Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels: Black Heroes of the Wild West (Amazon, IndieBound) by James Otis Smith, Introduction by Kadir Nelson TOON Graphics Publisher/ Author Submission Bold and action-packed, this graphic novel features three short vignettes about important black heroes from the Old West. With broad appeal for young and old readers alike, Smith paints a different picture than we often …
The 2020 Cybils Finalists!
It’s January 1st, our favorite day of the year! (And not just because 2020 is over!) We have gotten the nominations, read the books, debated, and chosen ones to be finalists! It’s time to Celebrate!! Now, because we know you’re curious, we have some stats for you. We had 987 books nominated across all categories (that’s fewer than years past, …
2020 Finalists: Elementary Nonfiction
Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist (Amazon, IndieBound) by Linda Skeers, illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns Sourcebooks eXplore Nominated by: Alysa Stewart This elementary biography featuring beautiful full-page illustrations introduces young readers to the original paleontologist, a woman called Mary Anning. Through her love of science, history, and learning, Mary discovered the first dinosaur bones …
2020 Finalists: Young Adult Speculative Fiction
Burn (Amazon, IndieBound) by Patrick Ness Quill Tree Books Nominated by: Wendy Fans of Patrick Ness will rejoice over this newest title—now he’s bringing us stories about DRAGONS! In this novel, he creates a realistic world set in Cold War America. Sarah Dewhurst and her father have been struggling to keep their small farm operating after the death of Sarah’s mother. …
2020 Finalists: Fiction Picture Books
Dozens of Doughnuts (Amazon, IndieBound) by Carrie Finison illustrated by Brianne Farley G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers Nominated by: Darshana Khiani This delicious read-aloud pairs perfect rhyme with expressive illustrations to create the ideal recipe for heart and humor. LouAnn is generous with her doughnuts, but she gets “FED UP” with sharing when there aren’t any left for …