It seems like only yesterday, but way back in April, we announced that we were tweaking some of our processes for the 2024 Awards cycle. At the top of the list: Give judges more time for reading. Having time to find, read, and discuss all the books is something judges ask for year in and year out. To accommodate their …
Now Calling: #CYBILS2024 Early Call for Judges
Welcome to our second annual summer call for judges! For many of us, summer means reading for fun, because, well, we have more time to read. Experienced Cybilites often use this time to read as many books as they can in the categories they love. The summer reading period is a great way to share what you love with other …
Summer is coming … and so is #CYBILS2024
This year, Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer, it is also the unofficial start of the 2024 CYBILS Awards. In just a few days we will be launching the start of #CYBILS2024. Last year we tested a Summer Reading Period as a way to allow people to see what being a CYBILS Awards judge is like …
The 4-1-1 on the 2024 CYBILS Awards
A few weeks ago, we shared three goals that our Board set for its 2024 agenda. In this post we identified several that relate to changes in our award. With the 2024 CYBILS Awards season starting soon, we want to share more detail about several of those changes. Objective: Improve book access and reading volume issues Year in and year …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Speculative Fiction Panels
Speculative Fiction takes us to realms of the imagination: places and times and realities where the rules of life may be different than our own and where the impossible and improbable become real. But good science fiction and fantasy does more than that: it asks, “What if?” It makes us think. Along with spells and space rockets, this is the …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Graphic Novel Panels
CHAIR: Kristen HarveyGraphic Novels (aka comics) are not just for reluctant readers. Complex storytelling with a rich combination of illustrations, color choices, and story-telling styles render information in new and interesting ways. They have evolved into a beloved genre of reading format and evolved into a unique form of story-telling. The sub-genres within Graphic Novels has also evolved, and there …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Nonfiction Panels
Children and students of all ages are curious about a variety of subjects. Nonfiction titles can feed their thirst, whether they want to learn about someone’s life, history, math, science, current events, social justice, activism, journalism, and so much more. These books are filled with illustrations, photographs, and accurate back matter to highlight concepts to wow students and adults alike …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Poetry Panels
Poetry category considers verse written for toddlers through young adult audience. It can be illustrated, but may not, just as it can rhyme, or not. Poetry includes anthologies or collections written by multiple authors or a single author, as well as novels and nonfiction in verse. Be sure to click the links to see where our judges post their reviews! …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Fiction for Tweens and Teens
The Middle-Grade and Young Adult Fiction categories comprise books that are grounded in reality. The world as it was or is: contemporary or historical, funny or mysterious, romantic or adventurous, sport-centric or coming of age. These are the stories that nudge readers to self-discovery, open windows to others’ experiences, and let them see the world. It’s pain, its flaws, its …
2023 CYBILS Judges: Books for New Readers Panels
Easy readers are designed for kids to build vocabulary (e.g., “sight words”) and practice their reading. They are leveled, with controlled vocabularies. They are commonly parts of series with reading-related titles, such as “Step into Reading” or “I Can Read” and they can usually be identified by their large type, simple sentence structure, and colorful illustrations on every page. Compared …