Cybils Award facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cybils Awards
Presented by	Bloggers with expertise in children's literature
First awarded	2006

The Cybils Awards are special book awards for children's and young adult books. The name "Cybils" is short for "Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards." What makes these awards unique is that they are given by people who blog about kids' books.

The awards were started in 2006 by Kelly Herold and Anne Boles Levy. They wanted to create an award that was different from others. Some awards seemed to only pick books that adults thought were important, while other awards weren't very selective. The Cybils Awards aim to find books that have both great writing (literary merit) and are super fun for kids to read (kid appeal).

Anyone can suggest a book for an award. The books are sorted into different types, or genres, like Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Graphic Novels. The suggested books are then judged by panels of book bloggers. These judges pick a list of finalists and then one winner for each category.

How Books Are Chosen

The people who judge the books are all volunteers. They are active bloggers who know a lot about children's or young adult books. Many are authors, librarians, teachers, or just big fans of reading.

Rules for Nominating

• Anyone can nominate one book per category.
• The book must have been published between October 16 of the last year and October 15 of the current year.
• Books must be in English, but they can be bilingual (in two languages).
• Nominations are open from October 1 to October 15 each year.
• The most important rule is that the book must be well-written and something kids will love to read.

Award Categories and Past Winners

The Cybils Awards have several categories that sometimes change from year to year. Here are some of the main categories and a few examples of books that have won.

Fiction Picture Books

This award is for picture books with a story. They are usually for younger readers but can be enjoyed by all ages.

• 2022 Winner: Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
• 2021 Winner: Watercress by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Jason Chin
• 2020 Winner: I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordon C. James
• 2019 Winner: One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller by Kate Read

Middle Grade Fiction

These books are for readers who are typically between 8 and 12 years old. They tell all kinds of stories, from funny adventures to serious dramas.

• 2022 Winner: Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson
• 2021 Winner: Linked by Gordon Korman
• 2020 Winner: From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
• 2019 Winner: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

Young Adult Fiction

This category is for novels written for teenagers, usually ages 13 to 18. These stories often explore complex themes and emotions.

• 2022 Winner: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson
• 2021 Winner: The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe
• 2020 Winner: Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
• 2019 Winner: Heroine by Mindy McGinnis

Fantasy & Science Fiction

This category celebrates stories about magic, futuristic worlds, and amazing adventures. It is split into two age groups.

Elementary and Middle Grade

• 2022 Winner: The Mirrorwood by Deva Fagan
• 2021 Winner: Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera
• 2020 Winner: Rival Magic by Deva Fagan
• 2019 Winner: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

Young Adult

• 2022 Winner: From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos
• 2021 Winner: Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
• 2020 Winner: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
• 2019 Winner: Fireborne by Rosaria Munda

Graphic Novels

Graphic novels tell stories using a mix of words and pictures, like a comic book. This is a very popular category with awards for different age groups.

Elementary and Middle Grade

• 2022 Winner: Invisible: A Graphic Novel by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and illustrated by Gabriela Epstein
• 2021 Winner: Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte and illustrated by Ann Xu
• 2020 Winner: When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
• 2019 Winner: New Kid by Jerry Craft

Young Adult

• 2022 Winner: Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao
• 2021 Winner: Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier and illustrated by Val Wise
• 2020 Winner: Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang and illustrated by Gurihiru
• 2019 Winner: This Place: 150 Years Retold by various authors

Poetry

This award honors books of poetry. These can be collections of poems or a single story told in verse.

• 2022 Winner: The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson
• 2021 Winner: Everywhere Blue by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
• 2019 Winner: Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience edited by Patrice Vecchione and Alyssa Raymond
• 2018 Winner: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds