The IN be-TWEEN | #CYBILS2023 Reviews 02.07.2024

One week, friends! Just one more week until the 2023 CYBILS Awards winners are announced. You probably already added the finalists and winners to your TBR, and that’s cool, but our judges read A LOT of great books that, while not award winners, will definitely be winners with young readers. Yes, even picky tween readers. x See for yourself. Book …

The IN be-TWEEN | #CYBILS2023 Reviews 01.30.2024

ttttt Summaries excerpted from Goodreads. Click the cover to read the full summary, other reviews, and add these books to your TBR. FICTION Jessica @ Cracking the Cover – You might know Chad Morris and Shelly Brown from their previous collaborations. All are strong middle grade novels. I enjoyed them all. But The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry is my favorite. …

The IN be-TWEEN | #CYBILS2023 Reviews 01.24.2024

I’m not even sure where to begin … Readers will move through time and space, both literal and figurative. They’ll meet characters with whom they will feel a kinship – and others who will draw out other emotions they may not know how to unpack. Big themes, big emotions, and still lots of joy, laughter, adventure, and brave new worlds. …

The IN be-TWEEN | #CYBILS2023 Reviews 01.17.24

We won’t keep you … there are a lot of fascinating, I-want-to-read-that books on the list. Including a novel in verse!! One thing we will also want to point out is that several reviewers recommended listening to the audio editions … and not just fiction!  Summaries excerpted from Goodreads. Click the book cover to go to see more details. Middle-Grade …

#CYBILS2023 The Ones That Got Away: Middle-Grade Edition

Remember when we said our judges read more than 1,240 books for the 2023 CYBILS Awards? Well, more than 350 of those books were written for the middle-grade audience. As you might expect, there were some books that judges crossed their fingers and toes for in hopes *that book* making the finalist list – that weren’t on those lists. HOWEVER. …

The IN be-TWEEN | #CYBILS2023 Reviews 01.10.24

Wednesday. That day in the middle between weekends!! See where we’re going here? The perfect day to share books for tweens, aka the middle-grade audience. The weekly collection will include selections from the Middle-Grade Fiction, Middle-Grade Nonfiction, Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novel, and Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction, and Poetry categories. Book summaries from Goodreads. Click the book cover to view the full summary …

CYBILS 2023 Nonfiction Finalists

ELEMENTARY Glitter Everywhere!: Where it Came From, Where It’s Found & Where It’s GoingChris Barton, Chris, illustrated by Chaaya PrabhatCharlesbridgeNominated by: Gary Anderson Strong opinions about glitter are common, but whether you love it or hate it, this book is a fascinating look at the history and science of all things sparkly! Readers will learn what iridescence is, how it …

CYBILS 2023 Graphic Novel Finalists

ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE-GRADE A First Time for EverythingDan SantatFirst Second BooksNominated by: Maria Marshall In this humorous and heart-warming middle-grade graphic memoir, Dan Santat recounts the life-changing “firsts” of his middle school life: first time being ridiculed, first party, first school trip to Europe, first Fanta, and of course, first love. It is impossible not to get swept into Dan’s story, and …

CYBILS 2023 Speculative Fiction Finalists

ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE GRADE FINALISTS Conjure IslandEden RoyceWalden Pond PressNominated by: Amber Delphinia Baker is happy with her life, living with her grandmother and her dad who is deployed, moving often from military base to military base, but when her grandmother falls ill, Del finds herself in a place she never thought she’d be – at a magic school run by her …

SpecFic Saturday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 12.30.2023

Alrighty friends and bookworms! We are here. The last collection of book reviews for 2023. We’re shifting gears and polishing up the finalist lists, which will be announced Monday, 1 January 2024 at 9:00 am Pacific Time | 12:00 pm Eastern Time. So let’s dive in! Summary excerpts come from Goodreads. Click the cover to add this book to your …