How to use this Page

In addition to having lots of work and family issues to deal with, there's another thing that's been keeping me away from the blog. It's called the Cybils. Pretty much every night that I'm not working or have another commitment has been spent reading nomniees (and working on my bookshelf). And while I do still have about a month to get through as many of the books as I can, take a look at my to be read pile:


Now, I took this two days ago, so six of these I finished over the holiday, so it's a little out of date. But you get the idea. Good thing those are graphic novels and read fast! And I've already read 23 nomninees including six books that come before in a series so I can understand what's going on. Phew!

Anyway, if you don't hear from me in the next few days, at least you'll know what I've been doing. I feel bad for neglecting my blog but I just don't have enough time in the day lately. Le sigh.

I did also want to point out the new Cybils widget in the sidebar. It's over to the right -----> It displays a new book from one of the nominated categories each time it's refreshed. Neat huh? Normally I say that any of those books would make good Christmas presents, but the truth is there are always a few books in the nominated bunch that just wouldn't make the Christmas cut. Then again, some of those books are absolutely excellent. So it's your decision, I guess.

Anyway, I'm off to go read a few more books before I have to go to work.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Most American school children know the story of Rosa Parks.  But few know that before Rosa Parks started her protest, there was a brave young teen who challenged the segregation laws in Montgomery, Alabama.  Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice was just nominated for the National Book Award, and it's a book well worth seeking out.

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
by Phillip Hoose.
NY: Melanie Kroupa Books, 2009.
ages 10 and up

On March 2, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, fifteen year old Claudette Colvin refused to give her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus.  Claudette was an impassioned teenager who had just learned about her constitutional rights in her history class.  Her friends knew how angry she was at segregation and how unfairly the police treated her, but Claudette quickly found herself avoided or teased by her classmates.  Although Claudette received some help from local civil rights leaders, they decided that she was not suitable to be the public face of a mass protest.  She was young, from a poor family, and volatile at times.

As Claudette reeled from the lack of support from her friends and the community, she ran into personal trouble and ended up pregnant.  She was sent to Birmingham to have the child, but returned to Montgomery to be part of the protests and live near her home.  Claudette was still willing to be part of the protests, and a year later she became a key plaintiff in the landmark case that struck down the segregation laws of Montgomery and swept away the legal underpinnings of the Jim Crow South.

This is an amazing story - I read it in one sitting, it was so engrossing.  Young adults will be drawn into reading about how a teenager wasn't given the respect she deserved by the adults leading the NAACP movement. Claudette showed tremendous courage and determination speaking up against the injustices of segregation, and yet she wasn't even invited to participate in the ceremony to end the Montgomery Bus Boycott. 

This is a great nonfiction book for middle school and high school students.  Phillip Hoose brings the history alive.  He presents clear, descriptive background information, fascinating primary sources from newspapers, pamphlets and flyers, and many first-person accounts from interviews with Claudette and others.  Hoose clearly conveys all the risks of opposing segregation, along with the courage it took to face those risks. This is a compelling read for students who might think they know it all about this period of history.

I'm so glad to see this nominated for the National Book Award, in their Young People's Literature category. There are other great books nominated - see here for more information.  The awards will be presented November 18th.  For more great nonfiction books, check out the weekly Nonfiction Monday.  Today it's hosted by Lori Calabrese.

I purchased this review copy as part of my mock-Newbery book club.  Stop by your local bookstore to find a copy, or find it at your local library.

This books is available online at Amazon. If you make a purchase by clicking through to Amazon, Great Kid Books receives a small percentage, which will be used to buy more books to review.  Below, I've included another fantastic book by Phillip Hoose, We Were There, Too, and the new nonfiction we're reading for our mock-Newbery: Marching For Freedom.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Have you gotten in your nomination for the Cybils yet? I know, I know, I'm beating this topic over the head, but today is you absolute, no more chances, last minute chance to nominate those books you've read from the last year and think deserve and award. Nominations are offically over at midnight tonight. That's when the lists are offically set in stone (metaphorically speaking). Done. Kaput. All over.

This is my fourth year on the Cybils, and I KNOW the book blogging community has exploded in the past year, so I want to see you participate. That's right. YOU! Part of the consideration for the award is kid/teen appeal, and how do we know what you like if you don't speak up?

