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The Cybils Shortlists are here!!!!

The shortlists for the 2013 Cybils Awards have been announced!   Just a few days ago, my fellow hardworking panelists and I met on-line in an epic struggle to narrow down the lists of books we loved in the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category (you can see the whole list of 149 books here) to just seven titles, and they are:

Jinx, by Sage Blackwood
Rose, by Holly Webb
Sidekicked, by John David Anderson
The Rithmatist, Brandon Sanderson
The Water Castle, Megan Frazer Blakemore
 
The biggest surprise of this list to me was The Rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson, which I had only just barely heard of going into my Cybils reading.  It teeters just on the edge of YA, but we agreed the tone of it was more upper Middle Grade, and its Chalkling magic just oozes with Middle Grade appeal.
 
My second biggest surprise was how much I enjoyed True Blue Scouts--I'm not naturally inclined to love animal fantasies, but this story of two raccoon brothers bravely saving their home has stuck with me just beautifully.
 
Thank you, Liviania, Stephanie, Kristen, Melissa, Cecelia, and Brandy for being such excellent first round panelists!  
 
Now the second round panelists must pick a single winner, and I don't envy them the task!  The winner will be announced February 14, 2014.
 
If you think it might be fun to be a Cybils panelist, look for the call for to join next August!  And start reading now....
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6 comments:

  1. LivianiaJanuary 1, 2014 at 12:02 PM

    Thanks for being an excellent leader! You really helped everything run smoothly.

    (Also, I'm super happy that three of the five things I nominated made it to shortlists!)

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  2. KailanaJanuary 1, 2014 at 12:55 PM

    I started The Rithmatist on audio, but then I went away and couldn't listen to it for over two weeks which means I need to start all over again...

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  3. KristenJanuary 1, 2014 at 8:49 PM

    You were awesome too! I loved plunging through all of these books.

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  4. CeceliaJanuary 1, 2014 at 9:32 PM

    You're not kidding about that order to 'start reading now!' I thought it was a wonderful experience and opportunity, and you were (as Liviania says) a great leader! CYBILS for the win!

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 1, 2014 at 9:38 PM

    Thanks Charlotte for making this fun and keeping everything moving. Lots of fun! My acquisitions friend at the library just sent me a whole pile of fantasy/sf arcs and promises more so the new year reading commences! It was wonderful to take part!

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  6. Sage BlackwoodJanuary 2, 2014 at 10:03 AM

    I am so thrilled to be Cybil-ized! Thank you, and the panel!

    Now I'm going to read the other books on the list. Think I'll start with Screaming Staircase.

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