Cybils

The 2014 Cybils Winners are Here!

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I’ve had a fantastic Cybils year. I eschewed my usual round 1 reading — which is why there’s not been nearly as many reviews as usual around here — to be the Cybils blog editor, something which I really enjoyed. I liked reading all the reviews, visiting blogs I usually don’t.

I was, however, chosen to be a second round judge for the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category. And today, we announce that (and the others!) winner! (An inside tip: read all the way through to the YA Speculative Fiction blurb. It’s GREAT.)

I’m always a little sad at the end of Cybils season, because it’s such a great community effort.

Though, to extend the season a bit more, over the next two weeks, I’ll post reviews of the finalists.

Here’s to another fantastic Cybils!

We Need YOU!

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My favorite thing (and one of the reasons I keep my blog going after nearly 10 years) is participating in the Cybils. It’s a lot of work, yes, but it’s a fantastic thing to be a part of something larger than oneself. You find new favorite books (and yes, lots of duds as well), and you get to talk books with other people who are just as passionate about them as you.

And, on top of that, you’re helping create a list of  books that are both terrific but also kid-friendly. I’ve recommended the Cybils finalist lists to people as a resource for great books for years.

But, this award doesn’t give itself. We need judges (in all categories). And that’s where YOU come in. Go here, and fill out an application. (It’s easy. Promise.) And be a part of the fun!

And the Winners Are….

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(Or the reason February 14th Isn’t Horrible.)

The Cybils winners are announced! Go here for all the awards, but the one I’m most invested in (though none of my three nominations that made it to the finals won…) is the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction winner is:

And honestly, if they had picked anything else, I’d be incensed. It really was the best book we read.

And, because they turned out so awesome, here are A and K’s valentine’s boxes for their parties today.

OH! It’s also International Book Giving day! Find/buy a book to pass on to a child. I think I’m going to finally take those bags of books to our local children’s home. Seems like a much better thing to do today than to eat overpiced chocolate. (Now tomorrow, the chocolate will be discounted. I’ll eat it then.)

Happy Valentines Day!

10 (Really Good) Books That Didn’t Make Our Cybils Shortlist

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I know this is a bit late. And things have moved on to awards season (yes, I am avidly reading Heavy Medal and I squeed — and put a bunch of books on hold! — when Battle of the Books announced their line-up). But when I sat down to do this month’s list, I realized that here was an opportunity to highlight some of my favorites (ones that were really good, even if they weren’t perfect) that we didn’t all agree on. (They are roughly in the order of excellence. In my opinion, anyway.)

1. The Vengekeep Prophecies, by Brian Farrey: “There’s so much to love in this book. Jax is a terrific character: a bookish kid (I love that he’s wearing glasses. I know it’s a little thing, but I do love it.), an unwilling hero, and yet he finds a way to outsmart the more Savvy characters and Save the Day.”

2. The Real Boy, by Anne Ursu: “This was a lovely, lyrical book; Ursu is a magnificent, quiet writer. She knows how to evoke a feeling and a place — the forest is dark and magical and calming.”

3. Parched, by Melanie Crowder: “That said, the writing was gorgeous. And I have to give Crowder props for setting a dystopia book in an African-feeling setting.” I think out of all the ones I read, this one I had the worst initial reaction to, but I can’t stop thinking about.

4. How to Catch a Bogle, by Catherine Jinks: “[T]he combination of a clever take on the paranormal and the plucky character of Birdie was enough of a combination for me to fall head over heels for this one.”

5. Pi in the Sky, by Wendy Mass: “I really enjoyed Joss’s learning of evolutionary science. And physics and chemistry as well. And I thought Mass was clever to frame it as a fantastical adventure. It made the science less… boring.”

6. The Year of Shadows, by Claire Legrand: “Olivia was dark and grumpy and prickly and perfect for a ghost story. Additionally, I loved the musical setting for this — the concert hall, the strains of orchestral music (it needs a soundtrack!) running through the story; in the endnote, Legrand talks about choosing pieces to fit the mood of Olivia’s life, and being familiar with many of the pieces, I think she did fabulously.”

