Maureen E., a library assistant and aspiring writer, blogs at By Singing Light, where she participates in Picture Book Monday and has a great list of Historical Fantasies. This year, she is serving as a round one judge in Young Adult fiction and has listed all of her Cybils reviews here. Charm and Strange, by Stephanie Kuehn, was nominated in …
Review of Amelia and the Terror of the Night
Jill Goodman reviews book apps for Smart Apps for Kids, a website that has all sorts of information about book apps as well as lists of apps based on age and interest level. She has this review of Amelia and the Terror of the Night posted. "OhNoo has created a masterpiece. The only book app that approaches this level …
Review of Dodsworth in Tokyo
Reshama works with several others to create the great blog, Stacking Books, that is meant to help parents and friends to motivate and inspire children to read. She is on the second round panel for Nonfiction/Elementary and Middle Grade, but posted a review on the Easy Readers/Short Chapter Books nomination Dodsworth in Tokyo by Tim Egan. "This is a delightful …
Review of Garden Princess
Brandy Painter blogs at Random Musings of a Bibliophile and is on the Middle Grade Speculative Fiction first round panel this year. She says this about Kristin Kladstrup's Garden Princess: " I am always excited when a new princess tale comes out. I unashamedly love them. Garden Princess by Kristin Kladrup is a lovely new addition to this genre. This …
Review of Mind Games
Stephanie Charlefour is a public librarian, specializing in youth and teens in Michigan and blogs at Love.Life.Read. She had this to say about Kiersten White's Mind Games. "I picked this book up on a Sunday morning—not sure what to expect. I read the synopsis and it sounded interesting but I have never read a book by Ms. White. Let me …
Review of Giant Dance Party
Aaron Zenz, a dad and illustrator, harnesses the power of actual members of the Fiction Picture Book demographic on his blog, Bookie Wookie Reviews. Here's what he and his family have to say about Betsy Bird's Giant Dance Party: Isaac (age 14): “Giant Dance Party.” Lily (age 10): (singing) Hey, hey, hey, it’s a good book! Gracie (age 12): When …
Review of Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant
Finding Wonderland has been around since 2005, forever in the Kidlitosphere. Aquafortis contribute to this blog and has this to say about this nomination to the Graphic Novel division: "If you like swashbuckling adventure, strong female protagonists, and plenty of outlandish mayhem, then Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant delivers in spades. I'm going to note right up front: don't …
Review of Strike Three, You’re Dead
Mark Buxton has been blogging at Buxton's Blog O' Books (which was named by his 6th grade students!) since 2009. He recently retired from teaching after 35 years, the last several of which he taught 6th grade language arts. He still volunteers and substitutes at school, helping in the library and coaching the Battle of the Books team. I know …
Review of Ten Plants That Shook the World
Alice, a part-time pediatrician and a full-time mom to two boys and a girl, blogs about a variety of books at Supratentorial. While she covers picture books as well as some middle grade stories, she is on the first round panel for Elementary and Middle Grade Nonfiction for the 2013 Cybils. Here is her review of Gillian Richardson's Ten Plants …
Review of Lincoln’s Grave Robbers
Sherry Early is a reader and home school teacher from Texas who blogs at Semicolon. Here is her take on Steve Sheinkin's book, Lincoln's Grave Robbers, which has been nominated in the Young Adult Nonfiction division: "I enjoyed Lincoln’s Grave Robbers mostly as look into history and the almost comical antics of both criminals and police in the post-Civil War …