First things first: there is no such thing as “boy books” or “girl books.” Books are books. Kids are kids. And for young readers curiosity, fascinating stuff, and (possibly) great illustrations drive interest more than the identity of the main character. Space exploration, mythology, robotics, virtual reality … all equal-interest subjects. Now that we have that out of the way …
#CYBILS2023 Books by Previous Winners
Turning 18 has made us a bit nostalgic … and yet looking forward, too. That got us thinking … wouldn’t it be fun to see how many 2023 CYBILS Awards nominees are written by previous winners? So we dug into the archives to find which CYBILS Awards winners of yore who have new books being considered this year. Quite a …
Baked-In Book Deliciousness: A Foodie Book List
Want to know the yummiest thing about this book list? Aside from the celebration of all things food? That no matter the cuisine, food brings us together. From memories of a special dish to multi-generational stories, there is something for everyone’s taste here. All made delicious with a pinch of sweetness, a dash of humor, and a cup full of …
Twice-Told Tales: Retellings & Remixes a #CYBILS2023 Book List
Classics. The stories that are timeless and have been read and re-read for generations. Reading of Romeo and Juliet for ninth grade English doesn’t count, but what about Pride and Prejudice? Or Beowulf? Or children’s stories like the Three Little Pigs and nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty? Well, in 2023 those stories – and more – have been refreshed and …
Game On! a #CYBILS2023 Book List
This week, the name of the *game* is book lists. Each day we will have a list, built around a theme. These are books our judges are reading, as they were nominated or submitted for the 2023 CYBILS Awards. From the sweet science to the beautiful game and Olympic sports to chess and robotics, these books will inspire and engage …
Food, Family & Home: A Harvest of Books
Welcome to our #CYBILS2023 book feast! Today’s book list give a nod to Thanksgiving but more broadly embrace broader themes of family, sharing, and celebration. There are sweet picture books and savory novels. There are title foods and books about big emotions. Some served with a side of humor or fantasy, too. And, in what may be a CYBILS Awards …
The Big Book (List) of 20 Questions: #CYBILS2023
What do you do when you have nominated books whose titles are questions? You make a list! This collection of “20 questions” explore some of kids’ favorite things (like weird animals and aliens); answer questions they ask themselves, help them process growing up and emotions, and, yes, a few talk about poo! (eww!) This post contains affiliate links to amazon.com …
A #CYBILS2023 Book Spook-tacular
As has become our tradition, we are going to kick off our #CYBILS2023 book lists with a collection of seasonal tales nominated during the current awards cycle. From saving Halloween to scary things in the basement, and delicious monsters to zombies, we’re sure you’ll find something to sink your teeth into during the spooky season. There are 31 books on …
Backlist Book List: Back to School
Or should we say “Backpack Book List?” Back-to-school season is in full swing! Some students are already back in school, others are heading into their new classrooms in the coming days. Some kids eased right back into the routine, others are still navigating their way. With that in mind, we dug into the CYBILS archive to find some books that …
#CYBILS2023 Recommendations from Terry Doherty
Can I let you in on a secret? I don’t read many books during the year. BUT. I do read lots of articles and blog posts. About books. Every day. So when CYBILS Awards nomination time rolls around, I have a handy-dandy list of books that fit my one criterion: each title looks like a book I’d have loved as …