2013 CYBILS Panelists Announced


This week, the CYBILS 2013 Panelists were announced. I love the CYBILS.  They are like the PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS of Children's and Teens Literature. For the past two years, I was honored to serve as a Book Apps Judge.

Here are the links to each of the announcements for the Panelist for each category:   

2013 Fiction Picture Book Judges

2013 Middle Grade Fiction Judges

2013 Young Adult Fiction Judges

2013 Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction Judges

2013 Young Adult Speculative Fiction Judges

2013 Book Apps Judges

2013 Graphic Judges

2013 Poetry Judges

2013 Nonfiction Elementary/Middle Grade Judges

2013 Nonfiction Young Adult Judges

And the big announcement...
2013 Early Readers/Early Chapters

Now presenting the Round 1 and 2 panelists for Easy Readers/Early  Chapter Books:

Round 1

Jennifer Wharton, Jean Little Library
http://jeanlittlelibrary.blogspot.com/

Lauura P. Salas, Lara Salas: Writing the World for Kids
http://www.laurasalas.com/blog/
@larapsalas

Jodie Rodgriguez, Growing Book by Book
http://growingbookbybook.com
@growingbbb

Diana Pettis, Finding the Right Book
http://www.findabookguidedreading.blogspot.com
@xavxandiana

Deb Nance, Readerbuzz
http://www.readerbuzz.blogspot.com
@DebNance

Danyelle Leach, Bookshelves in the Cul-de-Sac
http://www.bookshelvesintheculdesac.blogspot.com/

Janssen Bradshaw, Everyday Reading
http://everyday-reading.com
@EverydayReading

Round 2
Travis Jonker, 100 Scope Notes
http://100scopenotes.com
@100scopenotes

Freya Hooper, One Great Book
http://onegreatbook.blogspot.com
@onegreatbook

Sara Brown, Mrs. Brown Loves Bookworms
http://mrsbrownthebookworm.blogspot.com/
@EastTnbookworm

Alyson Beecher, Kid Lit Frenzy
www.kidlitfrenzy.com
@alybee930

Nicole Barnes, Daydream Reader
http://daydreamreader.com/
@DaydreamReader

I am honored to be serving this year as a Round 2 Judge for Easy Readers/Early Chapter Books.  What a great team of panelists and I know I will have fun working with everyone. 

Congratulations to all of the bloggers, teachers, librarians who will be serving this year as a 2013 CYBILS Panelist. 

Sky Jumpers Blog Tour - Review and Giveaway

by Peggy Eddleman
Random House Publishers
September 24, 2013
Audience: 4th to 8th Grade
Fiction * Dystopian/Postapocalyptic * Adventure

Description of the book from the publisher's page:
What happens when you can't do the one thing that matters most? Twelve-year-old Hope Toriella lives in White Rock, a town of inventors struggling to recover from the green bombs of World War III. But Hope is terrible at inventing and would much rather sneak off to cliff dive into the Bomb's Breath—the deadly band of compressed air that covers the crater left by the bombs—than fail at yet another invention. When bandits discover that White Rock has priceless antibiotics, they invade. With a two-day deadline to finish making this year's batch and no ingredients to make more, the town is left to choose whether to hand over the medicine and die from the disease that's run rampant since the bombs, or die fighting the bandits now. Help lies in a neighboring town, but the bandits count everyone fourteen and older each hour. Hope and her friends—Aaron and Brock—might be the only ones who can escape to make the dangerous trek through the Bomb's Breath and over the snow-covered mountain. Inventing won't help her make it through alive, but with Aaron and Brock's help, the daring and recklessness that usually gets her into trouble might just save them all.  

My thoughts on the book:
Recently, I asked a group of 9 to 11 year olds what they liked to read.  Nearly everyone in the group indicated books with action, and adventure.  Another thing that I have noticed is that Middle Grade readers are just as interested as teens in reading Dystopian or Post-apocalyptic novels, yet there are very few of these for this age group.

