Our final review for the season (yay!) is of Young Adult Fiction finalist On The Come Up (Amazon, IndieBound). And because it’s the last one, here’s a review I did on my blog Book Nut. I wrote: Thomas is a talented writer, telling stories that not only are representative for the world around her and accessible to her target audience, but …
REVIEW: With the Fire on High
Today’s review comes from Young Adult Fiction round 1 panelist Carmen, who writes reviews on Goodreads and has a brilliant Instagram account, Tomes and Textiles. She reviewed Young Adult Fiction finalist With the Fire on High (Amazon, IndieBound), writing: Any book that hypothesizes that women can be teen moms AND good moms gets all the praise from me. Read the whole …
REVIEW: Cracking the Bell
Today we’re featuring the Young Adult Fiction nominee Cracking the Bell (Amazon, IndieBound). Young Adult Fiction chair Gary Anderson, who blogs at What’s Not Wrong, wrote: As Isaiah considers the life-or-death implications of continuing to play football after suffering concussions, Cracking the Bell honors those attitudes while leading young readers to consider how and when to move on and how to …
REVIEW: The Downstairs Girl
Young Adult Fiction Round one panelist Susan, who blogs at Blogging ’bout Books and on Goodreads, reviews today’s selection, Young Adult Fiction nominee The Downstairs Girl (Amazon, IndieBound). She writes: There’s a lot going on in this quick, entertaining YA historical. Maybe too much, but it’s still a compelling, fast-paced novel that I enjoyed very much. Read the whole review here. …
REVIEW: Darius the Great Is Not Okay
Our featured review for this Wednesday comes from Round 1 judge Adrienne Gillespie, a current 6th grade teacher and former school librarian who blogs at Books and Bassets. A few months ago she reviewed Young Adult Fiction finalist Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram: It was a perfect read for a weekend. I got lost on Darius’ …
REVIEW: Dear Martin
Today’s featured review might be a first for the Cybils blog–or, anyway, a rarity: Round 1 Young Adult Fiction judge Stephanie Galvan Russell is a vlogger, and she posted a video review about YA Fiction nominee Dear Martin by Nic Stone. Stephanie is a middle school librarian, former teacher, and YA enthusiast, and her vlog is called Lispy Librarian. Episode …
REVIEW: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
Our featured blog review for today looks at Young Adult Fiction nominee I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez. Round 1 judge Gary Anderson, a writing professor and tutor as well as educational consultant, reviewed this title on his blog What’s Not Wrong: With this important book, author Erika L. Sánchez gives readers an authentic look …
REVIEW: Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All
Round 2 judge Adrienne Gillespie is a Cybils returnee, 6th grade teacher, and former school librarian who blogs at Books and Bassets. Over the summer, she reviewed Young Adult Fiction nominee Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All, a series of stories written from the viewpoint of Henry and his various wives by seven excellent YA authors: M. …
Interview with Renée Watson
What inspired Jade’s story? I wanted to tell a story that explored the intersections of race, class, and gender. Jade is a little bit of me, a little bit of the girls I met when I worked as a mentor, and a lot of my imagination. I also wanted to set her in Portland, Oregon, where I grew up. The …
REVIEW: Piecing Me Together
We’ve come back around to the Young Adult Fiction category for today’s finalist review, which comes courtesy of Round 2 judge Dahlia Adler. Dahlia is a YA/NA author, editor, and a blogger for B&N Teens. A while back, she posted a Goodreads review of YA Fiction finalist Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson: I love Renee Watson’s contemp YAs; I …