The 2006 Cybils

We'd be remiss if we didn't thank all those who made Cybils possible.

Our organizers are a brilliant, dedicated lot who put this together quickly and professionally. The public immediately took to nominating their favorite books, thanks also to the dozens of bloggers who spread the word.

More than 80 volunteers from every walk of life came forward to read and confer and read some more. Publishers made sure every panelist and judge received a review copy, despite our chaotic, hasty organization.

But two groups deserve special shout-outs. First, we gratefully acknowledge the authors and illustrators whose vision, hard work and passion have kept us all so enthralled. And then there are the kids who gather in our libraries or sit wide-eyed in our classrooms or cuddle in our laps, eager to enter whatever magic realm unfolds before them on the page.

To both of these groups we express our heartfelt admiration and affection. We hope these awards mean something to you, who mean so much to us.

--Anne and Kelly

Please keep reading for the complete list of winners. For the short lists published in January, look here.

Below is the list of winners. Each group of judges and organizers has provided some insight into why their selection rose above the rest:

Fantasy and Science Fiction:
Ptolemy's Gate (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 3)
Jonathan Stroud
Hyperion: Miramax
Ptolemy's Gate receives the first Cybils for Fantasy and Science Fiction for its richly imagined fantasy  world, strongly realized and unique characters, delightful language  and well-honed plot. As a concluding volume of a trilogy, it delivers  everything a final volume should do, taking the story arc to its peak  with a climax that is both action-packed and emotionally charged. At  the same time, Ptolemy’s Gate stands alone as a story and will  inspire readers, children and adults alike, to seek out the previous  installments and revisit the world of Bartimaeus over and over again.

Fiction Picture Books:
Scaredy Squirrel
by Melanie Watt
Kid’s Can Press
This eponymous squirrel hits little kids and big alike right where they live: in the numbing comfort of routine and abject fear of The Unknown. This is a tiny book with a big lesson about bravery. Watt makes the most of each page, using repetition and exaggeration to hilariously dissect Scaredy Squirrel's paranoia, from the minutiae of his daily habits to a tour of his emergency kit. When the unexpected finally occurs, the joke's on all of us. Field-tested in libraries and living rooms and at bedsides by the judges, Scaredy Squirrel elicited the most giggles per page and requests for re-reads among a variety of age groups, including parents.

Graphic Novels:
Ages 12 and Under:
Amelia Rules! Volume 3: Superheroes
by Jim Gownley
Renaissance Press
Amelia Rules celebrates the power of imagination when school lets out for summer vacation. There's plenty of time for dressing up in capes, fighting a gang of evil ninjas, and investigating the evil conspiracy known as the Legion of Steves. Amelia McBride's adventures are portrayed with warm-hearted good humor. There's plenty of slapstick comedy, which combines with an exploration of some of the serious issues of childhood – moving, growing up, and the secret a new friend tries to hide. Jimmy Gownley's art shifts styles based on his character's vivid inner worlds, portraying superhero space battles and silent movie romances with ease. Amelia Rules can be easily be enjoyed by readers of all ages

Ages 13 and Up:
American Born Chinese
Gene Yang
First Second
American Born Chinese skillfully explores the idea of identity  by weaving together three distinct stories – the traditional tale of the Monkey King, Jin Wang's longing for acceptance by his classmates, and popular Danny being plagued by his cousin Chin-Kee who embodies the worst Chinese ethnic stereotypes. Gene Yang uses humor when portraying the perils of adolescence, and his colorful art easily adapts to the tonal shifts of the three stories.

Middle Grade Fiction:
A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama
by Laura Amy Schlitz
Candlewick Press
It's a mystery story, it's a ghost story, it's delightully gothic and eerie. In A Drowned Maiden's Hair we have a protagonist with a very authentic child voice, and her motivations and feelings are described in clean, nuanced lines.  Maud is also a person of her time and place; she never comes off as anachronistic. The story, too, is something of a time and place--the darkness of the Hawthorne estate was like an L.M. Montgomery novel gone delightfully to seed.The adoption of the plucky orphan by the wealthy lady is a trope of the Victorian novel, and yet does not come off as trite or formulaic.  It is as if Schlitz had taken familiar characters and plotlines from Victorian fiction and injected them with a realism and emotional force that transcends its familiarity, making it seem new again. Truth--be it in the cries of a widower, or in a tearful confession--is what lets Maude see her true role and path, and ultimately brings redemption.

