What do two of our judges say about today’s selections? That if if weren’t for being CYBILS Awards judges, they would not have discovered books they characterized as “gems” and “one of my favorite books of the year.” The authors and illustrators may be familiar to you – Eoin Colfer, Francis Hardinge, PJ Lynch – but their latest works are …
Fri-YA | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 11.17.23
Fiction with all the feels? It must be Fri-YA! Let’s go! Book summaries come from Goodreads. Click the book cover image to add it to your own TBR. YOUNG ADULT FICTION Gina @ G’s Reading Spree – You think the book can’t make you cry until you get to the author’s note 😭The things Heera sees and experiences are things …
Nonfiction Tuesday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 11.14.2023
No historical events. No biographies. Today we’ve got some here-and-now, science-y nonfiction selections. Wild Maps for Curious Minds is a great option for readers who don’t feel the need (or want) to start on page 1. Odds are readers will take a similar approach to How It Happened! Sneakers. They’ll look for their favorite brand of shoe first, then settle …
SpecFic Saturday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 11.11.2023
Anyone else hear the “do-do-dew-do” Twilight-ish music when they look at that date? Phew. Glad I’m not alone. If the walls could talk … Well, apparently the walls at Crossroad House hide all the secrets of the Carrefour Curse and there is something quite creepy about the house Jo just inherited from her grandmother. Horror fans, the day is your. …
VINCENT AND THEO by Deborah Heiligman a #CYBILS 📚🎶
VINCENT AND THEO: THE VAN GOGH BROTHERS By Deborah Heiligman Henry Holt Young Adult NonfictionArt & Creativity, Family, Mental Health Winner – High School Nonfiction2017 CYBILS Awards The Book Vincent and Theo is a story of brotherly love. The Van Gogh children were raised to help and look out for each other. Theo, though younger than Vincent, took this …
Fiction Friday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 11.3.23
Welcome to the first Friday in November and our very first Fri-YA. Sorry, we couldn’t resist. Two things to know about our Friday review posts. First, Fiction Fridays will be sharing space with Poetry Friday. Each edition of Fri-YA will include a young adult fiction title and a YA graphic novel. Second, we’ll showcase a YA Speculative Fiction book every …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Speculative Fiction Panels
Speculative Fiction takes us to realms of the imagination: places and times and realities where the rules of life may be different than our own and where the impossible and improbable become real. But good science fiction and fantasy does more than that: it asks, “What if?” It makes us think. Along with spells and space rockets, this is the …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Graphic Novel Panels
CHAIR: Kristen HarveyGraphic Novels (aka comics) are not just for reluctant readers. Complex storytelling with a rich combination of illustrations, color choices, and story-telling styles render information in new and interesting ways. They have evolved into a beloved genre of reading format and evolved into a unique form of story-telling. The sub-genres within Graphic Novels has also evolved, and there …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Fiction for Tweens and Teens
The Middle-Grade and Young Adult Fiction categories comprise books that are grounded in reality. The world as it was or is: contemporary or historical, funny or mysterious, romantic or adventurous, sport-centric or coming of age. These are the stories that nudge readers to self-discovery, open windows to others’ experiences, and let them see the world. It’s pain, its flaws, its …
#CYBILS2023 Recommendations from Gary Anderson
“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 …