The first middle grade science fiction and fantasy round-up of 2017

Here we are in 2017...I hope it is going well for all of you!  It's a rather light round-up; lease let me know if I missed your post.

The Cybils Finalists for 2016 have just been announced!  Thank you Brenda, Sherry, Kristen, and Brandy for being such excellent Elementary/Middle Grade panelists with me this year; I hope you all like the seven books we shortlisted!  (and if you would like to join the Cybils fun, look for the call for judges next August....)

The Reviews

Bounce, by Megan Shull, at Charlotte's Library

Bounders, by Monica Tesler, at Say What?

The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle, by Janet Fox, at Say What?

Charmed, I’m Sure, by Sarah Darer Littman, at Mom Read It

The Creeping Shadow, by Jonathan Stroud, at Charlotte's Library

The End (Enemy #7), by Charlie Higgson, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Five Days of Famous, by Alyson Noel, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, at Semicolon

If the Magic Fits (100 Dresses) by Susan Maupin Schmid, at Sharon the Librarian

Raider's Ransom, by Emily Diamond, at Leaf's Reviews

Savvy, by Ingrid Law, at Hidden In Pages

Other Good Stuff

The 2016 Nerdy Awards for Middle Grade Fiction have been announced, and include some excellent mg spec fic books

For Momin  fans--a discussion of Tove Jansson as a painter from the BBC

Beautiful Minecraft, reviewed at Nerdophiles, shows the artistic potential of the game

A look at Astrid Lindgren's diaries at The Guardian

And finally, now that 2016 is behind us, what middle grade fantasy and science fiction books of 2017 are you most looking forward to?  Here's my list; please share your own in the comments!

sequels I can't wait to get--
Dream Magic, by Joshua Kahn (sequel to Shadow Magic)
The Emperor of Mars, by Patrick Samphire

New ones (limited to five, because of course I actually want to read ALL the books)--
The House of Months and Years, by Emma Trevayne
The Lords of Glasstown, by Catherynne M. Valente
Miss Ellicott's School for the Magically Miinded, by Sage Blackwood
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, by Stephanie Burgis
The Castle in the Mist, by Amy Ephron