CYBILS TIME IS HERE AGAIN!!!!!

That's the first time I've ever shouted a blog post title. But I am excited.

Any reader of my blog knows just how much I love the Cybils Awards. Not only does the awards process generate reading lists of really truly excellently great books (like these), but it also gives us bloggers a chance to come together as a community and be awarders ourselves, recognizing, in a very public way, the books we love best.

I have been a first round panelist for several years, and recommend the experience 100 percent. I have become friends with authors and readers, I have read many great books, and I've felt that my voice made a difference to the success of books I love. If you are a blogger (reader, author, librarian, teacher, parent) being a panelist or judge for the Cybils is, bar none, a tremendously rewarding experience.

The call has now gone out! Head over to the Cybils, read about what it entails, and throw your name into the hat! (by Sept. 15)

And another very important thing--the lists of nominated books are chosen by readers. ANY READERS. One book per category per reader, submitted the first few weeks of October. I'm now mulling over my lists of various categories--the easy readers, the picture books, the non-fiction, etc, to decide what books I'm going to put on the lists (extrapolating from what was the case last year, I imagine the books have to have been published from October 16th 2009 through October 15th 2010). My 10 year old loves this part of the process too, because who doesn't want the books they love to get their chance to shine?

(and anyone who, for lack of anything better to do, wants my personal take on what it all involves is welcome to contact me!)