7. The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle, by Christopher Healy: “How will the League of Princes handle this? Well, much like they do in the first book: with of silliness, laughs, luck, and heart. Yeah, sure, this is more of the same as the first book, but why mess with a good thing?”

8. Fortunately, the Milk, by Neil Gaiman: “I enjoy Gaiman’s stuff normally, but I really do think I prefer his whimsical works for younger kids.”

9. Neptune Project, by Polly Holyoke: ” I’ve read books about exploring the ocean as an option for when global warming takes over and turns this planet into one gigantic mass of water, and I’ve read books that deal with genetic mutation of people (and I think I’ve read one that combines the two in some search for Atlantis, now that I think about it), but this one struck me as unique.”

10. Magic Marks the Spot, by Caroline Carlson: “There’s more to this book — magic and treasure and an Enchantress and a Wicked Parent — but really, what I loved most about this book was that Hilary set out to be a pirate and succeeded ON HER OWN TERMS.”

There you have it. For other favorites that didn’t make the shortlist check out the post at the Cybils website.

Happy New Year!

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And you know what that means? Cybils Shortlist Day! I’m actually quite proud of our shortlist; it was one of the easier ones to come up with. I’ve included it in full… you can check out everyone else’s list here. Then go out and enjoy a good book!

Speculative Fiction: Elementary & Middle Grade

Sage Blackwood
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Brandy Painter
Deep in the dangerous forest of the Urwald, a boy named Jinx grows up in the home of a mysterious magician. Though Jinx is no apprentice mage, magic runs deep in him. When the magician steals part of that away, Jinx, devastated and furious, runs away into the forest. With two other travelers, a boy and a girl, each suffering from magical misfortunes of their own, Jinx sets out to find the Bonemaster, the dark wizard who might be able to set them free.  From the contemplative beginning of a boy growing up in mystery, the reader is plunged into adventure and danger as the threesome confront the perils of the Urwald and the terrible truth of the Bonemaster.  Jinx is a character to love, and his story, rich in imaginative details, is one to savor.
Charlotte Taylor, Charlotte’s Library
Jonathan Stroud
Disney Hyperion
Nominated by: lwad
Set in an alternate England, where ghosts stalk to kill, a strict curfew is put on all citizens so they will not be killed and become a part of the ghost plague that has lasted 50 years. When Lucy shows signs of hearing ghosts at a young age, she is enlisted to become an agent of the Psychic Investigations. A tragic accidentleaves Lucy without work near her home and she decides to set out for London. With new colleagues and new cases, Lucy finds herself involved in a case that could make or break her career – or even end her life. A mix of horror and adventure, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a series that will engage readers until the very last page.
Kristen Harvey, The Book Monsters
Holly Webb
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Nominated by: Sheila Ruth
In a Victorian London where magic is powerful, and sorcerers and alchemists have the ear of the monarch, Rose is a young girl growing up in an orphanage.  Taken into the home of the Court’s most important alchemist, she hopes for a safe and simple life as a servant. But strange things are happening to Rose. She can make pictures appear when she tells stories, she can see the house’s magic, and she can understand her new master’s cat when he speaks. When children begin to disappear all over London, Rose realizes she may be able to unravel the mystery if she’s willing to combine her unwanted magic with the resources of her ordinary life. Rose is an enchanting tale with magic, mystery, friendship, bravery, and the power of being yourself.  It is sure to delight any reader who picks it up.
John David Anderson
Walden Pond Press
A story of super powers, dangerous villains . . .  and middle school. For Andrew Bean (a.k.a. The Sensationalist) being suspended over a swimming pool of acid is just one of the hazards of being a sidekick in training. Having hypersensitive hearing, smell, sight, touch and taste isn’t quite the same as being able to bench press a car; still, he embraces being a part of H.E.R.O., the secret organization that trains sidekicks and pairs them with full-fledged Supers as mentors. But his mentor is MIA. When an old enemy reappears in town and Andrew finds himself targeted, this Super-less sidekick will have to try and save the day.
