ELEMENTARY NONFICTION | MIDDLE-GRADE NONFICTION | HIGH SCHOOL NONFICTION ELEMENTARY NONFICTION A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen Erin Frankel, illustrated by Paola Escobar Random House Studio Nominated by: Sarah Polumsky This starts with Jose’s passion for cooking as a young boy. We see his love and bonding with his …
#CYBILS2024 Finalists for Young Adult Fiction
Everything We Never Had Randy Ribay Kokila Nominated by: Richetta Enzo describes his anxiety as “murder hornets” when the news of the world and doom-scrolling overwhelm him. As he tries to learn how to process his emotions healthily, the COVID-19 pandemic forces his unlikeable grandfather, Emil, out of his retirement community and into Enzo’s room, displacing him and his …
2
#CYBILS2024 Finalists for Speculative Fiction
Elementary/Middle-Grade | Young Adult Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction Accidental Demons Clare Edge HarperCollins Nominated by: Joy McCullough Bernadette Crowley – Ber for short – has grown up a proud member of a family of blood witches who trace their roots back to Ireland. Ber’s extra strong magic was always an asset until her recent …
#CYBILS2024 Finalists for Graphic Novels
Elementary/Middle Grade | Young Adult ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE-GRADE GRAPHIC NOVELS Anzu and the Realm of Darkness: A Graphic Novel Mai K. Nguyen, illustrated by Mai K. Nguyen Viking Books for Young Readers Nominated by: Gary Anderson Anzu and the Realm of Darkness takes readers into the mythological Japanese underworld called Yomi. Anzu inadvertantly finds herself there after following …
A Tapestry of Tales: Folklore from Around the World #CYBILS2024 Book List
What we love about this year’s collection of nominated and submitted folklore is the rich diversity of the cultures represented. [See list below]. Readers are immersed in Legends that are centuries old but freshly told. Tales with magic to capture the imagination. Stories where natural and unexplained worlds collide. through stories told visually in graphic novels and picture books, …
Melanin in Motion | #CYBILS2024 Book List
Keep moving … do what moves you … move forward … you get the idea. In these stories you will find girls and women of color in motion: on the sports field, on the stage, and over, under, and through whatever speedbumps came their way. With a few exceptions, each of the books in this collection are suitable for audiences …
Wish Books: Judges’ Recommendations for Book Gifting
Does anyone remember the days when we couldn’t wait for the <insert merchant name> Wish Book (aka Christmas catalog) to arrive in our mailbox so that we could start our personal wish list of gifts we wanted? The days of snail mail mega-catalogs are long gone, but that doesn’t mean we don’t hope for things … like great books kids will …
FRI-YA | #CYBILS2023 Reviews 02.09.2024
Is it us or is there an uptick in the number of book descriptions and reviews that include references to other media [usually books or movies]? We bring you Exhibit A. Two of these statements came from the Goodreads description about the book, two-and-a-half came from our judges. Perfect for fans of All Out and Cemetery Boys Reminds Me Of: Ghosts, Be …
Nonfiction Tuesday | #CYBILS2023 Book Reviews 12.5.2023
Are we late for celebrating Native American heritage? We don’t think so. Here at the CYBILS Awards, we think every day is an opportunity to honor and recognize the life experiences of others and, by extension, learn from those stories. Today’s selections in corporate history, innovation, athletes, activists, and indigenous culture through biography and hands-on learning. Does it feel like …
Full STEAM Ahead: a #CYBILS2023 Book List
First things first: there is no such thing as “boy books” or “girl books.” Books are books. Kids are kids. And for young readers curiosity, fascinating stuff, and (possibly) great illustrations drive interest more than the identity of the main character. Space exploration, mythology, robotics, virtual reality … all equal-interest subjects. Now that we have that out of the way …