There are so many good books nominated this year, it’s been fun coming up with lists! We’ve been noticing, as we have gone through the lists, that there are a number of books about spies and secret agents, some non-fiction, but many of them “just” for fun. I mean, no we can’t all be Bond or Alex Rider, but who …
#CybilsAwards Book Lists: Dinosaurs and Dragons!
Ah, two timeless animals, one real, but has mythical status; the other mythical, but we wish were real. Dragons: the beasts from mythology, large, fire-breathing, flying monsters that we love to imagine as both terrifying and benevolent and that appeal to all kids, no matter age, size, or gender. And Dinosaurs: the beasts from Earth’s past, large, fire-breathing, flying monsters …
#CybilsAwards Booklists: Food-y Books, Part 2
Shall we have some more food-y books? Of course! Last week was non-fiction, picture books, and poetry. This week let’s look at all the middle grade, graphic novels, speculative fiction, and YA books that have something — possibly tangential in some cases — to do with food! Time Villainsby Victor PiñeiroSourcebooks Young Readers Time Villians includes a diverse cast of …
#CybilsAwards Booklists: Food-y Books Part 1
Food! Most of us love it. Love to eat it, love to cook it, and (if you’re anything like me) love to read about it. It seems we have a ton of food-, cooking-, and eating-inspired books this year on our nomination lists, so why not celebrate as many as we can! In fact, we’re going to split this up …
#CybilsAwards Booklists: Indigenous Voices
It is American Thanksgiving this week, a time for families to get together, eat lots of food, maybe watch football, and reflect on what they are grateful for. This year, though, we wanted to take a moment to highlight Indigenous voices, their stories, and how vital they are to the world. The books on this list are written by Indigenous …
#CybilsAwards Booklists: Mindfulness, Peace, and Hope
It’s been a heck of a year (or two) for pretty much everyone, and that’s been reflected in the publishing world as well. There is a bunch of books on mindfulness, hope, having empathy for others, and peace in general. It’s not just for kids: we could all use a little more of that every day! My Thoughts Are …
#CybilsAwards Book Lists: Nature!
It’s the time of year where, for many of us, the leaves start to turn and fall, and the air gets crisp and cold. It’s a delightful time of year, and so we’re celebrating with picture books about all things nature this week. Let’s Find Momo Outdoorsby Andrew KnappQuirk Books Woodland Dance! by Sandra BoyntonWorkman Publishing Fatima’s Great Outdoorsby …
#CybilsAwards Book List: All the Spooky Scary Reads
Welcome to the 2021 Cybils Book Lists! Instead of individual reviews this year, we’re going to pick a theme and highlight as many as we can in one post. Since today is Halloween, what better theme to start off with than spooky, scary books? Ghosts, vampires, monsters, witches… some of them are scary, some of them are charming. We’ve pulled …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List Summer: It’s a Wrap
Last week we posted our last Backlist Book List for 2021. We hope you have had as much fun exploring the curated lists as we had in creating them! Nine lists: 6 read-alike lists, 3 themed lists. Ten years of nominations, finalists, and winners. 154 recommended books for readers toddler to teen. What made them particularly fun was discovering books …
#CybilsAwards Backlist Book List: So You Want To Learn Magic
Charlotte Taylor, Chair for our Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category, has conjured this week’s Backlist Book List. And dare we say it? It’s magical. There. We said it. If you know a young reader who dreams of spells and wishes for magic skills, this is the book list for you. Meet Eva Evergreen! We’ll let Kristin Harvey, who blogs at …