The featured blog review for today comes courtesy of my very own co-blogger at Finding Wonderland, Round 1 YA Speculative Fiction judge Tanita Davis. Tanita is a YA author, blogger, and woman of many talents, and a particularly perspicacious reviewer. Earlier this year, she wrote about YA Speculative Fiction nominee Landscape with Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson: This novella-length satire …
REVIEW: Here Lies Daniel Tate
Calling all suspense fans! Today’s featured review looks at YA Fiction nominee Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill, a page-turning read about a young con artist who takes on more than he bargained for. Round 1 YAF judge Pamela Thompson, a YA librarian and book reviewer, wrote about this one on her blog Young Adult Books – What We’re …
REVIEW: We Come Apart
Our featured blog review for today is from the Poetry category: We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan. Longtime Cybils judge Sandy Brehl, an education outreach presenter who blogs at Unpacking the POWER of Picture Books, reviewed this nominee on her Goodreads page: The distinct and alternating voices of Jess and Nico are each heart wrenching, reflective of …
REVIEW: Amina’s Voice
As someone who has relatives from India and Pakistan, I’ve really been wanting to read Middle Grade Fiction nominee Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan. After reading a review on Round 2 judge Alex Baugh’s blog, Randomly Reading, I’m even more excited to read it. According to Alex: Amina’s Voice is one of the first novels to come out of the …
REVIEW: Shackles from the Deep
Today’s featured review comes from Heidi Grange, an elementary school librarian who blogs about a wide range of kids’ books at Geo Librarian. Heidi is a Round 1 judge for Junior/Senior High Nonfiction, and earlier this year she reviewed Junior High nominee Shackles From the Deep: Tracing the Path of a Sunken Slave Ship, a Bitter Past, and a Rich …
REVIEW: Yvain: The Knight of the Lion
Our featured blog review for today is from returning Cybils Round 1 judge Benedict Hutchinson, who blogs at A Goblin Reviews Graphic Novels. (His mom is our very own EMSF chair Charlotte Taylor!) Earlier this year, Benedict reviewed YA Graphic Novels nominee Yvain: The Knight of the Lion written by M.T. Anderson and illustrated by Andrea Offermann. The art is …
REVIEW: Circle, Triangle, Elephant: A Book of Shapes and Surprises
Happy November! Today’s featured nominee is from our relatively recent Board Books category, and it looks adorably funny. The book is Circle, Triangle, Elephant: A Book of Shapes and Surprises by Kenji Oikawa and Mayuko Takeuchi. The reviewer is Round 1 judge Tiffa Foster of The Picture Book Review–she’s a onetime university professor and current stay-at-home mom who enjoys sharing …
REVIEW: Lockwood & Co., Book Five: The Empty Grave
In honor of Halloween tomorrow, here’s a review of a spooky spec fic nominee for the Elementary/Middle Grade SF category. Lockwood & Co., Book Five: The Empty Grave, by Jonathan Stroud, is the latest installment in the series, and is sure to please fans of the Lockwood books. Our Middle Grade Fiction category chair, middle school librarian Karen Yingling, reviewed …
REVIEW: Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix
Attention parents with foodies in the family: you might want to check out today’s nominee from the Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction category. Our blog review of the day looks at Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix, written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and June Jo Lee and illustrated by Man One. The book was reviewed over the summer by Round …
REVIEW: King & Kayla and the Case of the Secret Code
Welcome to our very first review of the Cybils 2017 blog season! We’re starting at the top of the category list with a nominee for Easy Readers: King & Kayla and the Case of the Secret Code, written by Dori Hillestad Butler and illustrated by Nancy Meyers. This mystery starring a dog and his girl is part of a series, …