The Cybils are Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards.
Elementary/Middle Grade
Fiction: The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands
This exciting tale of codes, puzzles and a mysterious cult
is set in 1600’s London. The story is a page-turner told through the eyes of
14-year-old apothecary’s apprentice, Christopher Rowe. He’s happy in his role
learning how to make powerful medicines, potions, and weapons from Master
Benedict Blackthorn. At the same time, he’s a kid horsing around with his
buddy, the baker’s son. But when a string of shocking murders to other
apothecaries gets closer and closer to the Blackthorn shop, Christopher must
take action. His master knows of a secret that could destroy the world and
trusts Christopher with coded messages that will also help him gain that
knowledge.
Graphic Novels : Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Since infancy, Astrid has always had her best friend,
Nicole. But now that they’re twelve, Nicole begins to focus on dance camp and
boys while Astrid is drawn to the knockdown, drag-out world of roller derby.
Unfortunately, Astrid is terrible at roller derby. But as the summer
progresses, Astrid learns little by little how to fall (literally), how to get
back up (figuratively), and how to accept the inevitable changes that growing
up brings. In finding friends, communicating with parents, and meeting new
mentors, Astrid begins to realize people are more complicated than she thought
they were.
Speculative Fiction: The Fog Diver by Joel Ross
The Fog Diver is a fun, exciting adventure set in a
dystopian future where remnants of humanity live on the highest mountaintops
and in airships above a deadly fog of microscopic robots covering the planet.
The nannites were created to clean up Earth’s pollution, but got out of control
and the fog they created killed billions of humans. A boy named Chess is
lowered into the fog each day by his crewmates on a salvage ship flying above
the clouds to scavenge on the earth’s surface. He is the best fog diver there
is—the fog mysteriously energizes him. The secrets behind his fog-diving
ability put a target on his back and will impact the survival of his family,
and the fate of humankind.
Young Adult
Fiction: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Samantha McAllister, a “normal” teen in almost every way,
hides a secret from her closest friends: she lives with Purely-Obsessional OCD.
For better and for worse, Tamara Ireland Stone asks us to step into the shoes
of our leading lady, navigating through the murky waters of high school
cliques, bullying, weekly therapy sessions, and a new passion that she has to
keep secret from her friends. When Sam’s new friend, Caroline, introduces her
to the clandestine meeting of Poet’s Corner, her life changes forever.
Graphic Novels: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Nimona is the snarky, shape-shifting sidekick to a
supervillain. Her unwilling employer, Lord Ballister Blackheart, plays his part
promoting evil and clashing against the hero Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin. Pulling
Blackheart along with her overenthusiasm for wrongdoing, Nimona forces everyone
to look deeply into questions of good and evil. Who is good? Who is evil? And
who decides, anyway?
Non-Fiction: Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret
History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin
Using historical data and interviews, Sheinkin sets a vivid,
you-are-there scene, allowing readers to see Daniel Ellsberg move from
enthusiastic Department of Defense political analyst to anti-war activist as he
realizes that the President would continue sending American soldiers into this
unwinnable war.
Speculative Fiction: The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma
Maybe, long ago, we used to be good. Maybe all little girls
are good in the beginning.
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