Election day was last Tuesday, and whatever you feel about the outcome, there is one thing I have noticed: there are more books talking about civil rights, voting, community building, sustainable living, environmentalism, and activism for kids! We thought we’d feature a few that were nominated this year. This Little Voter by Ann Bonnie, Illustrated by Carol Herring little bee …
#CybilsAwards Book List: Forests!
I love fall (honestly: who doesn’t): the changing colors, the crisp air, the falling leaves. And there’s something about fall that makes me want to take a walk through a forest. (I’m usually a beach person!) There’s so much to enjoy in a forest, and here is a collection of our current 2022 nominees and submissions to celebrate all things …
#BannedBookWeek Spotlight Post
We recently welcomed Riya Fernando to our Volunteer Team, and are so glad to have her on board. When she offered to create a book playlist for Banned Book Week built around THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas (2017 YA Fiction Finalist), our answer was an emphatic “Absolutely!” Make sure to celebrate this week by reading your favorite books …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: Sisters
I have a sister and four daughters, so it goes without saying that I love stories about sisters. From Little Women to Twins, stories about sisters are some of the most classic ones out there, highlighting both the joys and paints of having sisters. So why not celebrate sister stories with a list of good Cybils books featuring sisters. Twins …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: Summer is for Romance
There is a specific book I usually turn to when the days get long and hot: Romance. Not the edgy, literary “love stories”, no: I want the fluffy, meet-cute, love at first sight, romcom-trope-filled books. An absolute bonus, for me, is first love, which means a lot of YA books. Thankfully, we have those in abundance here at the Cybils. …
#Cybils2022 Idea Boards are here!
Last summer we launched the first-ever CYBILS Awards Idea Boards using padlet.com. Our goal: create a place where readers can share their favorite recent reads. Books they can’t stop talking about. Titles they want other readers to discover for themselves. Books they think might have some award-worthy potential. The Idea Boards turned out to be not just a place to …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Booklist: Happy Juneteenth!
Happy Juneteenth! We thought, since this is being published on the actual federal holiday, and since the holiday is still fairly new, that we’d do a collection of all the books celebrating Juneteenth specifically, and freedom in general. Enjoy! All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson Simon & Schuster 2014 Fiction Picture Book Nominee Freedom …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: Pride!
Happy Pride Month! In celebration, we’re pulling out all the LGBTQIA+ books that were nominated last year (I’d go beyond last year, but that would be a long list!). There are some excellent books on here, just right for reading during June! I’m sure we’ve missed some; if there are omissions, let us know and we’ll add them! The Accursed …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: Jewish Heritage Month
Along with everything else, May is Jewish Heritage Month, and so we thought we’d highlight some of the many books by and about Jewish people that we’ve had nominated over the past few years. (I’m using the Sidney Taylor Award as a guide, in case you’d like a longer list of excellent Jewish books). Irena’s Children: Young Readers Edition; A …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: AAPI Heritage Month
May has a lot of “holidays”: Mother’s Day, May Day, Star Wars Day, Cinco de Mayo (and that’s just the first week!). But it’s also Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and I thought we’d celebrate by highlighting (in a non-comprehensive list) some of the great books we’ve had by and about the AAPI experience. Watercress by Andrea Wang, …