Happy Friday! The featured finalist review for today on the Cybils blog is a book from the Middle Grade Fiction category: The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty. Round 2 judge Jaymie Dieterle, a former elementary school librarian who blogs at The Neverending TBR, reviewed this book last year: Crummy things happen at school. People don’t understand Lucy’s compulsions …
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 …
REVIEW: Darius the Great Is Not Okay
Our featured review for this Wednesday comes from Round 1 judge Adrienne Gillespie, a current 6th grade teacher and former school librarian who blogs at Books and Bassets. A few months ago she reviewed Young Adult Fiction finalist Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram: It was a perfect read for a weekend. I got lost on Darius’ …
REVIEW: Pitch Dark
Today’s featured blog review comes from our very own Cybils blog co-editor (and Young Adult Speculative Fiction judge) Melissa Fox, a bookseller and mom who blogs at The Book Nut. She recently reviewed YA Speculative Fiction finalist Pitch Dark by Courtney Alameda: I really liked this book. A lot. But I have NO idea how to describe it succinctly. See, …
REVIEW: The Orphan Band of Springdale
Welcome to today’s featured blog review, courtesy of Round 1 judge Debbie Tanner, a librarian who blogs at The Book Search. Earlier last year, she posted a review of Middle Grade Fiction nominee The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet: It’s set in World War 2 and I really loved that it tells the story of what it was …
REVIEW: Julián Is a Mermaid
Today’s featured review comes from Round 1 Board Books/Fiction Picture Books judge Nicole Levesque, a 4th grade teacher in Maine who blogs at Bluestocking Thinking. One of the books she reviewed for an installment of “It’s Monday! What are you reading?” last year was Fiction Picture Books finalist Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, which Nicole read to her …
REVIEW: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
Are you as excited as we are by the impending reveal of the 2018 Cybils Finalists? Don’t forget to tune in to the blog tomorrow or follow us on Twitter for the big announcement! In the meantime, we have another featured review today from one of our Round 1 judges, Pamela Thompson McLeod, a writer, editorial intern, and reviewer from …
REVIEW: Dear Martin
Today’s featured review might be a first for the Cybils blog–or, anyway, a rarity: Round 1 Young Adult Fiction judge Stephanie Galvan Russell is a vlogger, and she posted a video review about YA Fiction nominee Dear Martin by Nic Stone. Stephanie is a middle school librarian, former teacher, and YA enthusiast, and her vlog is called Lispy Librarian. Episode …
REVIEW: Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish
Today’s featured review comes from longtime Cybils returnee Sarah Sammis, a librarian in Northern California who is a Round 1 Middle Grade Fiction judge this year. On her blog Puss Reboots, she reviewed Middle Grade Fiction nominee Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya: Marcus Vega is tall for his age and he’s taken on the role of protector …
REVIEW: Ghost Boys
Today’s featured review, I’ve just now realized, is from our third Jennifer in a row, Jenni Frencham–a Round 1 judge in Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction. She’s a blogger at From the Biblio Files, and earlier this year she reviewed Cybils nominee Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes on her Goodreads page: This book covers an obviously timely topic and includes references …