Non-Fiction, Middle Grade and Young Adult:
Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
by Russell Freedman
Holiday House
The story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott has been told many times by many different people and has almost become legend, but in Freedom Walkers, Russell Freedman is not sharing folklore or the iconic stories of civil rights heroes like Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks. This book tells how ordinary men, women and children planned and worked together to peaceably stand up against the injustice of the segregated transportation system--and won. Their heroism makes the reader ask, "Could I do this? Could I stand up to the threats? Could I walk to school every day for almost a year to make justice happen in my hometown?" Well-chosen historic photographs bring to life the American South of the 1950's. The true story is gripping and well documented. This is a read-in-one- sitting kind of book, which will appeal to young teens up through adults.

Non-Fiction Picture Books:
An Egg Is Quiet
written by Dianna Aston; illustrated by Sylvia Long
Chronicle Books
Don't be surprised if some future master birder cites this book as an early influence. Multiple layers of thoughtful, poetic text--about not only birds but also insects, reptiles and sea creatures--make An Egg Is Quiet a book that readers can enjoy quickly or in depth, depending upon their level of interest. The handwriting font gives the feeling of a scientific field journal, and the artwork is of the first class, with outstanding visual variety and clarity. The endpapers alone are breathtaking.

Poetry:
Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow
written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes
Houghton Mifflin
Three cheers for Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow! Each poem is a nature riddle--guessing the answers will keep children hopping. Joyce Sidman's rich, rhythmic language and Beth Krommes' intricate scratchboard illustrations make the Cybils poetry winner a book to return to again and again.

Young Adult Fiction:
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist gives us a glimpse into one iconic night of new love. This fast, fun story is filled with heartache and romance, fear and discovery, and a healthy mix of sadness and exhilaration. The narrative gives the alternating perspectives of Nick (supplied by Levithan) and Norah (supplied by Cohn); these narrative voices ring true from the moment Nick and Norah first meet, through the starts and stops of discovering one another and figuring out how to trust in the feelings and each other and themselves. We loved the pace of the story, the development of the lead and supporting characters, and the music and city which served as the perfect backdrop to Nick and Norah's fabulous night.

Comments

[LibrariAnne]

Hurrah! What a great list! Kudos to everyone involved.

[Bonny Becker]

Great list. Great job everyone!

[Tasha]

And a huge thank you to Kelly and Anne for bringing this immense task to fruition. It was a true joy to participate.

[Little Willow]

Wow, hurrah, and kudos to every nominee and each committee member! Special thanks to Kelly and Anne, the Cybils starters, the wonderful, glowing parents of this brainchild!

[Nancy]

Nicely done!

[Justine Larbalestier]

That is a great list. I've loved everyone that I've read. Particularly big yay for Nick and Norah!

[Mitali Perkins]

Hooray for A Drowned Maiden's Hair! A truly old-fashioned, curl-up-by-the-fire read with a post-millenial heroine to cheer for! Thanks to all the judges and to the Cybils committee.

[Mitali Perkins]

BTW, could you add a link to the post about the finalists for people just coming here so they can get some press, too? I LOVED all of our five middle grade fiction finalists.

[Michele]

Woo Hoo for Jonathan (and Bartimaeus !!)

And thanks for publishing the list early - I can go to bed now ! ;-D

[Elaine Magliaro]

Thanks again, Anne and Kelly, for your great idea and for all your hard work and organization.

I ordered five of the Cybils winners through this site today--thanks to the suggestion of Jen Robinson.

I really enjoyed serving as a member of the poetry nominating panel.

[Sherry Early]

Thanks to all for a great reading and blogging experience.

[jone]

What a great list. Thank you all for getting this started.

[Mary Lee]

Huzzah!

It was great being involved in this as a member of the nominating committee for graphic novels! I hope I get to do it again next year!

Super list -- great winners -- a big hug to the organizers -- fabulous work!

[Anne]

Thank you, all. Remember to keep checking us next week and for several more weeks. More fun to come! There'll be interviews with winning authors and illustrators, plus several more chances to gripe, kvetch and holler. Stay tuned ...

Oh, and Mitali, I did insert a link to the short lists just below where I signed our names.

