Our featured blogger review for today spotlights Middle Grade Fiction nominee Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park: This is a brilliant story that takes place in a town based off of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books, only it is told with eyes wide open to the discrimination that many different ethnicities faced in the times. Click here to read …
REVIEW: Fighting Words
Today’s featured review looks at a nominee from the Middle Grade Fiction category–Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley: Wow. Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is better than any writer I know at instilling in my heart a fierce, compassionate love for girls who have come through abuse. That may sound like it’s a sordid, gritty story – but she manages to write …
REVIEW: Ways to Make Sunshine
We dipped into our reservoir of Middle Grade Fiction nominees for today’s review, featuring Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson: The scenes in the book are set up to showcase the particular joys and problems of growing up Black, but the story should be enjoyable for all kids, person of color or not. And Ryan is growing up in …
REVIEW: Clean Getaway
This year, one of our nominees in the Middle Grade Fiction category is from well-known YA author Nic Stone. In Clean Getaway, Stone presents readers with a middle grade road trip story featuring a mixed race kid: A road trip across the south, one unconventional Grandma (G’ma), plus plenty of secrets/mystery make this a fun (and funny) middle grade read …
REVIEW: Maybe He Just Likes You
Today we’re featuring a review by Middle Grade Fiction judge Jaymie, who blogs at The Neverending TBR. She reviewed finalist Maybe He Just Likes You (Amazon, IndieBound), writing: This is an important book for middle grade readers, especially upper elementary students and middle school students. It gives language to kids for this very specific and nuanced kind of bullying and harassment. …
REVIEW: Roll with It
Today’s review of Middle Grade Fiction finalist Roll with It (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from round one Middle Grade Fiction panelist Julie, who blogs at Reading by the Pond. She wrote: Any book that starts with a Great British Bake-Off reference is okay with me. Read the whole review here.
REVIEW: A Good Kind of Trouble
Today’s review comes from Middle Grade Fiction round one panelist Dr. Genevieve Ford, who does short reviews on her twitter feed. She recently read Middle Grade Fiction nominee A Good Kind of Trouble (Amazon, IndieBound), writing: A thoughtful look at #BlackLivesMatter protests and how families deal with conflict in their communities. You can see the whole tweet here.
REVIEW: Genesis Begins Again
Today’s review comes from Middle Grade Fiction Round 1 panelist Julie, who blogs at Reading by the Pond. Of Middle Grade Fiction nominee Genesis Begins Again (Amazon, IndieBound), she writes: This was really something. A glimpse into color – and variations of color and how they impact our perceptions – of ourselves, of others. You can read the full review here.
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 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 …