Finalists for Cybils Awards: Stay Tuned on January 1!

The tough (but thrilling) work of Round One panelists for CYBILS AWARDS has been completed. In each category the nominees have been read and examined thoroughly, lovingly, and analytically. Discussions and debates about favorites are now complete, final decisions have been made, and blurbs for each have been written and submitted. The organizer/chairperson for each category submits this content to the overall CYBILS coordinator, who will post it with fanfare for the general public on...

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JANUARY 1

What better way could there be to celebrate the start of 2017 than to check out these highly recommended titles in categories "just-right" for every possible reader you know. While you browse and begin your shopping/library hold list, the panel of final judges in each group will dig in to do the heavy lifting-- reading and considering every aspect of these outstanding books to select JUST ONE. Why not get your hands on as many of them as you can and see if your opinion matches their final decisions? Or conduct classroom/family discussions about the finalists in various categories that suit your readers. 

After all, this particular award is presented by those of us who write blogs about books. Even very young readers can write blogs, too, and they can learn more about the process by reading examples from various panelists in their favorite categories. 

Make sure you don't miss any of the news and updates by checking out the website for CYBILS.ORG. http://www.cybils.com.  There you can also scroll down and find links to subscribe to their newsletter (for email feeds), and follow social media updates on Twitter and Facebook, if you are so inclined. 

It's a tough challenge not to spill the beans about the finalists in our categories: 

Juvenile and Elementary NonFiction.

I'm honoring the rules, though, because I wouldn't want to ruin a chance to participate as a panelist again in future years. While you're waiting, you won't go wrong by checking out the blog written by the chair of our group, Jennifer Wharton, Youth Librarian at the Jean Little Library in Wisconsin.