The world as it was and is. Not as it could, or would, or should be. Send the dystopias and space operas, the fairies and angels, the blood-suckers, zombies, and alternate realities to Seculative Fiction. In YA Fiction we are looking for realistic fiction, be it contemporary or historical, funny or mysterious, romantic or adventurous. We want the real world …
Young Adult Speculative Fiction Category Description
Speculative Fiction takes us to realms of the imagination: places and times and realities where the rules of life may be different than our own and where the impossible and improbable become real. But good science fiction and fantasy does more than that: it asks, “What if?” It makes us think. It holds up a mirror to our own society …
Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
Wonderfully inventive and full of unforgettable people and places–this year’s speculative fiction books for kids are better than ever! Along with the expected spells and space rockets and aliens, this is the category for books with talking animals, time-travel, ghosts, and paranormal abilities, and all the other books that might not have obvious magic on every page, and which are set here …
Middle Grade Fiction Category Description
Middle grade fiction encompasses a wide range of stories that do not have magical elements and are geared toward the 8 to 12 year old age group. These stories could be mysteries, histories, humor, sports, adventure and other tales set in the real world. Middle Grade readers’ tastes and reading abilities can vary widely, and getting them a book that …
Fiction Picture Books Category Description
Ah, fiction picture books. Their skinny spines create a kaleidoscope on bookshelves that is mesmerizing. On each shelf, you are likely to find the tall one next to the short one, the orange one next to a purple or green one, and sweet script cowering next to BIG BOLD TITLES. Fiction Picture Books are a show and tell art form. …
2015 YA Speculative Fiction Judges
Round 1 Sheila Ruth @sheilaruth Wands and Worlds Kim Baccelia @ixtumea Si, Se Puede Maureen Eichner @elvenjaneite By Singing Light Kimberly Francisco @kimberlymarief Stacked Books Allie Jones @wearedevilcow In Bed With Books Cindy Hannikman Fantasy Book Critic Kaye M. @gildedspine Watercolor Moods Round 2 Pam Margolis @Pamlovesbooks An Unconventional Librarian Tanita Davis Finding Wonderland Sarah Stevenson @aquafortis …
2015 Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction Judges
Round 1 Charlotte Taylor @charlotteslib Charlotte’s Library Brenda Tjaden @LogCabinLibrary Log Cabin Library Melissa Fox @book_nut Book Nut Kristen Harvey @bookgoil The Book Monsters Stephanie Whelan @TesseractViews Views from the Tesseract Annamaria Anderson @bookstogether Books Together Katy Kramp @alibrarymama alibrarymama Round 2 Kim Aippersbach Dead Houseplants Hayley Beale @bibliobritish bibliobrit Heidi Grange @GeoLibrarian GeoLibrarian Guinevere Thomas @aravere Twinja Book Reviews …
List Fun: Middle Grade American Historical Fiction
Reading historical fiction as a kid is one of the reasons for my long love of history. Through historical fiction, I could connect with interesting people of the past who struggled against and overcame huge challenges. In the Cybils Elementary and Middle Grade Fiction Category, there are about 100 historical fiction nominees, finalists, and winners that bring a variety of time …
List Fun: Middle Grade Speculative Fiction Deserves it’s Own Book Club
There’s nothing I love better than getting lost in a new world. Bonus points if there’s a pirate or a map or a glossary or a new language! For those moments that I’m reading speculative fiction, I’m no longer trapped in my body: I’m on adventures, I make new friends, and sometimes I conquer fears. For a long time middle …
Interview with Matt de la Peña
First off, congrats!! We are all thrilled The Living won! Could you tell us a bit about how you came up with the idea for this book? MdlP: I’m so honored that The Living won! Thank you, thank you, thank you! The book was a bit of an experiment for me. First of all, I was coming off four much quieter novels, …