Review: Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders

Today’s review of Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders by Geoff Herbach comes from YA Fiction round one panelist Mindi. She’s a junior high literary coach who blogs at Next Best Book in her spare time. Of Fat Boys, she writes:  Have you ever read a book that made you feel slightly uncomfortable because you know that it’s not that far off from the …

Review: I am Malala

Today’s review of the day comes from Aaron, who blogs at Coffee for the Brain, which is a fantastic blog name.  A teacher and Cybils YA Nonfiction round one panelist, Aaron is a busy guy, but has managed to find time to read the children’s edition biography of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Malala Yousafzai, I am Malala. He writes: Malala …

Review: In Real Life

Easy Reader/Early Chapter Book chair Katie who blogs at Story Time Secrets has today’s review. She recently reviewed Graphic Novel nominee In Real Life, by Cory Doctorow, writing: It can be very easy to forget that a person lives behind every avatar, screen name, and online account, and Anda’s experiences playing Coarsegold drive home that fact in a powerful way. This …

Review: Girls Like Us

Author and blogger Lyn reviews at The Pirate Tree, along with a handful of other bloggers interested in children’s literature and social justice issues. A first round Young Adult Fiction panelist, Lyn reviewed  nominee Girls Like Us by Gail Giles. She writes: Gail Giles’s narrative alternates between Biddy and Quincy as they tape-record their tumultuous first months together—a time when Quincy …

Review: The Family Romanov

Blogging at The Fourth Musketter , librarian and  Young Adult Nonfition panelist, Margo specializes in historical fiction for young people. She reivews Young Adult Nonfiction nominee The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia, by Candace Fleming, writing: Fleming expertly weaves together the intimate life of Russia’s last czar and his family with the saga of the revolution brewing …

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. …

Review: Cress

Today’s review comes from Round 2 Young Adult Fiction panelist (and 16-year-old) Summer, a Palestinian girl who loves all things books. (She’s also Harry Potter’s long-lost twin sister, so we love her for that already.) Summer blogs at MissFictional’s World of YA Books where she writes about all sorts of YA books, including Young Adult Speculative Fiction nominee Cress, by Marissa Meyer. …

Review: Always Emily

Today’s review of the day comes from long-time Cybils’ panelist and judge, Leila Roy. A librarian tucked away in Maine, Leila blogs at both Bookshelves of Doom and Kirkus, where she releases her enthusiastic love (and snark) on books. Of Young Adult Fiction nominee Always Emily by Michaela MacColl, Leila writes: As the cover art and the name “Brontë” suggest, the book features plenty …