Debut author, Peggy Eddleman has created a post-apocalyptic novel about a community of people living in a world with the after effects of World War III and the "green bomb".  One of the results of the "green bomb" is something called "Bomb's Breath".  I am not certain that I can describe Bomb's Breath but the air quality of Bomb's Breath results in immediate death if someone were to breath it in. 

Eddleman concentrates on building her world and developing her characters in the initial part of the book.  One of the things that is a very high value to this community is the ability to invent or create.  Since WWIII happened, all the inventions especially technology and those items that required electricity have been lost.  In an effort to regain items, there are contests recognizing the best inventors.  Holly, the main character, does not have skills in inventing, but her friend Aaren is actually quite talented in this area.  What Holly is able to do is revealed throughout the story, as it is her skills that turn out to be quite important in saving the community.

It is always difficult to know how much to share and how much to allow readers to discover.  Eddleman has created a story and characters that will appeal especially to readers in the 4th and 5th grades.  I can see children wanting to be like Hope and wanting to save the day.  However, maybe a more important message is learning to appreciate what skills and talents you do have.  Additionally, I appreciated not only the main characters but the supporting community of characters.  There are few books that show a community of adults being caring and supportive.  Readers will enjoy when Holly, Aaren, and Brock set out on an adventure to help save their community.  And, though the book is the first in a series, it can also be read as a stand alone.

To share SKY JUMPERS with your own children or students start looking for it at your local public library or at you closest independent bookstore on September 24, 2013. 

For more information about author, Peggy Eddleman:



SKY JUMPERS Blog Tour Stops

September 11th: Taffy’s Candy
September 12th: Smack Dab in the Middle
September 13th: Once Upon a Story
September 14th: Inky Elbows
September 15th: Society of Young Inklings
September 16th: Me, My Shelf & I
September 17th: Kayla’s Reads and Reviews
September 18th: The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
September 19th: Kid Lit Frenzy
September 19th: Word Spelunking
September 21st: The Mod Podge Bookshelf
September 22nd: The Write Soil
September 23rd: The Hiding Spot
September 23rd: Literary Rambles
September 23rd: Nerdy Book Club
September 24th: OneFourKidLit


Thanks to Random House, readers will have a chance to win a copy of SKY JUMPERS by Peggy Eddleman. Please complete the Rafflecopter form below. The winner must have a U.S. mailing address and be 13 or older. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library

Author: Barb Rosenstock
Illustrator: John O'Brien
Publisher: Calkins Creek Books (September 1, 2013)
Source: Purchased
Audience: 2nd to 4th grade
Keywords: American History, Biographical, American Presidents, Libraries

Description from Publisher:
Thomas Jefferson loved books, reading, and libraries, and he started accumulating books as a young man. This original and lyrical picture-book biography tells the story of how Jefferson's vast book collections helped to create the world's largest library, the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Filled with excerpts from primary documents, including Jefferson’s thoughts on books, reading, and learning, this title also features John O’Brien’s whimsical and detailed illustrations. Rosenstock and O’Brien worked closely with experts to ensure the text and images are accurate. The book concludes with an author’s note, bibliography, and source notes.

My thoughts on this book:
Last year I read, Barb Rosenstock's The Camping Trip that Changed America.  This was my first introduction to Rosenstock's work, and I really enjoyed the book.  I was excited to see that she had a new one out, and pulled if off of the new release wall at Vroman's.  I don't think I had read more than a couple of pages when I knew that this was one that I had to have.   A few days later, I attended a book group of about 20+ teachers and librarians who book talk their latest book finds.  Guess which book I brought with me? If you said Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library, you would be 100% correct.

What made me like this book as much as I did?   Page 6.  Well, yes, I did love page six and it is in the book trailer. Hint: What word did Jefferson spell out?  But, let me be serious for a minute.  Rosenstock fully captures Thomas Jefferson's love for books.  Jefferson loved to read nearly above all else.  Jefferson loved books so much that he began collecting them.  On his first trip to Europe, Jefferson shopped for books.  "Tom bought two thousand books in five years, more than a book a day."  That is some serious book shopping.

