Dinos. And dragons. And monsters. OH MY!

Don’t be scared! This gathering of dinosaurs, dragons, and monsters are (for the most part) pretty harmless. In fact, they’re playful and funny and cute, too. From well-known fantasy writers to debut authors, there are lots of wonderful stories to share … and might we suggest reading aloud? Yes, we might. Summaries are from Goodreads. Click the book cover link …

Full STEAM Ahead: a #CYBILS2023 Book List

First things first: there is no such thing as “boy books” or “girl books.” Books are books. Kids are kids. And for young readers curiosity, fascinating stuff, and (possibly) great illustrations drive interest more than the identity of the main character. Space exploration, mythology, robotics, virtual reality … all equal-interest subjects. Now that we have that out of the way …

#CYBILS2023 Books by Previous Winners

Turning 18 has made us a bit nostalgic … and yet looking forward, too. That got us thinking … wouldn’t it be fun to see how many 2023 CYBILS Awards nominees are written by previous winners? So we dug into the archives to find which CYBILS Awards winners of yore who have new books being considered this year. Quite a …

Baked-In Book Deliciousness: A Foodie Book List

Want to know the yummiest thing about this book list? Aside from the celebration of all things food? That no matter the cuisine, food brings us together. From memories of a special dish to multi-generational stories, there is something for everyone’s taste here. All made delicious with a pinch of sweetness, a dash of humor, and a cup full of …

Twice-Told Tales: Retellings & Remixes a #CYBILS2023 Book List

Classics. The stories that are timeless and have been read and re-read for generations. Reading of Romeo and Juliet for ninth grade English doesn’t count, but what about Pride and Prejudice? Or Beowulf? Or children’s stories like the Three Little Pigs and nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty? Well, in 2023 those stories – and more – have been refreshed and …

Game On! a #CYBILS2023 Book List

This week, the name of the *game* is book lists. Each day we will have a list, built around a theme. These are books our judges are reading, as they were nominated or submitted for the 2023 CYBILS Awards.   From the sweet science to the beautiful game and Olympic sports to chess and robotics, these books will inspire and engage …

Food, Family & Home: A Harvest of Books

Welcome to our #CYBILS2023 book feast! Today’s book list give a nod to Thanksgiving but more broadly embrace broader themes of family, sharing, and celebration. There are sweet picture books and savory novels. There are title foods and  books about big emotions. Some served with a side of humor or fantasy, too. And, in what may be a CYBILS Awards …

VINCENT AND THEO by Deborah Heiligman a #CYBILS 📚🎶

vincent and theo deborah heiligman book playlist

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 …

The Big Book (List) of 20 Questions: #CYBILS2023

What do you do when you have nominated books whose titles are questions? You make a list! This collection of “20 questions” explore some of kids’ favorite things (like weird animals and aliens); answer questions they ask themselves, help them process growing up and emotions, and, yes, a few talk about poo!  (eww!) This post contains affiliate links to amazon.com …

A #CYBILS2023 Book Spook-tacular

halloween book list

As has become our tradition, we are going to kick off our #CYBILS2023 book lists with a collection of  seasonal tales nominated during the current awards cycle. From saving Halloween to scary things in the basement, and delicious monsters to zombies, we’re sure you’ll find something to sink your teeth into during the spooky season. There are 31 books on …