Sidekicked decants superhero myth and legend, and melds it with the realities of middle school life from the perspective of a thirteen-year-old protagonist. Larger-than-life adventures of wildly powerful individuals touches dark side of being a superhero. Andrew’s powers may be super, but his observations and day-to-day struggles to understand the lines between good and evil are something every tween reader can identify with.
 Stephanie Whalen, Views from the Tesseract
Brandon Sanderson
Tor Teen
Nominated by: diane
Joel is a scholarship student at the Armedius Academy, one of the leading schools for training Rithmatists–an elite band of magicians who can make chalk drawings come alive. In spite of his learning and ambitions, Joel cannot make living chalkings. His classmate Melody is the daughter of a long line of Rithmatists, and though she has magical ability, she doesn’t have the drive or the talent to pass the courses.  When a string of murders by “wild” chalkings happen on campus, they become unlikely partners in both chalk magic and detection. Full of twists and turns, Sanderson draws readers into the compelling, rich, and sometimes deadly magic of the chalklings.
 Melissa Fox, Book Nut
Kathi Appelt
Atheneum
Nominated by: Bifoot Reads
Raccoon brothers J’miah and Bingo are official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts, and they know their duty: to be alert for trouble and to wake the legendary Sugar Man in case of emergencies. Never mind that no one has seen him for nearly 60 years! Nearby, 12 year-old (human) Chap Brayburn is mourning the death of his beloved grandfather Audie, and trying to figure out how to be the man of the house. When trouble comes to the swamp, J’miah, Bingo and Chap must each use all of their ingenuity and courage to save it, and themselves.
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp is a funny, beautifully written and environmentally friendly tale of familial love and the ways in which a specific spot in nature can become ‘home’ to the heart. J’miah, Bingo and Chap explore the swamp and discover some of its dangerous and wondrous secrets, and each tries to protect it in his own way.  This vivid adventure is especially charming read aloud, when the variety of animal and human voices come alive. A great pick for fans of Kate DiCamillo and The One and Only Ivan.
Megan Frazer Blakemore
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Cathy Potter
When Ephraim’s family moves to the Water Castle in Crystal Springs after his father has a stroke, Ephraim doesn’t expect all of his classmates to be smarter than him and know more about his family’s history.  Intrigued and desperate to help his father, he convinces Mallory, whose family has always served Ephraim’s, and Will, whose family has always feuded with Ephraim’s, to join with him and continue their ancestors’ search for the fountain of youth.
This slow-burning gem flows between the past and the present, science fiction and fantasy, concerns about family and race with questions about eternal life.  The young heroes of The Water Castle must question history and search for the truth themselves.  This engrossing adventure will appeal to the imaginations of a variety of readers, with its diverse trio of heroes and atmospheric setting.  Who could resist exploring.an old, strange castle that crackles with electricity, one filled with both danger and wonder?
Allie Jones, In Bed With Books

State of the TBR Pile: December 2013

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I’m thick in the middle of Cybils season, and my TBR pile reflects that.  I’ve got two piles, and yes, they do mean something, but no I’m not going to tell you. Know, though, that I want to finish all these books before the end of the month. I won’t, but I want to.

A Question of Magic, E. D. Baker
True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, Kathi Appelt
Stolen Magic, Stephanie Burgis
Ghoulish Song, William Alexander
Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea, Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin
Lara’s Gift, Annemarie O’Brien
Saving Thanehaven, Catherine Jinks
Parched, Melanie Crowder
How to Catch a Bogle, Catherine Jinks
Rose, Holly Webb
The Water Castle, Megan Frazer Blakemore
The Year of Shadows, Claire Legrand
How I Became a Ghost, Tim Tingle
The Lost Kingdom, Matthew J. Kirby
Goblins, Philip Reeve

What’s on your pile this month?

