The co-editor of this very blog, Melissa Fox, is also a Round 1 judge this year in Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Melissa is a bookseller, mom, and reader in Kansas who blogs at The Book Nut (and, of course, here!). A couple of months ago she reviewed Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford, the sequel to Greenglass House and …
REVIEW: Stef Soto, Taco Queen
Happy December! I’m especially excited about today’s featured nominee because the author lives in my area. Reviewed by Cybils veteran and Round 1 judge Sarah Sammis of Puss Reboots, Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres is a nominee this year in Middle Grade Fiction. Sarah reviewed it earlier this year and said: Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres …
REVIEW: Fish Girl
The featured blog review of the day looks at a nominee in the Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels category: Fish Girl by David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli. Earlier this year, Fish Girl was reviewed by one of our Round 1 judges, Mel Schuit, a picture book author and illustrator who blogs at All the Wonders and Let’s Talk Picture Books. …
REVIEW: Elizabeth and Zenobia
Our featured reviewer for today, Jenna Grose, is a Round 2 Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction judge and aspiring librarian from Canada. She blogs about a variety of books for children and adults at her blog, Falling Letters. Elizabeth and Zenobia by Jessica Miller is a nominee that follows the spooky Gothic tradition; in her review, Jenna said: A delightful tale …
REVIEW: The Search for Olinguito
Cybils veteran and Round 1 Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction judge Carol Wilcox is the author of today’s featured review. Carol, an educator and mom, has been blogging at Carol’s Corner since 2007. Yesterday, she posted about Middle Grade Nonfiction nominee The Search for Olinguito: Discovering a New Species by Sandra Markle: Markle follows the scientists’ journey with an an engaging story …
REVIEW: Amina’s Voice
As someone who has relatives from India and Pakistan, I’ve really been wanting to read Middle Grade Fiction nominee Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan. After reading a review on Round 2 judge Alex Baugh’s blog, Randomly Reading, I’m even more excited to read it. According to Alex: Amina’s Voice is one of the first novels to come out of the …
REVIEW: Shackles from the Deep
Today’s featured review comes from Heidi Grange, an elementary school librarian who blogs about a wide range of kids’ books at Geo Librarian. Heidi is a Round 1 judge for Junior/Senior High Nonfiction, and earlier this year she reviewed Junior High nominee Shackles From the Deep: Tracing the Path of a Sunken Slave Ship, a Bitter Past, and a Rich …
REVIEW: Lockwood & Co., Book Five: The Empty Grave
In honor of Halloween tomorrow, here’s a review of a spooky spec fic nominee for the Elementary/Middle Grade SF category. Lockwood & Co., Book Five: The Empty Grave, by Jonathan Stroud, is the latest installment in the series, and is sure to please fans of the Lockwood books. Our Middle Grade Fiction category chair, middle school librarian Karen Yingling, reviewed …
Interview with Joshua Khan
Lily is a strong heroine, both determined and intelligent, yet in Shadow Magic both the political power she ostensibly has, and the magical power that’s forbidden to women which she’s beginning to realize she has lots of, are not yet fully hers to wield. I assume that as the series progress, she will gain more actual power….Was it hard to hold Lily in …
REVIEW: Shadow Magic
This year’s winning title in the category of Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction is Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan, a tale of outlaws, sorcery, adventure…and a giant bat. Round 1 judge Brandy Painter reviewed this one back in the fall on her blog Random Musings of a Bibliophile: “The world Khan created for the book is incredibly interesting and the way …