2009 Cybils Shortlists Announced

Well, that's it folks. The short lists have been announced. And this year has more surprising titles on it than usual (at least in my opinion). As always, some of my favorite books didn't make it, but what can you do? I've been a panelist in this long enough to know exactly what the groups go through to make these lists. And the name of the game is compromise!

Make sure you check out the official post for all the shortlists.

On a quick side note, I am so, so, so, so glad that Catching Fire didn't make the shortlist. I know I'm going to get rotten tomatoes for that comment, but let me explain. As soon as Hunger Games made the list last year it was pretty much a no contest to win. And Catching Fire would have been the same (and you know it!). Catching Fire has gotten so much good press already. Maybe I'm just weird, but there are lots of other books out there besides that one that are just as good and deserve their time in the spotlight. (Incidentally, this is the same reason why Harry Potter never made the Cybils shortlists either.)

What I've Been Up To

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Now, I took this two days ago, so six of these I finished over the holiday, so it's a little out of date.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.

Hurry, hurry!

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!

Cybils Contest

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 an eligbile Graphic Novel title (MUST tell me which one you nominated)
+1 Linking to the contest somewhere on the web (leave a link here)
+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: Nominations close at midnight on October 15th, but I will give you until October 16th to tell me what you nominationed. Then the winner will be randomly selected. 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?"

What's Missing?

Here's one of the Cybils posts I promised yesterday. It's kind of a tradition for me to post my own "what's missing" post near the end of the Cybils nominations. But I thought I'd do something a little different this year. I'm going to share the process.

But to do that I need your help. What books that were published this year (any category) do you want to see nominated? Leave me a comment and let me know. This post will (hopefully) turn into one big "what's missing" list!

Maybe you had three favorites in one category and only could nominate one? Then tell me the other two and I'll them to this list. And if you haven't used your nomination in every category, you can check this list for ideas (and help another person out in the process). Plus, if you nominate something for the Cybils this year, you can win a bunch of books from this contest too. It's a win-win situation. :-)

So start leaving me comments (or emailing me) your suggestions. I'll keep updating this list until nominations close, so keep checking back!

*Disclaimer* I've tried to separate these and double check that they are in fact eligible as I put them on the list, but please take note that I might make a mistake too!

Young Adult

Fantasy/Sci Fi
The Runaway Dragon by Kate Coombs
Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers
The Faceless Ones (Skulduggery Pleasant) by Derek Landy
Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley


Graphic Novels
Hyperactive by Christian Sava
The World of Quest, Vol. 2 by Kruse
Kat & Mouse Volume 4 by Alex De Campi
The Faerie Path: Lamia's Revenge #1: The Serpent Awakes by Frewin Jones
Pixie Volume 1 by Mathieu Mariolle
Return to Labyrinth Volume 3 by Jake T. Forbes


Middle Grade
Alice's Shooting Star by Tim Kennemore
Alien Expedition by Pamela Service
The Homeschool Liberation League by Lucy Frank
Strawberry Hill by Hoberman

Poetry

Non-fiction MG/YA
Science Warriors: The Battle Against Invasive Species by Sneed Collard
Sea Cows, Shamans, and Scurvy: Alaska's First Naturalist: Georg Wilhelm Steller by Ann Arnold

Early Readers/Short Chapter Books

Fiction Picture Books
Duck and Cover by Jackie Urbanovic
Trudy by Henry Cole
Millie in the Snow by Alexander Steffensmeier
Snow Day by Sakai
Footprints in the Snow by Matsuoka
Welcome to the Zoo! by Alison Jay
It's Picture Day Today! by McDonald
Sergio Saves the Game by Edel Rodriguez
Do Not Build a Frankenstein! by Neil Numberman
On Our Way Home by Sebastien Braun
Panda and Polar Bear by Matthew Baek

Non-fiction Picture Books

Suggested and already nominated: A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott, Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Liar by Justine Larbalestier, Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger, Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon, The War at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks, Spellbinder by Helen Stringer, Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel, NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley, Melonhead by Katy Kelly, Which Way to the Wild West? by Steve Sheinkin, Cork and Fuzz: Finders Keepers by Dori Chaconas, Dessert First by Hallie Durand, There Are Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz, Avalon High: Coronation #3: Hunter's Moon by Meg Cabot

Cybils Nominations Open

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.

Cybils Panels Announced... Sort of

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.