Our featured review for today comes from Round 1 judge for YA Speculative Fiction Rebecca J. Allen, a middle grade author in Connecticut who blogs at The Winged Pen. Back in January, she reviewed YASF nominee Caraval by Stephanie Garber: Scarlett must follow the clues in Legend’s game to find her sister, but winning won’t be easy. In Caraval, no …
REVIEW: A List of Cages
Today’s featured review looks at Young Adult Fiction nominee A List of Cages by Robin Roe. Round 1 judge Kim Baccellia, an author and longtime Cybils judge, reviewed this title for Young Adult Books Central and gave it a rave review: There’s so much to love about this novel which includes how powerful love and friendship are to those who …
REVIEW: Forest World
Deb Nance of the blog Readerbuzz wrote our featured review for today. Deb is a librarian from Texas who is a Cybils regular and Round 1 judge this year in Fiction Picture Books/Board books. Earlier this year, she reviewed Poetry nominee Forest World by Margarita Engle on her Goodreads account: Cuba came alive for me in this story, with its …
REVIEW: Stef Soto, Taco Queen
Happy December! I’m especially excited about today’s featured nominee because the author lives in my area. Reviewed by Cybils veteran and Round 1 judge Sarah Sammis of Puss Reboots, Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres is a nominee this year in Middle Grade Fiction. Sarah reviewed it earlier this year and said: Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres …
REVIEW: Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time
Today’s featured blog review comes from one of our Round 1 judges in Junior/Senior High Nonfiction, Anne Bennett. Anne is a school librarian, YA lit fan, and book club enthusiast who blogs at My Head is Full of Books. Last month, she looked at Senior High Nonfiction nominee Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time by Tanya …
REVIEW: Fish Girl
The featured blog review of the day looks at a nominee in the Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels category: Fish Girl by David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli. Earlier this year, Fish Girl was reviewed by one of our Round 1 judges, Mel Schuit, a picture book author and illustrator who blogs at All the Wonders and Let’s Talk Picture Books. …
REVIEW: 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story
Round 1 Board Books/Fiction Picture Books judge Ami Jones is today’s featured blog reviewer. A familiar face around the Cybils, Ami is a youth services librarian in New Mexico, a mom, and book blogger at A Mom’s Spare Time. Last month she reviewed Fiction Picture Books nominee 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story written by Tara Lazar and illustrated by …
REVIEW: Elizabeth and Zenobia
Our featured reviewer for today, Jenna Grose, is a Round 2 Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction judge and aspiring librarian from Canada. She blogs about a variety of books for children and adults at her blog, Falling Letters. Elizabeth and Zenobia by Jessica Miller is a nominee that follows the spooky Gothic tradition; in her review, Jenna said: A delightful tale …
REVIEW: The Search for Olinguito
Cybils veteran and Round 1 Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction judge Carol Wilcox is the author of today’s featured review. Carol, an educator and mom, has been blogging at Carol’s Corner since 2007. Yesterday, she posted about Middle Grade Nonfiction nominee The Search for Olinguito: Discovering a New Species by Sandra Markle: Markle follows the scientists’ journey with an an engaging story …
REVIEW: Princess Cora and the Crocodile
Today’s featured blog reviewer Valerie Byrd Fort is a Round 1 judge in Easy Readers/Early Chapter Books. She’s a former elementary school librarian who’s currently a stay-at-home mom and professor of children’s literature at the University of South Carolina. On her blog Library Goddess, she reviewed Early Chapter Books nominee Princess Cora and the Crocodile, written by Laura Amy Schlitz …