High Ho, High Ho, Off to read (Middle Grade Speculative Fiction) I go!

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It’s Cybils panel announcement time! And I find myself with a host of other really cool bloggers on the Middle Grade Speculative Fiction (aka Science Fiction/Fantasy) panel. To say I’m excited about reading 120+ MG SF books is like saying that the sky is blue. Or that I like cake.

The other (awesome, amazing, really cool) panelists I’ll be working with are:

Kristen Harvey
The Book Monsters
@bookgoil
Allie Jones
In Bed With Books
@wearedevilcow
Cecelia Larsen
The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia 
@celialarsen
Brandy Painter
Random Musings of a Bibliophile
@brandymuses
Charlotte Taylor
Charlotte‘s Library
@charlotteslib
Stephanie Whalen
Views from the Tesseract  

You can see who made it on the other panels here. Hooray for Cybils season!

The Best of 2012 On the First Day of 2013

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Or, in other words: the Cybils shortlists are up!

It took some doing to get our shortlist, but in the end, I think we’ve got a good one. And I have to say that this was the best, chattiest, funnest panel I’ve ever been on. Hooray for Middle Grade SFF! 🙂

Follow the link to see what the other panels came up with!

Beswitched
by Kate Saunders
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Ms. YinglingWhen Flora, off to boarding school under duress, wakes up on the train to find that she’s now on her way to school way back in 1935, her horror is great. How will she survive? Though she manages to adapt to the nasty bathrooms, alien food, and strict education, and befriends the roommates who had accidentally summoned her back in time, she can’t help but wonder if she’ll ever get home again.

Beswitched is a Must Read for anyone who loves British boarding school stories, historical fiction and time travel, combining all three in an utterly delightful fashion. But its appeal is more general than that. Flora’s struggles with an alien time and its alien culture are convincing and very amusing, and her growth as a character, from selfish brat to good friend and decent person, make her story one that will resonate with many readers.
— Charlotte Taylor, Charlotte’s Library

Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities
by Mike Jung
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Jeannie MobleyWho says encyclopedic knowledge of superhero trivia isn’t an important skill? Vincent Wu knows more about Captain Stupendous than anyone. That must be why he’s the only one who notices a change in the Captain after he fights a giant robot and rescues Polly, a girl in Vincent’s class. And why is Polly suddenly interested in what Vincent knows about Captain Stupendous?

Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities takes a light-hearted look at a world where superheroes are real, including humorous touches such as all kids having Stupendous Alerts on their phones. Ultimately, Vincent needs all his allegedly useless knowledge to figure out how to save his family, his town, and the world. This science fiction adventure is a geek’s fantasy written in a way so everyone can enjoy the ride.
— Sondy Eklund, Sonderbooks

The Cabinet of Earths
by Anne Nesbet
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Jessalynn Gale“It was his own grandmother who fed Henri-Pierre to the Cabinet of Earths, long ago when he was only four.” Now the strange and beautiful Cabinet is calling for another keeper—Maya, who’s only just arrived in Paris with her parents and her extraordinarily charming little brother James. But what exactly do Cabinet-Keepers keep? The answer is at the heart of debut author Nesbet’s shimmering fantasy: to find it, follow Maya through the door of 29 avenue Rapp (watch out for the bronze salamander!) and into the magical underworld of Paris, a place where science and magic combine to challenge mortality, morality…and Maya’s little brother.
— Anamaria Anderson, Books Together

The False Prince: Book 1 of the Ascendance Trilogy
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Scholastic
Nominated by: Natalie AguirreThis first book in the Ascendance trilogy begins in the midst of an episode of roast-theft. Our resourceful and inventive orphan-boy hero, Sage, soon becomes the unwilling servant of a man named Conner. Connor wants to use one of the four orphans he has purchased–or kidnapped–to save the kingdom of Carthya from civil war or takeover by a hostile neighboring kingdom. But after Conner chooses one boy to be his false prince and heir to the throne, what will happen to the others? In light of Conner’s ruthless character, it can’t be good.