I'd especially like to see more participation in the graphic novels category. It seems like every year there are lots of graphic novels, but the manga ones kind of get skipped over. Maybe it's just me, but these are the most popular GNs in my hometown. So for those of you who read manga, let you voice be heard! And if you don't, let your voice be heard too.

And I'll even give you a prize for it too.

Happy nominating!

Add a Comment

Phew, just made it! Where have the last two weeks disappeared to? Anyway, I’ve made my nominations for the Cybils - and if you haven’t yet, you have until 11.59 p.m. tomorrow…

So here’s my list:

Fiction Picture Books:

I nominated Naomi’s Tree by Joy Kogawa

… on my list were also Erika-San by Allen Say (Houghton Mifflin, 2009) - nominated by Kara of Not Just for Kids;
and Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, illustrated by Kristi Valiant (Shen’s Books, 2009) - nominated by Renee of Shen’s Blog;

…and I especially want to look out:
First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barasch (Lee & Low, 2009) - nominated by Hannah from the Lee & Low Blog
Hook by Ed Young (Roaring Book Press, 2009) - nominated by Susannah of Raab Associates
My African Bedtime Rhymes by Brettell Hone (Shamwari Publishing, 2009) - nominated by Ginger Nielson;
Crow Call by Lois Lowry - nominated by Kristine at The Best Book I Haven’t Read
My Abuelita by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt Children’s Books, 2009) - nominated by Lynn E. Hazen
…and the list continues!

Middle Grade Fiction:

I nominated Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan (Groundwood, 2009)

…and must seek out Brushing Mom’s Hair by Andrea Cheng (Wordsong, 2009) - nominated by Linda at Swell Books
and Journey of Dreams by Marge Pellegrino (Frances Lincoln, 2009) - nominated by Janni… and more!

Non-fiction/Information Picture Books:

I nominated My Japan by Etsuko Watanabe

…and great to see already nominated:
Balarama: A Royal Elephant by Ted and Betsy Lewin (Lee and Low, 2009) - nominated by Miri at Wands and Worlds;
Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Susan Roth, (Dial, 2009) - nominated by Maggi at Mama Librarian;
Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story by Paula Yoo (Lee & Low, 2009) - nominated by Jama at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup.

I want to read:
The East-West House: Noguchi’s Childhood in Japan by Christy Hale (Lee & Low, 2009);
The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the Holocaust by Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland Desaix (Holiday House, 2009);
Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends by Carol Buckley (Putnam Juvenile, 2009) - nominated by Elaine Magkiaro at Wild Rose Reader;
Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan by Jeanette Winter - nominated by Sherry at Semicolon;
Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming by Jan Reynolds (Lee & Low, 2009).

Non-Fiction - middle/teen:

I nominated Let There Be Peace: Prayers from Around the World by Jeremy Brooks, illustrated by Jude Daly (Frances Lincoln, 2009)

…already nominated: After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance by Anne Sibley O’Brien and Perry Edmond O’Brien (Charlesbridge, 2009) - I’m in the process of writing a review for this superb book and will add a link soon…
and Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World… One Child at a Time (The Young Reader’s Edition) by Greg Mortenson (Puffin Young Readers, 2009).

Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little, Brown and Company, 2009) has been nominated in the Fantasy/Science Fiction section by Emily Reads; and John Agard’s The Young Inferno would have been my poetry nomination but Sherry got there first!

I’ve realised that I have read very little newly-published YA fiction this year so I haven’t made a nomination there either - but it’s good to see Mitali Perkins’ Secret Keeper in there, nominated by Sarah at Archimedes Forgets (what a wonderful name for a blog!); and I do have a copy of Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger (Margaret K. McElderry, 2009) in my to-be-read pile (nominated by R. J. Anderson)…

So it looks like I’m going to be busy enough - I can’t imagine how the judges are going to manage to read all the nominees. And after tomorrow, we’ll be waiting with baited breath to find out the shortlists, published on 1st January…

Add a Comment

The deadline for nominating children’s and young adult books for the 2009 Cybils is tomorrow. Nominations will close at 11:59 p.m. on October 15th.

