A new year and a new Cybils List

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2009 is the best one ever. I know I was certainly happy to leave 2008 behind. Too many bad things going on both personally and with the world. Things have to start looking up!

The Cybils short lists were announced today. Now that is a bright spot! The Cybils are nominated by bloggers and chosen for their kid appeal. With all the controversy swirling around the Newbery, it is great to have an award that is specifically looking for books that appeal to kids. For more information on the award, go to: http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/

I have read many of these but there are a lot I have yet to get to. They will definitely be movimng to the top of the pile!

Happy reading!

So this year's finalists are:

2008 Easy Reader Finalists

• Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time written by James Howe. Candlewick Press
• I Love My New Toy written by Mo Willems. Hyperion
• I Will Surprise My Friend! written by Mo Willems. Hyperion
• Maybelle Goes to Tea written by Katie Speck. Henry Holt
• Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig written by Kate Dicamillo. Candlewick Press

2008 Fantasy & Science Fiction Finalists

Elementary/Middle Grade:

• Cabinet of Wonders written by Marie Rutkoski. Macmillan
• Graveyard Book written by Neil Gaiman. HarperCollins
• Lamplighter written by D. M. Cornish. Penguin USA
• Magic Thief written by Sarah Prineas. HarperCollins
• Savvy written by Ingrid Law. Penguin USA

Young Adult:

• Airman written by Eoin Colfer. Hyperion
• Curse Dark as Gold written by Elizabeth C. Bunce. Scholastic
• Explosionist written by Jenny Davidson. HarperCollins
• Graceling written by Kristin Cashore. Harcourt
• Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins. Scholastic
• Wake written by Lisa McMann. Simon & Schuster

2008 Fiction Picture Book Finalists

• Abe Lincoln Crosses A Creek: A Tall Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend) written by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by John Hendrix. Schwartz and Wade Books
• The Big Bad Bunny written by Franny Billingsley, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Atheneum
• Chester's Back written and illustrated by Melanie Watts. Kids Can Press, Ltd
• How to Heal a Broken Wing written and illustrated by Bob Graham. Candlewick Press
• Katie Loves the Kitttens written and illustrated by John Himmelman. Henry Holt
• The Sea Serpent and Me written by Dashka Slater, illustrated by Catia Chien. Houghton Mifflin
• Visitor for Bear written by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady Denton. Candlewick Press
• Wabi Sabi written by Mark Reibstein, illustrated by Ed Young. Little, Brown

2008 Graphic Novels Finalists

Elementary/Middle Grade:

• Chiggers written and illustrated by Hope Larson. Aladdin
• Into the Volcano written and illustrated by Don Wood. Blue Sky Press
• Jellaby, vol. 1 written and illustrated by Kean Soo. Hyperion
• Rapunzel's Revenge written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale. Bloomsbury USA
• The Savage written by David Almond, illustrated by Dave McKean. Candlewick Press
• There's a Wolf at the Door: five classic tales written by Zoe Alley, illustrated by R.W. Alley. Roaring Brook

Young Adult:

• Emiko Superstar written by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Steve Ralston. Minx
• Kin: Good Neighbors, book 1 written by Holly Black, illustrated by Ted Naifeh. GRAPHIX
• Life Sucks written by Jessica Abel and Gabe Soria, illustrated by Warren Pleese. First Second Books
• Skim written and illustrated by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki. Groundwood Books
• Three Shadows written and illustrated by Cyril Pedrosa. First Second Books

2008 Middle Grade Fiction Finalists

• Alvin Ho written by Lenore Look. Schwartz and Wade Books
• Diamond Willow written by Helen Frost. Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
• Every Soul a Star written by Wendy Mass. Little, Brown
• Shooting the Moon written by Frances O'Roark Dowell. Atheneum
• The London Eye Mystery written by Siobhan Dowd. David Fickling Books

2008 Non-Fiction Picture Book Finalists

• A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams written by Jen Bryant,illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
• Astronaut Handbook written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Duel! Burr and Hamilton's Deadly War of Words written by Dennis Brindell Fradin, illustrated by Larry Day. Walker Books for Young Readers
• Fabulous Fishes written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale. Peachtree
• Nic Bishop Frogs written and illustrated by Nic Bishop. Scholastic Nonfiction
• Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Lived to Draw written and illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray. Viking
• Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter. Harcourt

2008 Poetry Finalists

• America at War illustrated by Stephen Alcorn, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins. Simon & Schuster
• Honeybee written by Naomi Shihab Nye. HarperCollins
• Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures written by Julie Larios.illustrated by Julie Paschkis, Harcourt
• More than Friends: Poems from Him and Her written by Sara Holbrook and Allan Wolf. Boyds Mills Press
• On the Farm written by David Elliott and Holly Meade. Candlewick Press

2008 Young Adult Fiction Finalists

• Audrey, Wait! written by Robin Benway. Penguin USA
• Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, The written by E Lockhart. Hyperion
• I know It's Over written by C. K. Kelly Martin. Random House Children's Books
• Jellicoe Road written by Melina Marchetta. HarperCollins
• Sweethearts written by Sara Zarr. Little, Brown
• Ten Cents a Dance written by Christine Fletcher. Bloomsbury USA
• Thaw written by Monica Roe. Boyds Mills Press