Today’s finalist is Free Lunch (Amazon, IndieBound), which is a finalist in Middle Grade Non-Fiction. Round one panelist Carrie, who blogs at Other Women’s Stories, reviewed it. She wrote: The book is heartrending, and yet, you get the feeling that young Rex is going to make it to a better way of living. Check out the full review here.
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: The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
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: The Faithful Spy
Today’s featured review was posted on YA Books Central a few months ago by category organizer and Junior/Senior High Nonfiction judge Karen Yingling, a middle school librarian who also blogs at Ms. Yingling Reads. Ms. Yingling reviewed Senior High Nonfiction finalist The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix: The Faithful Spy is very …
REVIEW: The Prince and the Dressmaker
Our featured review for today comes from Cybils veteran and Graphic Novels Round 2 judge Kim Baccellia, an author and blogger who is also a staff reviewer at YA Books Central. Last year, she reviewed Young Adult Graphic Novels finalist The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang: Lush illustrations set in Paris are the backdrop where two very unlikely …
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 …
REVIEW: The True Tale of a Giantess
Today’s featured finalist review is from the Elementary Nonfiction category: The True Tale of a Giantess: The Story of Anna Swan written by Anne Renaud and illustrated by Marie Lafrance. The author of the review is Round 1 judge Ellen Zschunke, an elementary school librarian and Cybils returnee who blogs at On The Shelf 4 Kids. When she reviewed this …
REVIEW: Fox the Tiger
Happy Friday! Today’s featured title is Easy Readers finalist Fox the Tiger (My First I Can Read) by Corey R. Tabor. The review was written by Round 1 judge Jennifer Miller, a reviewer, writer, and specialist in children’s books who blogs at Raise Them Righteous. In her recent review, she wrote: Fox the Tiger is a sweet story perfect for …