I will be serving as a second round judge in the Poetry Category this year. Following is the list of poetry books that were nominated and are eligible. If you don’t see your favorite poetry book of the past year on the list, by all means get thee over to the Cybils site and nominate it.

Here’s a link to the nomination form: Cybils Nomination Form

Read this Wild Rose Reader post, 2009 Cybils Poetry Panel Announced!, to find out who’ll be serving on the poetry panels with me this year.

Poetry Books Nominated in 2009

1. A Curious Collection of Cats By Betsy Franco
2. A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Speak, Sing and Shout By Paul Janeczko
3. A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems By Deborah Ruddell
4. Absolutely Wild By Dennis Webster
5. African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways By Avis Harley
6. Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes By Alice Schertle
7. Change-up: Baseball Poems By Gene Fehler
8. City I Love By Lee Bennett Hopkins
9. Come to the Castle!: A Visit to a Castle in Thirteenth-Century England By Linda Ashman
10. Concrete Poetry (Poetry Basics) By Valerie Bodden
11. Dinothesaurus: Prehistoric Poems and Paintings By Douglas Florian
12. Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems By ed. Georgia Heard
13. Lady of Shalott, The (Visions in Poetry) By Alfred Lord Tennyson
14. Mother Poems By Hope Anita Smith
15. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors By Joyce Sidman
16. Sky Magic By Lee Bennett Hopkins
17. Spot the Plot: A Riddle Book of Book Riddles By J. Patrick Lewis
18. Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School By Laura Purdie Salas
19. Steady Hands: Poems About Work By Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
20. The Bill Martin Jr Big Book of Poetry By Bill Martin Jr.
21. The Cuckoo's Haiku: and Other Birding Poems By Michael J. Rosen
22. The Fastest Game on Two Feet: And Other Poems About How Sports Began By Alice Low
23. The House By J. Patrick Lewis
24. The Monsterologist: A Memoir in Rhyme By Bobbi Katz
25. The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination By Mary Ann Hoberman & Linda Winston
26. The Underwear Salesman: And Other Jobs for Better or Verse By J. Patrick Lewis
27. The Young Inferno By John Agard
28. Tofu Quilt By Ching Yeung Russell
29. What's the Weather Inside? By Karma Wilson
    

Add a Comment

I am happy to once again be a part of the Cybils Awards! This year I am going to be judging middle grade fiction, along with the folks from Shelf Elf, Educating Alice, The Excelsior File and Wagging Tales! I've been keeping track of the nominations, and I have to say, I am very excited!

If you haven't nominated any titles yet, head on over now!

Display Comments Add a Comment

It’s that time of year when I’m preparing to dive into poetry again–a refreshing pool of rhythms and rhymes, puns and pranks– to splash and frolic and dance in the water in ways that I rarely do the rest of the year.That’s because over the next few months, as one of the poetry panelists for the Cybils 2009-10 Awards, I’ll be swimming with a handful of other people who love poetry, too, and who

Display Comments Add a Comment

So, as I mentioned yesterday, nominations for the Cybils opened yesterday and will remain open until October 15th. If you are new to the Cybils and missed that post, you may want to check it out before reading this.

If you're familiar with the Cybils, then you know that this first part of the awards totally depends on those who participate in the nominating process. Without our nominators, we don't have any titles to read! Or if someone doesn't nominate it, we may miss out on that one book that would have stood out beyond all others.

So you may have figured out this is a contest from the post title, and it is. I'm getting to it now. I'm thanking those of you who help participate in the Cybils this year with a contest. If you win, you can win these 2008 Cybils nominees:

Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer (PB), Kaimira: The Sky Village by Monk Ashland and Nigel Ashland (HC) and Switch by Carol Snow (ARC). Scroll to the bottom of the post to find out more about each book.

How to Enter: Nominate a title that is eligible for this year's Cybils. Then leave me a comment here (or send me an email) and let me know. That's it! Plus, if you nominate a Graphic Novel title (and then let me know about it) I will give you 3 extra entries! Why? Because that's the committee I'm on this year, and I am a little out of touch with the books that were published this year in that particular field. I know at least some of you readers read graphic novels, so if you had one that you particularly liked, go enter it!