[Snow Wildsmith]

Thanks so much for letting me be a part of the first ever Cybil Awards. There were some great titles to pick from and it was a lot of fun getting to work with such a great group of people. I look forward to next year!

[Barbara Ferrer]

CONGRATULATIONS to all of the winners and finalists and let me take this opportunity to say again, how honored I was to be nominated.

And a very special thank you and congratulations to all the panelists-- y'all did a fabulous job!

[jules]

I'm honored to have been a part, too. Thanks. Love the list. Love that A Drowned Maiden's Hair won (and LOVE the blurb for it -- who wrote that little masterpiece?)

[Gregory K.]

Thanks for all the hard work, Anne and Kelly. A fine list of winners, indeed!

[Justina]

What an amazing amount of work and an amazing job you all have done! In awe & admiration...

[Becky]

Hurray for Butterfly Eyes!

And a big hurray for Anne and Kelly, and Susan our poetry wrangler. It was great good fun to be part of the Cybils, and an especial thrill this first year. Many, many thanks, and now to check the rest of the results...

[Kris]

I loved being a part of this and seeing the Cybils gain momentum. Congrats to all of the winners and those that made the short list.

[Patty Uttaro]

Thanks to Anne & Kelly for getting this award off the ground, and special thanks to Jen Robinson for helping organize the YA Fiction category. I feel honored to have been a judge and can tell you it was *hard* to pick a winner because all the books were fabulous.

[Susan]

Here is a special shout-out not only to the poetry winner "Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow" but also to the other four finalists--"Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich," "Handsprings," "Jazz," and "Tour America"--and the previous 20+ nominees suggested by readers from all over!

[Julia Durango]

Congratulations to everyone involved -- winners, finalists, and nominees, as well as the amazing volunteer blogger force who made this happen. You made it look so easy! :-)

[Lauren Baratz-Logsted]

Congratulations to all the winners, nominees, panelists and judges!

[Anne]

Everyone, please give a big THANKS to Julia too, who bought several ads for her excellent blog, "Three Silly Chicks."

We really appreciate the support.

[Erin]

HOORAY!!!

Congrats to the winning books and their authors! And once again, thanks for letting me be a part of this wonderful project.

[a. fortis]

What an excellent list of winners--great work, judges! I was so honored and excited to be part of the nominating committee and already can't wait until next year.

[Anne-Marie, A Reable Feast]

Yay, more great book suggestions!

This was a lot of fun. Thank you for inviting me to judge. Also, the kids can't wait until next year. After all, how often do I read them five books in a row before bedtime?

[Kathy]

CONGRATS to all the winners (I just read Nick & Norah and LOVED it and I can't wait to read some of the others!) CONGRATS also to all the participants in the Cybils, it was a great idea and I think VERY well executed - can't wait until next year!

[Jennifer]

What a great list of winners - I'd love to have every book in my library!
Bravo for the organizers, and the winners!

[Rachel]

We're mightily honored by the honor for Nick & Norah! Much thanks to all the dedicated Cybils organizers.

[Vivian]

Applause to all of you who have worked so hard to make this possible. Thank you for a wonderful list of new books I need to read!

[Kimberly Willis Holt]

Thank you for selecting WAITING FOR GREGORY as one of your finalists. I'm honored that my book was considered among such a fine group of books. I'm sure Gabi feels the same. Congratulations, Melanie! I love Scaredy Squirrel!

Kimberly

[Anne]

Kimberly:

I can tell you as a picture book judge how much fun it was to see five great titles on the list. You didn't make our decision very easy, y'know!

Congrats to you and Gabi both for making the short list.

[Library Lady]

Can I be the grump here? While I applaud your hard work and fine choice of titles, you really need a separate picture book division for YOUNG children's books. And by young I mean 0-3 year olds and perhaps even a separate section for board books!

[Anne]

You're not a grump, Library Lady. The idea has already been suggested and we will likely have another category for the wee 'uns next year.

This year our only goal was to get this contest up and running. We weren't sure how many people would volunteer to judge, so we kept the number of categories small.

Next year will likely be another story entirely, as they say!

[Laurel Snyder]

I'm so embarassed I haven't read much from the list. I ahve a LOT of catching up to do....

This is a great site, and idea!

Thanks.

xoLaurel Snyder
http://kidliterary.blogspot.com

[Linda Mercer]

Will you update this blog with 07-08 nominations?