Today we’re featuring a review of YA Speculative Fiction finalist title When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore. The review comes from Original Content, the long-running blog of Round 2 Speculative Fiction judge Gail Gauthier: “When the Moon Was Ours is elegantly written with lush language that’s carried through the whole work. In addition to being a Cybils finalist, …
REVIEW: When Green Becomes Tomatoes
It’s Friday, so of course it’s time for poetry! The Poetry category brings us our featured finalist review today: When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Julie Morstad. Round 1 judge Sondra Eklund, who blogs at Sonderbooks, reviewed this title last year and wrote: “Here’s a lovely book that goes through the seasons …
REVIEW: Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America
The featured Cybils review for today is from the Middle Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction category: Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America by Gail Jarrow. Librarian and Round 1 judge Kelly Jensen reviewed this one in the fall on her blog Stacked: “Those most susceptible to America’s bubonic plague were Asian immigrants, and the choices politicians made to slow down the spread …
REVIEW: Some Kind of Happiness
We’re getting closer and closer to the Big Announcement Day! Don’t forget to check here on the Cybils blog on February 14th for the winners of the 2016 contest. Today’s featured blog review looks at Middle Grade Fiction finalist Some Kind of Happiness by Claire LeGrand. The review was written by MGF judge Valerie Bogert, a teen librarian who blogs …
REVIEW: Lowriders to the Center of the Earth
One of our finalists this year in Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels is the second in a series: Lowriders to the Center of the Earth by Cathy Camper and illustrated by Raul the Third. Round 2 Graphic Novels judge Earl Dizon reviewed this one last summer on his blog The Chronicles of a Children’s Book Writer (along with several other intriguing …
REVIEW: Look, Look Again
This year is our first run with the new Board Books category, and we ended up with a list of five great finalists–one of which is today’s featured title: Look, Look Again by Agnese Baruzzi. This book of shapes, numbers, and guessing games was reviewed last month by Fiction Picture Books/Board Books Round 1 judge Ami Jones on her blog, …
REVIEW: Weekends with Max and His Dad
Today’s featured review–from our own Elementary/Juvenile Nonfiction chair, Jennifer Wharton, looks at Early Chapter books finalist Weekends with Max and His Dad by Linda Urban, illustrated by Katie Kath. This past fall, Jennifer reviewed the book on her blog Jean Little Library: “Max is nervous about spending his weekends with Dad, now that his parents are divorced. It seems like …
REVIEW: The Serpent King
Our featured review for today looks at Young Adult Fiction finalist The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner, a debut novel that has already racked up quite a few awards, such as being a William C. Morris Award finalist. YA Fiction judge and Cybils regular Kim Baccellia reviewed it on Young Adult Books Central: “Dill and his fellow outcast friends must …
REVIEW: When the Sea Turned to Silver
Today’s featured review comes from Round 2 Elementary/Middle Grade Spec Fic judge Mark Buxton, a retired teacher in Ohio who blogs at Say What? One of the fun things about his blog reviews is that he posts, in part, in the voices of book characters themselves. He also, of course, adds his own comments. Regarding finalist title When the Sea …
REVIEW: The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary
I have to admit, I was drawn to the title of this book right away–I attended Emerson Elementary (AN Emerson Elementary, anyway!). The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan is today’s featured finalist in the Poetry category. The review was written by blogger Katharine Manning, a Round 2 Poetry judge as well as a mom, reader, and …