I’m honored and excited that I get to help choose the finalists for the Middle Grade Fiction category for the Cybils awards again this year. And look who I get to work with:

Panel Organizer: Kerry Millar, Shelf Elf

Panelists (Round I Judges):

Ashley Bair and Alysa Stewart, Everead
Jennifer Donovan, 5 Minutes for Books
Sherry Early, Semicolon
Melissa Fox, Book Nut
Kyle Kimmal, The Boy Reader
Sandra Stiles, Musings of a Book Addict
Cheryl Vanatti, Reading Rumpus

Judges (Round II):

Amy Baskin, Euphoria
Eric Berlin, Eric Berlin
Jill Foltz, The O.W.L.
Kerry Millar (see category organizer)
Karen Wang, Kidsmomo

(The following is stolen shamelessly from Melissa at Book Nut who stole it from Natasha at Maw Books. It’s really more like perpetuating the goodness than actual theft, right?)

• Subscribe to the Cybils feed.
• Follow @cybils on Twitter
• Get some Cybils bling for your blog if you have one.
• Buy Cybils bling for your home or office.
• Spread the word! Particularly if you are a librarian or a teacher – get the Cybils into your schools & libraries!
• Beginning October 1st and ending October 15th- NOMINATE your favorite book published in the last year in nine different categories. Titles must be published between Oct. 16, 2009 and Oct. 15, 2010. Books must be published in English or bilingual with English. Only one nomination per genre per person. ANYBODY can nominate a title.
  • Easy Readers and Short Chapter Book
  • Fantasy and Science Fiction
  • Fiction Picture Books
  • Graphic Novels
  • Middle Grade Fiction
  • Nonfiction Picture Books
  • Nonfiction for Middle Grade and Teens
  • Poetry
  • Young Adult Fiction
• And last – get excited! Follow the nominations, read your favorites, make predictions, and check in when the shortlists and winners are announced.

Dates to Remember

• October 1-15th: Nominations open to the public
• New Year’s Day: Short Lists announced
• St. Valentines Day: Finalists announced