Today’s blog review features a title that’s gotten a lot of attention this year for being the Newbery Award winner: Fiction Picture Books finalist Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson. Our reviewer is Cybils veteran Mary Ann Scheuer of the blog Great Kid Books–this year she’s a Round 2 judge …
REVIEW: The Fog Diver
Today’s featured review comes from the blog Log Cabin Library, which is the online home of Round 1 judge Brenda Tjaden, on the panel this year for Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Brenda is a speech language pathologist by day, as well as an aspiring novelist with a particular interest in middle grade books. A few months ago, she reviewed EMSF …
REVIEW: Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall
Our blog review of the day looks at Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction finalist Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall by Anita Silvey. This fascinating look at the life of the naturalist who brought chimpanzees into the limelight makes a fascinating contrast to the graphic novel Primates, says EMNF category chair Jennifer Wharton. She reviewed the book last summer on her …
REVIEW: A Pig, a Fox, and a Box
Our featured blog review for today is Easy Reader finalist A Pig, a Fox, and a Box by Jonathan Fenske, reviewed by Round 2 judge Emily Andrus. Emily, a children’s librarian in Arizona, posts book reviews, booklists, resource ideas, storytime ideas, and much more for parents, teachers and librarians at her blog Literary Hoots. When she reviewed A Pig, a …
REVIEW: Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin Trilogy)
Longtime Cybils veteran Sondra Eklund brings us our review today–she’s a Fiction Picture Books judge this year, but reads (and reviews) widely at her blog Sonderbooks. A while back, she reviewed YA Speculative Fiction finalist Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin Trilogy #3) by Robin LaFevers. This trilogy about assassin nuns in medieval Brittany concluded with a bang, as Sondra notes …
REVIEW: Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad
Round 2 YA Nonfiction judge Adrienne Gillespie, of the blog Books and Bassets, brings us our featured review today: finalist title Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson. This versatile author is already acclaimed for his YA fiction, and this nonfiction book (listed for the National Book Award) brings us …
REVIEW: Flutter and Hum / Aleteo y Zumbido: Animal Poems / Poemas de Animales
Today’s featured review is from the blog Rosemary’s Reading Circle, the online home of Round 2 Poetry judge Rosemary Marotta. Rosemary is a lifelong book lover, having worked in libraries, in bookstores, and at Scholastic Book Clubs, and her blog is devoted to helping parents and others find great children’s books. A few months ago, she reviewed Poetry finalist Flutter …
REVIEW: All the Rage
It seems a little strange to be co-managing this blog and not mention at least one post from my own blog, right? Well, let’s remedy that, and move on with our lives. I share a blog with wonderful fellow YA author (and Cybils judge) Tanita Davis called Finding Wonderland, where we blog about writing stuff as well as reviewing mostly …
REVIEW: The Blackthorn Key
Brandy Painter of the blog Random Musings of a Bibliophile brings us our review of today’s featured finalist: The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands. Brandy teaches grade school and high school literature and English in Tennessee, and keeps some fantastic YA and middle grade book lists (and links to reviews) on her blog. A few months ago, she reviewed The …
REVIEW: Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir
Very rarely do we have cause or ability to reprint a blogger’s entire review of a title in our featured post…but today is one of those times. The book in question is YA Graphic Novels finalist Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir by Maggie Thrash. The blogger in question is Emily Mitchell of Emily Reads, one of our Round 2 judges. …