that we have that out of the way …

#CYBILS2023 Books by Previous Winners

Turning 18 has made us a bit nostalgic … and yet looking forward, too. That got us thinking … wouldn’t it be fun to see how many 2023 CYBILS Awards nominees are written by previous winners? So we dug into the archives to find which CYBILS Awards winners of yore who have new books being considered this year. Quite a …

Baked-In Book Deliciousness: A Foodie Book List

Want to know the yummiest thing about this book list? Aside from the celebration of all things food? That no matter the cuisine, food brings us together. From memories of a special dish to multi-generational stories, there is something for everyone’s taste here. All made delicious with a pinch of sweetness, a dash of humor, and a cup full of …