Every year, our panelists read hundreds of books (generally). Which means, every year, when they as a group narrow the books down to finalists, there are some that don’t make the cut. Here are some posts by panelists highlighting great books in their categories that didn’t quite make the cut. Kim at Si, Se Puede highlights some of her favorite …
The 2014 Finalists: What’s Being Said
Every year, we love seeing the reactions of the authors, publishers, spouses, and fans after the Cybils finalists announcement goes up. Here are a few of the reactions that caught our attention this weekend: Tara Dairman (@TaraDairman): What delicious news to wake up to today: ALL FOUR STARS is a @Cybils finalist for middle-grade fiction! @penguinkids Huge thanks to @debamarshall for the …
2014 Finalists: By The Numbers
Just a little bit of tooting our own horn (we’ll get to other’s celebratory tweets on Sunday. Promise!), mostly because we’re incredibly proud of all the work that the first round panelists did. Anne already highlighted the diversity in the finalists, but in addition: There were 1,333 books eligible across all categories. Of those books, 99.9% were read by one panelist. 97.1% of …
One Day More
(For all those who started singing, here you go.) The culmination of all the reading, deliberating, and deciding of our many round one panelists have come to fruition. They’ve taken the huge piles of nominated books and narrowed them down (no small feat). And we know you’re dying to know what those books. And so, tomorrow, we’ll reveal the finalists for …
Review: Don’t Even Think About It
Today’s review comes from Cybils Young Adult Speculative Fiction panelist Liviana, who blogs at In Bed With Books. She read nominee Don’t Even Think About It, by Sarah Mlynowski earlier this year and wrote: Sarah Mlynowski’s newest novel, Don’t Even Think About It pulls off a very neat trick: it’s written in fourth person. It’s a little disorienting at first, but then I …
Review: Blood of My Blood
Today’s review of the day is the third in the I Hunt Killers series, and Young Adult Fiction nominee Blood of My Blood, by Barry Lyga. The review is by Young Adult fiction panelist William, who is one of the bloggers at Guys Lit Wire. He writes: This question of nature versus nurture is made explicit in Barry Lyga’s Blood …
Review: The Port Chicago 50
Today’s review of the National Book Award nominee, and Young Adult Non-fiction nominee The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights, by Steve Sheinkin comes from round one panelist Danyelle. She blogs at Bookshelves in the Cul-de-Sac and did a nonfiction round-up over the summer. About The Port Chicago 50, she writes: Sheinkin is one the best writers …
Review: A Piece of Cake
Today’s review comes from librarian, speaker, and author Kristen Remenar. who is also a first round Fiction Picture book panelist. She recently reviewed nominee A Piece of Cake by LeUyen Pham. Every December I see lists of the best books of the year, and every year there’s at least one gem that I can’t believe isn’t getting more love. My choice this …
Review: Bird & Squirrel on Ice
Graphic Novel nominee Bird & Squirrel on Ice, by James Burks is our featured review today. The review comes from Nicola, a round one panelist on Graphic Novels. She writes on her blog It’s All Comic to Me: Another great Bird & Squirrel book! I love these two characters; they are like a modern day Frog and Toad. Two friends with …
A KidlitCon Intermission
While we’re nearing the end of round one here at the Cybils, and the holiday season is in full swing, things are also getting started for (the ninth annual!) KidlitCon 2015 in Baltimore, MD. No dates are set – it will be sometime in the fall – but we did want to give publishers a heads-up of the opportunities to participate, including: …