Sage is a feisty and surprising character with plenty of hidden depth. The action and adventure are front and center in this non-magical tale set in a fantasy world, but children will also find lots of food for thought on the nature of courage and friendship and leadership in this rags to possible riches story. Readers may figure out some of the twists and turns of this tale of adventure and false identity, but they will question their own guesses every step of the way until the ending takes the unsuspecting reader completely by surprise and leaves us all wanting more.
— Sherry Early, Semicolon

The Last Dragonslayer (The Chronicles of Kazam)
by Jasper Fforde
Harcourt
Nominated by: itsmeerincMagic has been vanishing from the Ununited Kingdoms. Instead of the great magic once practiced, sorcerers find themselves using spells to unclog drains and magic carpets to make pizza deliveries. Ever since Mr. Zambini disappeared, fifteen-year-old Jennifer has been left to run Kazam Mystical Arts Management, where she must look after a building full of eccentric sorcerers and strange creatures. When an unusual upsurge in magic coincides with multiple predictions of the death of Maltcassion, the last dragon, Jennifer finds herself involved in even bigger magic–and with bigger responsibilities. The Last Dragonslayer is a humorous take on magic in the modern world, giving readers plenty of adventure while poking fun at high fantasy tropes. Readers will be left wanting a Quarkbeast of their own as they follow Jennifer’s madcap introduction to Dragonslaying and learn why Dragonslayers may occasionally be called upon to save dragons.
— Jessalynn Gale, Garish & Tweed

The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Bigfoot ReadsIvan, a mighty silverback gorilla captive since infancy, is resigned to his glassed-in life of staring humans, without a gorilla’s instinctive troop-protecting purpose. When his owner buys baby elephant Ruby–and after a mid-story climactic loss–Ivan questions his narrow existence and stops referring to his shopping-mall confinement as a “domain” and begins seeing it for what it is: a cage. Ivan bravely vows that he will save Ruby from his twenty-six-year fate.

Anthropomorphism can be a tricky business–finding the animal voice, yet giving it human depth–but Applegate not only pulls it off, she gives readers a character as existential as Wilbur and as stoic as Charlotte. Written in a prose-like economy of words befitting Ivan’s astute observations on life, the author captures the voice of a gorilla, but quietly speaks to the greater themes of humanity. As Ivan would say, “Humans waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot. Everyone knows the peels are the best part.”
— Cheryl Vanatti, Reading Rumpus

The Peculiar
by Stefan Bachmann
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: Monica EdingerIn Victorian England, where faeries have been trapped for hundreds of years, a young halfling boy, Bartholomew, and his halfling sister Hattie survive by the mantra “don’t get noticed.” However, when the halfling boy across the street disappears, Bartholomew lets his curiosity get the better of him. He finds himself in a dangerous world of magic and fast-paced action, as he struggles to find out where and why nine half-breed children have been brutally murdered. And the stakes only get higher when Hattie is kidnapped. The Peculiar is a wholly original mix of mystery, steampunk and chilling faerie stories, reminiscent of Neil Gaiman and Jonathan Stroud. With a dash of humor and definitely a hero (or two) to root for, this one is sure to have everyone clamoring for the next book in the series.
— Melissa Fox, Book Nut

Need Help Figuring out What to Nominate?

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So, the Cybils nominations opened up Monday, bright and early, and even if you weren’t obsessive like me (or not; I didn’t get up at some ungodly hour to nominate)… you still can help out.

I don’t have any suggestions off the top of my head, but thankfully, there are people who have! Also, thankfully, Cybils blog has a list of places to go, so I don’t have to work so hard. And Great Kid Books have a list of book apps that deserve to be nominated as well. 

So, even if your favorite book has already been nominated, there are still many, many more that deserve attention. (And besides, you really want to make us round 1 panel types work, right?)

Get out and nominate! (Please.)