Still, there is more to love about this book.  Did you know that Jefferson had his own system for organizing books?  Did you know that while president, Jefferson tripled the number of books in the Library of Congress?  And after the Library of Congress experienced a fire that burned through 3,000 books, Jefferson donated his personal collection to the Library of Congress.

Though this book is focused on specific events in Jefferson's life as they related to books, the foucs is a good one that works.  The book does include an author's note and other tidbits of information and various resources at the end.  I encourage you to read through them.  Also, Rosenstock's text provides readers with information for further research on Jefferson and the Library of Congress.  Readers are invited to read through the book using the main text to inform and inspire them.  However, readers can read the book for a second or third time, as they look through the illustrations and read all of the small text boxes.  

Rosenstock's Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library would make a nice addition to any  classroom or school library.  Look for this book at your public library or pick up a copy at your local independent bookstore.

Official Book Trailer:




Educator's Guide, click here.


Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

Author Event: Elizabeth Wein



Last night, I attended the author event for Elizabeth Wein at Once Upon a Time in Montrose. It is one of my favorite indie bookstores in the area and it has some awesome events. Alethea (@frootjoos), Thuy (@fishgirl182), and Kimberly (@thewindypages) joined me.



We were in the front row and felt like we were nearly on top of where Elizabeth was going to be sitting.



I had heard Elizabeth give her Printz acceptance speech in June and knew that she would be articulate, warm and funny. She began by sharing how her interest in learning to fly a plane was the impetus behind writing Code Name Verity and then Rose Under Fire.

She then pulled out a "personal gas protection bag" and several of the items that were part of her research.



Elizabeth explained that this was a replica of a manual that was considered so important back in the 1930's-1940's that it was considered a treasonable offense if you lost it. The funny story behind this book is that Elizabeth actually left it behind at a school visit and the librarian called her to let her know and reminded her that it was a treasonable offense.



This was an original map from World War II. Elizabeth is a self-professed map geek and uses them in every book she has ever written.





This escape and resistance map from 1940 is made from silk so that it would not make any sound or lose the image if it got wet. Of course, it can be turned into fashion wear if you get caught trying to cross an enemy line.


Elizabeth was rockin' some cool red shoes. I had to take a picture since I now want a pair.

In addition to cool shoes, Elizabeth explained about several pieces of her jewelry that either were made by friends or were given to her. Her necklace had a charm pendant of a Spitfire airplane. Though she didn't have this with her, she did mention that one of her friends had made Code Name Verity Barbie Dolls to represent Maddie and Julie.

I was so glad to meet Elizabeth and have a chance to hear her. Code Name Verity was one of my favorite books in 2012 and I am looking forward to reading Rose Under Fire.

Note: This was cross posted to Clever Bee. 

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to Young Adult - 9/16/13



It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee from Unleashing Readers have adapted it to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

Here is what stood out of from the pile this week...


The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett (Origami Yoda #4) by Tom Angleberger (Abrahms, August 6, 2013) - I finally got to the latest book in the Origami Yoda series.  This one ends with a cliffhanger of sorts.  When does book 5 come out?


Mitchell Goes Bowling by Hallie Durand; Illustrated by Tony Fucile (Candlewick, September 10, 2013) - This follow up to Mitchell's License is wonderful for a good laugh.


No Monkeys, No Chocolate by Melissa Stewart, Allen Young ; Illustrated by Nicole Wong (Charlesbridge Publishing, August 1, 2013) - I reviewed this one last week.  This is a definite favorite of mine. 


The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson (Knopf Books, September 10, 2013)- Another book that I reviewed last week, The Great Trouble is part historical fiction and part mystery.


The Girl and the Bicycle by Mark Pett (Simon & Schuster, April 29, 2014) - If you enjoyed The Boy and the Airplane by Pett, this is another wordless picture book with a great lesson. However, it won't be out until spring 2014. 

So, what are you reading?