Today’s review of poetry nominee Forest Has a Song, by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is by Bridget, a teacher who blogs at Teacher Dance. She wrote: If you love the forest like I do, you will also love what Amy and Robbin have offered in this new book of poems. They have shown the real things, like in the poem Puff, telling …
Review: Dare the Wind
Round one panelist Sondy, blogging over at Sonderbooks where she blogs about a wide range of books, has our review today of Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction nominee Dare the Wind: The Record-breaking Voyage of Eleanor Prentiss and the Flying Cloud, by Tracey Fern. Sondy writes: How wonderful! A nineteenth century young woman navigated clipper ships for her sea captain husband and actually …
Review: Dory Fantasmagory
Today’s review of the day comes from Easy Reader/Early Chapter book round one panelist Melissa, who blogs at Imagination Soup. She did a round up of some pretty great books, one of which was nominee Dory Fantastmagory, by Abby Hanlon. Melissa writes: Dory’s brother and sister invent a baby-stealing robber named Mrs. Gobble Gracker to try to scare Dory only …
Review: Noggin
Today’s review is of YA Speculative fiction nominee and National Book Award finalist Noggin, by John Corey Whaley. Our reviewer is YA speculative fiction round one panelist, and librarian Karen who blogs at Teen Librarian Toolbox. She writes: This book is not at all what I expected, but it IS a richly emotional look at coming of age and coming …
Review: Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders
Today’s review of Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders by Geoff Herbach comes from YA Fiction round one panelist Mindi. She’s a junior high literary coach who blogs at Next Best Book in her spare time. Of Fat Boys, she writes: Have you ever read a book that made you feel slightly uncomfortable because you know that it’s not that far off from the …
Review: I am Malala
Today’s review of the day comes from Aaron, who blogs at Coffee for the Brain, which is a fantastic blog name. A teacher and Cybils YA Nonfiction round one panelist, Aaron is a busy guy, but has managed to find time to read the children’s edition biography of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Malala Yousafzai, I am Malala. He writes: Malala …
Review: You Are Not Small
Today’s review of fiction picture book nominee You Are Not Small by Anna Kang and illustrated by Christopher Weyant comes from long-time Cybils volunteer, Dawn. Dawn is one of the cohort of bloggers blogging at 5 Minutes for Mom, reviewing whatever crosses her path. She often does picture books. Of this nominee, she wrote: There’s much to like about this simple storybook, …
Review: In Real Life
Easy Reader/Early Chapter Book chair Katie who blogs at Story Time Secrets has today’s review. She recently reviewed Graphic Novel nominee In Real Life, by Cory Doctorow, writing: It can be very easy to forget that a person lives behind every avatar, screen name, and online account, and Anda’s experiences playing Coarsegold drive home that fact in a powerful way. This …
Review: Rules of Summer
Today’s review comes from Book App judge Paula who usually blogs at Pink Me. She did review the book app for Shaun Tan’s Rules of Summer for School Library Journal earlier this year. She wrote: Atmospheric, textured, surreal—the work of Shaun Tan is easily described as “cinematic.” His tableaux appear to be stills from a larger story, his settings hint at a larger …
Review: Greenglass House
Today’s review of National Book award longlisted and Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative fiction nominated Greenglass House, by Kate Milford comes from longtime Cybils volunteer, Sherry. A homeschoooling mom and avid reader, she blogs at Semicolon. She also hosts the Saturday Review of Books, which is a great place to find reviews all over the book blogs. About Greenglass House, she writes: I …