“Hey, I know Gary! He’s the YA Fiction chair.” Yes, he was. And during the COVID CYBILS, he was co-chair for both YA Fiction and YA Speculative Fiction! Introducing Gary Anderson, CYBILS Board Member Gary served as a judge for a number of CYBILS Awards categories before becoming YA Fiction Chair. His panels are as diverse as his reading: graphic …
Middle-Grade Fiction & More: #CYBILS2023 Recommendations from Melissa Fox
You might know Melissa as the gal who creates those awesome themed book lists. Well, now she’s donning a new hat as the Category Chair for Middle-Grade Fiction and she is already busy spotting books she thinks would make great choices for her panel to read this fall. INTRODUCING MELISSA FOX, MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION CHAIR Melissa knows books. She went back …
#CYBILS2023 Speculative Fiction Recommendations from Charlotte Taylor
Speculative Fiction by another name is science fiction and fantasy. Introducing Charlotte Taylor, EMG Speculative Fiction Chair Charlotte has been a fan of fantasy and reading all her life. Just ask her sisters – she preferred escaping into a book to playing with them. As Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction chair, it is easy for Charlotte to combine her love of those …
#CYBILS2023 Nonfiction Recommendations from Reshama Deshmukh
We’re back with more books that our Category Chairs have their eyes on! All of the books listed in this post can also be found on our 2023 CYBILS Eligible shelf on Goodreads. INTRODUCING RESHAMA DESHMUKH, NONFICTION CHAIR Reshama describes herself not just as a voracious reader, but one who values access to books. She grew up in India, where …
A DASH OF TROUBLE by Anna Meriano #CYBILS 📚🎶
It’s not Friday, but today seems like the perfect day to share Riya’s newest playlist! A DASH OF TROUBLE; LOVE SUGAR MAGIC, Book 1 by Anna Meriano Walden Pond Press Finalist Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction 2018 CYBILS Awards See also A SPRINKLE OF SPIRITS (LOVE SUGAR MAGIC, Book 2) 2019 Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction finalist The Book Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction family, fantasy, …
#CYBILS2023 Recommendations from Tanita S. Davis
Uh, huh. THAT Tanita Davis. Author of MARE’S WAR, her NAACP Image Award-nominated and Coretta Scott King Award-winning young adult novel. She’s also a long-time member of the CYBILS Awards board, helping us continue our work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and outreach. Introducing: Tanita S. Davis, Board Secretary Tanita describes herself as being an asocial hermit, who, like most of us …
Graphic Novels & More: #CYBILS2023 Recommendations from Kristen Harvey
Okay, comics fans! Are you ready to topple that TBR? Don’t you just love that visual (pun intended)! This week’s list of Boy-I-Hope-These-Get-Nominated titles includes fiction and nonfiction, realism and fantasy, and starts with a learn-to-draw title! Introducing Kristen Harvey Kristen has participated in the CYBILS Awards since 2013 and is returning for her third year at the helm of …
#CYBILSAWARDS Backlist Book List: Memorial Day Edition
Memorial Day weekend is our unofficial leap into summer each year. Memorial Day itself is bittersweet, as we remember those who have died in service to our country and also celebrate their memories as fathers, sons, brothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, and sisters. To mark the occasion this year, we went into the CYBILS Awards database to find books that share …
REFUGEE by Alan Gratz CYBILS 📚🎶
REFUGEE by Shannon Stocker illustrated by Devon Holzwarth Scholastic Winner – Middle Grade Fiction 2017 CYBILS Awards The Book Middle Grade Fiction historical fiction, realistic fiction, war Three children, three countries, three points in history. Three stories in one. Refugee by Alan Gratz is an important story for our times. The writing is tension-filled and although the young characters are …
EVERYWHERE BLUE by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz #CYBILS 📚🎶
Right after we launched our book playlist feature, Joanne Rossmassler Fritz contacted us to share the Spotify playlist her son created for her book EVERYWHERE BLUE. Riya describes it as “stunning.”  EVERYWHERE BLUE By Joanne Rossmassler Fritz Holiday House Winner – Poetry 2021 CYBILS Awards The Book Young Adult Climate Change, Family, Growing Up, Mental Health, Music, Mystery, Realistic Fiction …