REVIEW: The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems

Today’s review The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from Poetry round one panelist Anastasia, who has a blog on her author website. She wrote:  Be they practical or fanciful, the poems in this book boast a flair and joy that you won’t find in any instruction manual.  Read the whole review here.

REVIEW: Shout

Today we’re looking at poetry finalist Shout (Amazon, IndieBound)! It was reviewed by Round 2 Junior/Senior High Nonfiction judge Anne, who is a voracious reader and blogs at My Head is Full of Books. About Shout, she wrote:  I like reading books written in verse, especially when the poetry is good, so I enjoyed my reading experience. I hope this book …

REVIEW: All of Me

Today’s review comes from Middle Grade Fiction chair Alex Baugh, who blogs at Randomly Reading. She reviewed Poetry nominee All of Me (Amazon, IndieBound), and wrote this about it: If All of Me rings true to readers, perhaps it is because it is based on the author’s own experiences as a overweight child.  Read the full review here.  

REVIEW: Other Words for Home

Today we’re hearing from Poetry round one panelist Tess who posts reviews at Goodreads and on Instagram. She’s read Poetry nominee Other Words for Home (Amazon, IndieBound), and wrote:  Building empathy one book, one voice at a time has never felt so critical. You can read the whole review here. 

REVIEW: Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections

Today’s review is actually an interview with the author of Poetry nomination Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections (Amazon, IndieBound). Poetry panelist Matt Esenwine, who blogs at Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme, recently interviewed Michelle Schwab about her book. She said this about the collection: Carmen Saldaña did such an amazing job with the illustrations in Finding Treasure that I’m in love with …

REVIEW: H Is For Haiku

Welcome to our last featured blog review of the Finalist judging period! Today’s featured review comes from longtime Cybil-ite, former category organizer, and Round 2 judge Jone MacCulloch, who blogs at Check It Out. A few months ago, she reviewed Poetry finalist H Is For Haiku: A Treasury of Haiku from A to Z, written by Sydell Rosenberg and illustrated …

REVIEW: Can I Touch Your Hair?

Our featured blog review for today looks at Poetry finalist Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship written by Irene Latham and Charles Waters and illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. Round 1 Poetry judge, editor, and longtime Cybils participant Anastasia Suen posted a wonderful author guest post on her blog early last year. Co-author …

REVIEW: Friends and Foes: Poems for Us All

Happy Boxing Day! Our featured review for today comes via Round 2 Poetry judge and Cybils regular Sylvia Vardell, an author and professor who blogs at Poetry for Children. Earlier this year, she looked at Poetry nominee Friends and Foes: Poems for Us All by Douglas Florian: You’ll find 25 poems on many different aspects of friendship, including some of …

REVIEW: Blood Water Paint

Today’s featured book review comes from Young Adult Fiction judge Stormy Campbell, a book lover and writer from Texas who blogs at Book.Blog.Bake. Last month she reviewed Poetry nominee Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough, a novel in verse based on the life of Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi: I confess to knowing absolutely nothing about Artemisia before reading this book. …

REVIEW: With My Hands: Poems About Making Things

Ready for some verse? Our featured blog review for today was written by Round 1 Poetry judge Carol Wilcox, a Cybils regular, educator and mom who blogs at Carol’s Corner. This past month, Carol posted a review of Poetry nominee With My Hands: Poems About Making Things written by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and illustrated by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson: …