Extra Entries: IF you have already entered, then you can also earn extra entries:
+1 Nominating any eligible title (if you have already nominated that still counts, just let me know)
+3 Nominating a Graphic Novel title.
+1 Linking to the contest somewhere on the web
+2 For every person who says they were referred by your link
+1 If you were referred

That's 8 possible entries! Plus, if more than one person is referred by you, then you'll get even more entries.

Misc. Rules: This contest will be open until nominations close (October 15th) when the winner will be randomly selected to win. I also might decide the split up the prize pack or add more prizes depending on how many entries I get. I haven't decided yet. So spread the word and participate!

About the Books (from Amazon.com)
Kaimira: The Sky Village: "High over China, the Sky Village, an intricate web of interconnected hot-air balloons, floats above the troubled landscape, where animals battle machines for control. Mei's mother has been kidnapped, and she has been left in this strange place by her father.

Half a world away, thirteen-year-old Rom struggles to survive in the ruins of Las Vegas. When his young sister is taken by a pair of demonic creatures, Rom has no choice but to follow her into a shadowy world below ground. There, he becomes engaged in gladiator-style fighting in an arena where mehanical-beast demons do battle for the entertainment of a chaotic community of gamblers.

Mei and Ron have never met, but they share a common journal, a book that mysteriously allows them to communicate. It also reveals that each of them carries the strange and frightening kaimira gene and that aspects of beast and mek qualities are entwined in their very DNA.

In this thrilling, intricately plotted novel, the first in a five-book series, Mei and Rom must overcome the forces that seek to destroy them and find the courage to balance the powers that lurk within."

Must Love Black: "NANNY FOR 10-YR-OLD TWINS. MAINE COAST. OWN ROOM & GENEROUS SALARY. MUST LOVE BLACK. "Must love black?" Sounds like a coffee-loving, seclusion-seeking goth girl's dream job. Philippa isn't fazed by the fog-enshrouded mansion on a cliff, the weirdest twins on the planet, or even the rumors about ghosts, 'cause when she meets the estate's hot gardener, Philippa's pretty sure she's found her dream boy, too. Too bad Geoff's already taken--by a girl whose wardrobe is head-to-toe pink. Still, Philippa can't get Geoff out of her head. What will it take to lure him to the dark side?"

Switch: "Claire Martin has some serious body issues.

Ever since Claire hit her teens, electrical storms have been making her switch bodies. Usually she's back to her old self in no time. But when something goes terribly wrong, she finds herself stuck in the fabulous body—and life—of Larissa, the icy blonde beauty who has caught the eye of Nate, Claire's longtime crush.

Will Claire ever figure out how to get her old life back? And, more importantly, will she even want to?"

Display Comments Add a Comment

I often keep my eye out for awards to clue me into books or movies I want to see.  You've probably heard of the Newbery Medal, the Caldecott Medal, and the Coretta Scott King Award. These awards recognize the best books in a year and are awarded by the American Library Association.  But I'd also like to draw your attention to a special award The CYBILS, the Children's and Young Adults Blogger's Literary Award.

The Cybils reward children's and young adult authors/ illustrators whose books combine the highest literary merit and 'kid appeal.' They also foster a sense of community among bloggers who write about children's and YA literature. One thing I particularly like is how the Cybils covers a wider range of children's books than the other awards.  This year, there is a new award for Short Chapter Books.  These are so important for new readers, and they don't receive much attention.

Nominations for the Cybils are open today! Anyone can nominate any book published in English from October 16, 2008 to October 15, 2009. You  may only nominate one book for each category. Nominations are open from October 1st to October 15. They've got a great form to use: Nomination Form 2009.

When all the nominations are collected, there are panelists in each category who read the books and narrow them down to a shortlist. On January 1st, the finalists are announced and a second group of judges will pick the winners, which are announced on Valentine's Day.

I'm very excited to be part of the judging panel for Easy Readers and Short Chapter Books this year.  It's a an exciting opportunity for me.  I'll be posting about many of the books nominated in this category in the upcoming months.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Cybils nominations open today!

