Does anyone else remember that one-word exclamation from a 1970s show called Good Times? Here’s a little trivia for you: Jimmie Walker, the character who used that phrase, also used it in a series of Panasonic commercials for, wait for it … cassettes and 8-track tapes. [Source: Wikipedia] So, as you’ve probably already guessed, our “din-o-might” is a bit different …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: #BatterUp
In a little less than a week, baseball fans will be celebrating the 91st Midsummer Classic, also known as Major League Baseball’s 2021 All-Star Game. Last year, because of the pandemic, this annual event didn’t happen. But this year, well … we’re ready! To help get ready for the big game, let’s have some fun with a little trivia. ⚾ …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List for #SharkWeek 🦈
First let’s mark our calendar: July 11, 2021. Shark Week. Less than two weeks away. You probably already know that #SharkWeek was created by the Discovery channel, but did you know … Caged in Fear, the first Shark Week episode, premiered on 17 July 1988? Sometimes Shark Week is in August, not July? From 2005-2011 shark lovers could purchase DVD …
Backlist Book List: #STEM + #DiverseBooks For Young Creators
In 2019, Frankie Sparks and the Class Pet by Megan Frazer Blakemore won the Cybils Award in the Early Chapter Book. In selecting Frankie Sparks as a finalist, the panelists said: … This promising first book in a series will have children learning about animals, design thinking, and emotional intelligence while turning the pages to meet the new pet. …
#Cybils Awards Backlist Book List: Voices for Social Change
Civil Rights. Voting Rights. Individual Rights. Human Rights. These are some of the many issues in our society where people are moved beyond voicing opinions to “doing something” to influence change. Sadly, while they may seem “new” to our children’s consciousness, these ills are not new to us. For better or worse, since 2016, nearly 100 Cybils-nominated books have centered …
REVIEW: The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems
Today’s review The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from Poetry round one panelist Anastasia, who has a blog on her author website. She wrote: Be they practical or fanciful, the poems in this book boast a flair and joy that you won’t find in any instruction manual. Read the whole review here.
REVIEW: Shout
Today we’re looking at poetry finalist Shout (Amazon, IndieBound)! It was reviewed by Round 2 Junior/Senior High Nonfiction judge Anne, who is a voracious reader and blogs at My Head is Full of Books. About Shout, she wrote: I like reading books written in verse, especially when the poetry is good, so I enjoyed my reading experience. I hope this book …
REVIEW: All of Me
Today’s review comes from Middle Grade Fiction chair Alex Baugh, who blogs at Randomly Reading. She reviewed Poetry nominee All of Me (Amazon, IndieBound), and wrote this about it: If All of Me rings true to readers, perhaps it is because it is based on the author’s own experiences as a overweight child. Read the full review here.
REVIEW: Other Words for Home
Today we’re hearing from Poetry round one panelist Tess who posts reviews at Goodreads and on Instagram. She’s read Poetry nominee Other Words for Home (Amazon, IndieBound), and wrote: Building empathy one book, one voice at a time has never felt so critical. You can read the whole review here.
REVIEW: Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections
Today’s review is actually an interview with the author of Poetry nomination Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections (Amazon, IndieBound). Poetry panelist Matt Esenwine, who blogs at Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme, recently interviewed Michelle Schwab about her book. She said this about the collection: Carmen Saldaña did such an amazing job with the illustrations in Finding Treasure that I’m in love with …