Family story time is a special time and if, like me, you have a wide span of years between your kids, finding a book that will satisfy all those young minds and hearts can be a challenge. Here are some books that combine fun adventure and humor sure to appeal and entertain everyone from the youngest kids able to listen …
Review: Death Sworn
Young Adult Speculative Fiction Judge Cecelia, who blogs at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia, is a voracious reader of all types of books, from adult down through middle grade. Back in April of last year she reviewed her category finalist Death Sworn, by Leah Cypess, writing: I own Leah Cypess’ two previous novels, but I never made a concerted effort to …
Review: Jupiter Pirates: Hunt for the Hydra
Today’s featured review of Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction finalist Jupiter Pirates: Hunt for the Hydra, by Jason Fry comes from the category chair, Charlotte. She blogs at Charlotte’s Library where she is an incredible resource for elementary/middle grade speculative fiction books. Of the finalist, she writes: Jupiter Pirates: Hunt For the Hydra, by Jason Fry (HarperCollins, Dec. 2013), is the best “kid …
Review: The Living
Today’s review of Young Adult Speculative Fiction finalist The Living, by Matt De La Peña, comes from our very own social media guru, Jen Robinson. Jen has been blogging at Jen Robinson’s Book Reviews for nine years and has become an indispensable presence in the Kidlit community. She reviewed The Living a year ago, writing: The Living by Matt De La Peña …
Review: Boys of Blur
Today’s featured review is of Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction finalist Boys of Blur by N. D. Wilson. It was featured on quite a few blogs, but I think EMFSF panelist Brandy, blogging over at Random Musings of a Bibliophile said it best: The imagery and descriptiveness of the book are pretty much perfect. As I read, I felt like I …
Review: Don’t Even Think About It
Today’s review comes from Cybils Young Adult Speculative Fiction panelist Liviana, who blogs at In Bed With Books. She read nominee Don’t Even Think About It, by Sarah Mlynowski earlier this year and wrote: Sarah Mlynowski’s newest novel, Don’t Even Think About It pulls off a very neat trick: it’s written in fourth person. It’s a little disorienting at first, but then I …
Review: Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor
Perhaps it was because I was just listening to the PW Kidscast interview with Jon Scieszka but that drew me to the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative fiction nominee Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor. Thankfully, Ms. Yingling, the Middle Grade fiction chair, librarian, and super blogger (at Ms. Yingling Reads) reviewed the book. She wrote: It is a rare book that includes BOTH …
Review: Noggin
Today’s review is of YA Speculative fiction nominee and National Book Award finalist Noggin, by John Corey Whaley. Our reviewer is YA speculative fiction round one panelist, and librarian Karen who blogs at Teen Librarian Toolbox. She writes: This book is not at all what I expected, but it IS a richly emotional look at coming of age and coming …
Review: Greenglass House
Today’s review of National Book award longlisted and Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative fiction nominated Greenglass House, by Kate Milford comes from longtime Cybils volunteer, Sherry. A homeschoooling mom and avid reader, she blogs at Semicolon. She also hosts the Saturday Review of Books, which is a great place to find reviews all over the book blogs. About Greenglass House, she writes: I …
Review: Strange Sweet Song
Kimberly, half of the dynamic duo at Stacked, is a first round Young Adult Speculative fiction panelist. And, as anyone familiar with the Cybils knows, that means she’s doing a LOT of reading. She recently highlighted a few books she finished, along with Speculative fiction nominee Strange Sweet Song, by Adi Rule. She writes: This book lives up to its title. …