For those of you who've never heard of them, The Cybils (a loose acronym for Children's and Young Adult Literary Blogger Awards) is a book award that's like a cross between the Newbery and the People's Choice Awards. Anyone can nominate a book, but a panel is responsible for sifting through all the nominees to choose a winner. Books are judged both on literary merit as well as kid/teen appeal in 9 categories: Fiction Picture Books, Non-fiction Picture Books, Easy Readers/Short Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Poetry, Non-fiction (MG/YA), Fantasy (MG/YA), Graphic Novels (MG/YA), and Young Adult Fiction.

So take this opportunity to go nominate a book published between October 16th, 2008 and October 15, 2009 that you think was outstanding and deserves a reward. Only one nomination per person per category is allowed, and multiple nominations don't make any difference to who wins. So don't waste your nomination! This year they've got a really nice new form that makes it a lot easier to both see what's been nominated, and to keep track of your nominations.

To celebrate the wonderfulness that is all things Cybils, I have two surprises coming up in the next few days. One might be a way to win something, and one might be a nomination-related thing... but I can't tell you details. It would ruin the surprise! So if you normally don't read the blog on the weekends, make sure you at least read all the posts you missed.

And for those of you who are new to the Cybils, here's the first new thing. I've participated in the process since it was started in 2007. So what questions do you have? Are you confused about how to nominate something? Maybe you want to know what goes on after nominations close? How winners are chosen? Criteria for nominating? Whatever questions you have about the Cybils, leave a comment here and I'll make sure they get answered.

Add a Comment

The Cybils 2009 Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards will be up and running tomorrow. Nominations will be open to the public from October 1-15. You may nominate books in nine different categories:

• Easy Readers/Short Chapter Books
• Fantasy/Science Fiction
• Fiction Picture Books
• Graphic Novels
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Non-Fiction (MG/YA)
• Non-Fiction Picture Books
• Poetry
• Young Adult Fiction

NOTE: Any book published between last year’s contest and this year’s is eligible.

For More Information:

• About The Cybils Awards
• Some info about '09 nominations
  

I’ll be serving as a second round judge on the Poetry Panel this year.

FYI: Some excellent children’s poetry books have been published in 2009. I have written reviews of nine of them. Here are links to the poetry book reviews I’ve posted to date this year at Wild Rose Reader:

• Red Sings from Treetops: A Book Review & An Invitation (4/17/09)
• Presenting Anna Alter & What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe? (4/21/09)
• Poetry Friday: Animal Haiku (4/24/09) This post includes a brief review of Michael J. Rosen’s The Cuckoo’s Haiku.
• The Frogs and Toads All Sang: A Book of Poems by Arnold Lobel (6/05/09)
• Book Review: Sky Magic Compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins (6/12/09)
• Poetry Book Review: Incredible Inventions Compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins (6/19/09)
• Poetry about City Life (7/24/09) This post includes a review of Lee Bennett Hopkins’s City I Love.
• Countdown to Summer: A Poetry Book Review (8/28/09)
• Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School (9/04/09)
  
  

Stay Tuned: On Friday, I’ll be posting a review of a wonderful book of mask poems—Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes by Alice Schertle.

Add a Comment

      
      from Uncle Wiggily and the Apple Dumpling (1939),
      written by Howard Garis, pictures by George Carlson
      (from calloohcallay's photostream).


Starting tomorrow, alphabet soup will be on blog vacation for about 2 weeks.

It's time to step away from the computer and enjoy some of the many magical things autumn has to offer. I hope to do some research for a new WIP, try some new restaurants, read, relax, and catch up with family and friends. While most of you were out and about this summer, I continued to blog blog blog, so I'm more than ready for a little break.

       

I did want to remind you that it's Cybils time again! Between October 1-15, you can submit your nominations (one per category) for the best children's and young adult books published during the past year. The goal is to recognize books with literary merit and kid appeal. The Cybils elves have been very busy setting everything up. I'm happy to report that once again I'll be helping out in the Poetry Category, coordinated by the lovely Kelly R. Fineman. Check the official website for important information about how to nominate books, and to get the scoop about all the different categories and panels.


photo by -Snug-.

