cybils 2009

Happy New Year! Just popping in briefly to let you know the 2009 Cybils Finalists have been announced. First round panelists read a total of 931 books in 10 categories to come up with this shortlist:

Easy Readers & Short Chapter Books
Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade)
Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult)
Fiction Picture Books
Graphic Novels
Middle Grade Fiction
Non-Fiction Middle Grade/YA
Non-Fiction Picture Books
Poetry
Young Adult Fiction

Since I’m a Poetry Judge this year, I was most anxious to see these finalists:

African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways, by Avis Harley

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, by Joyce Sidman

The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry, ed. by Bill Martin, Jr. & Michael Sampson

The Monsterologist: A Memoir in Rhyme by Bobbi Katz

The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science and Imagination, ed. by Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston.

I’ll be working with my fellow judges (Greg Pincus, Sara Lewis Holmes, Elaine Magliaro, and Stacey Shubitz), under the guidance of Poetry Coordinator, Kelly Fineman, to pick one of these wonderful titles to receive the 2009 Cybils Award for Poetry (to be announced February 14th). I can tell it’s going to be a tough decision!

Congratulations to all the finalists, thanks to all the first round panelists for their hard work, and thanks to Anne Levy, Cybils Coordinator.

May I just add that I’m extra thrilled to see several of my favorite books from 2009 on the shortlist: Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes (middle grade fiction), Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (middle grade fantasy/science fiction), and All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee (fiction picture book)!! Way to go!!

        from Uncle Wiggily and the Apple Dumpling (1939),
        written by Howard Garis, pictures by George Carlson
        (from calloohcallay’s photostream).

Starting tomorrow, alphabet soup will be on blog vacation for about 2 weeks.

It’s time to step away from the computer and enjoy some of the many magical things autumn has to offer. I hope to do some research for a new WIP, try some new restaurants, read, relax, and catch up with family and friends. While most of you were out and about this summer, I continued to blog blog blog, so I’m more than ready for a little break.

I did want to remind you that it’s Cybils time again! Between October 1-15, you can submit your nominations (one per category) for the best children’s and young adult books published during the past year. The goal is to recognize books with literary merit and kid appeal. The Cybils elves have been very busy setting everything up. I’m happy to report that once again I’ll be helping out in the Poetry Category, coordinated by the lovely Kelly R. Fineman. Check the official website for important information about how to nominate books, and to get the scoop about all the different categories and panels.

photo by -Snug-.

The alphabet soup kitchen helpers will be in charge while I’m gone. Please do not let them go beserk and eat all the chocolate in the house. I don’t want you to go hungry, so nosh on these pumpkin muffins till I return:

photo by stickygooeychef (recipe is here).

We’ll resume our Fall for Restaurants celebration right after Columbus Day. Click here in case you missed yesterday’s doggone delicious chat with Leslie McGuirk and Alex von Bidder, creators of Wiggens Learns His Manners at the Four Seasons Restaurant.

Hope the beautiful autumn weather inspires some great writing! Take care and see you soon!