Leopards and Dragons: I get to be a Cybils Elementary/Juvenile Non-Fiction Judge

Yippee! I can now announce that I have been chosen to be a Round 1 Elementary/Juvenile Non-Fiction Judge! This is such a great honor, and an unexpected one really since I haven't been very active on the blog since last years Cybils. Work took over my life I and just had no energy for blogging. I am trying to fix that now.

This category is a bit different than in the past few years. Middle grade has been split off and grouped with Young Adult Non-fiction, though thankfully two Cybils will be awarded - one for a middle grade book and one a YA book.

The Elementary/Juvenile Non-Fiction group will also give two awards one for Elementary Nonfiction and one for Juvenile Nonfiction. Overall I am really glad about the changes. From my perspective, I think that the middle grade titles were getting overwhelmed in our old grouping and partly due to that I believe Guts & Glory: The Vikings by Ben Thompson got robbed last year. I thought it was the best book we read in terms of content plus kid accessibility. On the other hand, now I don't get to read the middle grade books! Pout!

The Elementary/Juvenile Non-Fiction Category Description is as follows ...

Kids are curious about the world around them and nonfiction is the perfect way to introduce them to that amazing world. History? Biography? Art? Science? Math? Animals? Sports? It's all here and more besides! We love text and illustrations or photographs that will wow kids and adults alike and topics so fascinating that kids will want to go digging for more, more, more nonfiction!

Nonfiction Elementary/Juvenile includes titles with factual content and informational titles. At least 50% or more of the book should be narrative nonfiction (as opposed to experiments, activities, instructional, or collections of facts without a strong narrative thread like encyclopedias). Mythology, folklore, poetry, graphic novels (including nonfiction), and historical fiction should be nominated in the appropriate category (which isn’t this one). We are currently accepting nominations only in print (no ebooks or books containing additional materials like kits) for this category.

How do I decide which category to nominate in?

Elementary Nonfiction
Intended for preschool through beginning readers (picture books, easy readers,
and early chapters).

Juvenile Nonfiction
Intended for elementary age readers up through 5th grade. May include picture
books with more complex text and themes and chapter books.

I love reading the entries - there are some really great non-fiction books out there for kids and they deserve to be celebrated.

Nominations for all Cybils categories open October 1st and close on the 15th. The guidelines are here.

Submissions from publishers and authors will be accepted October 16-26 and information for that is at the publisher section.

The mission of these awards is as follows ... "The Cybils Awards aims to recognize the children’s and young adult authors and illustrators whose books combine the highest literary merit and popular appeal. If some la-di-dah awards can be compared to brussels sprouts, and other, more populist ones to gummy bears, we’re thinking more like organic chicken nuggets. We’re yummy and nutritious."

So if you have read a great picture book, early reader, chapter book, middle grade or young adult novel, graphic novel, poetry or nonfiction book this past year please nominate them!

This year, the Elementary/Juvenile Non-Fiction Chair is Jennifer Wharton Jean Little Library (Yeah! Woot! Woot! Go Jennifer!)

The First Round Judges are (in alphabetical order):