The alphabet soup kitchen helpers will be in charge while I'm gone. Please do not let them go beserk and eat all the chocolate in the house. I don't want you to go hungry, so nosh on these pumpkin muffins till I return:

photo by stickygooeychef (recipe is here).

We'll resume our Fall for Restaurants celebration right after Columbus Day. Click here in case you missed yesterday's doggone delicious chat with Leslie McGuirk and Alex von Bidder, creators of Wiggens Learns His Manners at the Four Seasons Restaurant.

Hope the beautiful autumn weather inspires some great writing! Take care and see you soon!

Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.

Add a Comment

I’m going to be involved with the Cybils Poetry Panel once again. This year, I’ll be serving as a judge in Round II rather than as a member of the nominating panel in Round I. I’m excited! I’ll be in the company of some wonderful kidlit bloggers.

Some excellent children’s poetry books have been published in the past year. I think the nominating panel is going to have a wonderful time reading and evaluating them.

The 2009 Cybils Poetry Panel
Panel Organizer: Kelly Fineman, Writing and Ruminating

Panelists (Round I Judges):

Bruce Black, Wordswimmer

Kristy Dempsey, Reverie--Abstract Musings on a Hopeful Life

Kelly Fineman (Panel Organizer)

Tricia Stohr-Hunt, The Miss Rumphius Effect

Sylvia Vardell, Poetry for Children

Judges (Round II):

Sara Lewis Holmes, Read Write Believe

Elaine Magliaro, Wild Rose Reader

Greg Pincus, GottaBook

Jama Rattigan, Alphabet Soup

Stacey Shubitz, Two Writing Teachers

Add a Comment

First of all, if you don't know what the Cybils are, welcome to enlightenment! The best explanation I have found is this post by Liz B at A Chair, A Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy.

Well, I can finally announce this. I've actually known since Monday, but we had to keep mum until the official announcement was made. Which is was today. So here we go. Copied from the Cybils blog:

We've been working hard behind the scenes on the judging assignments, and we've put together an enthusiastic panel of fans and bloggers to read the best in graphic novels for both young adult and elementary/middle grade audiences.

Panel Organizer: Liz Jones, Liz Jones Books

Panelists (Round I Judges):
Alyssa Feller, The Shady Glade
Maggi Idzikowski, Mama Librarian
Liz Jones (see panel organizer)
Nicola Manning, Back to Books
Kim Rapier, Si, se puede! Yes we can
Gina Ruiz, AmoXcalli
Alysa Stewart, Everead

Judges (Round II):
Walter Biggins, The Quiet Bubble
Justin Colussy-Estes, Guys Lit Wire
Sarah Sammis, Puss Reboots
Sarah Stevenson, Finding Wonderland
Casey Titschinger, Bookworm 4 Life

So there you have it. I'll be doing the nominations for Graphic Novels again this year. This is the third year I've been on this panel, since last year I did Fantasy/Sci Fi. When I found out I was actually a little depressed, since I really enjoyed the fantasy panel last year and I was getting a little tired of graphic novels (hence why I jumped last year). I've also really been out of the loop about current GNs this year, since I've spent most of my reading of those types of books in previously released series.

But now I'm adjusted to the idea. In fact, I'm super excited to be on a panel at all come to think of it. Competition has been getting very fierce this year! I'll miss my Fantasy comrades (if they make the panel again) but I'm working with some great people this year too. I've had the pleasure of working with Gina from my first two years doing GNs on the Cybils, and I know Kim from my work over at YABC. The rest of the people I don't know, but I'm sure we'll be good friends by the time December is over. I do notice there are two Alyssa's (the other one is Alysa) on the panel though. That's going to be confusing. :-)

So keep you eye on the Cybils blog to see the rest of the panels. We're the second to be announced, since Easy Readers was posted earlier this week. And nominations open Oct. 1st! I'll post more info about that then.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Just a reminder in advance (but not much!) that nominations for this year’s Cybils Awards (complete with smart new logo!) open on 1st October and will then stay open until the 15th - so time to start making that list of which books you will nominate in each category.

Yes, any individual can put in their nominations. But it’s also a good idea to have other ideas up your sleeve because if someone else has already nominated a title, you can choose another one. A great way of opening up the award to a broad gamut of books!

Add a Comment