Today’s featured review looks at Young Adult Fiction nominee Parachutes by Kelly Yang: I think the representation of Chinese students coming to America for high school was so interesting. Yang did a lot of research into this and it really shows itself in the story. Click here to read the full review by Round 1 judge Grace Barker, a Creative …
REVIEW: Fly Like a Girl
Our featured Cybils nominee for today is Young Adult Nonfiction title Fly Like a Girl: One Woman’s Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front, a Young Readers Edition of the memoir by Mary Jennings Hegar: The combat chapters are exciting. The descriptions of the different bases with their own cultures and rhythms bring them to life, and the …
REVIEW: Elatsoe
Our featured review for this autumn Wednesday looks at Young Adult Speculative Fiction nominee Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger: Ellie (short for Elatsoe) and her ghost-dog Kirby seek answers to a cousin’s mysterious death in a car accident on a lonely rural road. Using her Lipan Apache tribal wisdom and lore, with assists from her deceased ancestors and living family …
REVIEW: Almost American Girl
Today’s featured review is from the Young Adult Graphic Novels category–Almost American Girl by Robin Ha, a memoir about the experience of immigrating from South Korea: This is the story of a young girl transitioning from life in Korea to life in Alabama in America. Chuna gives herself the American name Robin as an effort to fit in. Still she …
REVIEW: Furia
Happy November! YA fiction nominee Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez stars in today’s featured review: I enjoy a good sports movie (think: Remember the Titans, Hoosiers) or book. This one has a good combination of a bit of sports descriptions (but certainly not too much) and life and it’s really the life that is the star of this book. You …
REVIEW: Patron Saints of Nothing
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: Mummies Exposed!
Today’s featured review is of Junior High Non-fiction finalist Mummies Exposed!: Creepy and True #1 (Amazon, IndieBound). Our reviewer is round one panelist Beth, who blogs at Library Chicken. About Mummies, she wrote: It’s cheerfully factual and ends with a discussion of the controversies in studying human remains. Read the whole review here.
REVIEW: Sorcery of Thorns
Today’s review of Young Adult Speculative Fiction finalist Sorcery of Thorns (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from round one panelist Grace, who blogs (both in writing and on video) at Gracegetsbooks. She says in her video: It is a love letter to book lovers everywhere. It’s for anyone who loved the Hogwarts library. It’s for anyone who just feels an awe for …
REVIEW: Internment
Today we’re looking at Young Adult Speculative Fiction finalist Internment (Amazon, IndieBound)! Our reviewer is round one panelist Jennifer, who blogs at Windy City Reader. She writes: There is so much discussion fodder in this one; I’d add it to a high school government class in a heartbeat. Read the whole review here.
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 …