Cybils Awards

The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children’s Books of 2025 Here’s to children’s books that expand our assumptions of what a children’s book can be.

Here's to pushing the envelope. The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children's Books of 2025 100scopenotes.com/2025/12/01/t...

Photo of multiple copies of a red book called DOWN CAME THE SPIDERS.

In 2023 I had zero books. Today, my FOURTH book published with Scholastic. Time flies. So do spiders. (Actually, they do something called ballooning.) Please check out my book about creepy-crawlies. 🕷️ DOWN CAME THE SPIDERS

Cover of Cabin Head and Tree Head, by Scott Campbell. Picture shows an orangeish creature with eyes, mouth, arms and legs and a small house on their head waving to a greenish creature with eyes, mouth, arms and legs and a tree on their head with a tire swing. In the foreground are creatures with a mossy rock and plants on their heads.

Cabin Head & Tree Head, by Scott Campbell, is an utterly ridiculous and absolutely brilliant beginning graphic novel that's perfect for readers ready for chapter books - and anyone else who likes to laugh.

Read my review:
www.sonderbooks.com/Childrens_Fi...

So glad you enjoy our Scribbles! 💛

We’re thankful for books, the amazing people who create them, and the readers who love them. #kidlitchat

Thank you for thinking of us! 💛

A book cover, slightly tilted, in the center of the image with eight copies of the book surrounding it. The book is Miya Wears Orange by Wanda John-Kehewin and illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina.

Some text, slightly tilted, in the center of the image that reads, "... Miya Wears Orange belongs in library collections everywhere." There are four orange dots under the text followed by the blog name "Mom Read It". Eight copies of Miya Wears Orange by Wanda John-Kehewin and illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina surround it.

Cybils team member @roesolo.bsky.social recently reviewed a powerful picture book from @highwaterpress.bsky.social, Miya Wears Orange by Wanda John-Kehewin and illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina.

Find the full review on her blog: momreadit.com

📖 Moon Song by Michaela Goade
📖 Of the Sun by Xelena González & illustrated by Emily Kewageshig
📖 Our Ancestors' Kitchen by Willie Poll & illustrated by Shaikara David
📖 Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley

Books featured in this post:

📖 Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer & illustrated by Naoko Stoop
📖 Faye and the Dangerous Journey by Kim Sigafus
📖 Fierce Aunties by Laurel Goodluck & illustrated by Steph Littlebird
📖 Legendary Frybread Drive-In edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith

SCRIBBLES ✒️ from the CYBILS | CYBILS Awards | Substack Promoting reading past your bedtime since 2006. Diverse voices and positive representation for us. We like sharing book news, recommendations, and lists from other readers, too. No paywall. Donations...

Check it out, and subscribe to our Substack for more news, book lists, and other features curated for readers like you: cybilsawards.substack.com/

A block of text that reads: "Cybils Scribbles November Edition: Native Heritage Book List, Social Justice Book List, News & More!" Eight books surround the text, each with a white border. The books are: Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer & illustrated by Naoko Stoop, Faye and the Dangerous Journey by Kim Sigafus, Fierce Aunties by Laurel Goodluck & illustrated by Steph Littlebird, Legendary Frybread Drive-In edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Moon Song by Michaela Goade, Of the Sun by Xelena González & illustrated by Emily Kewageshig, Our Ancestors' Kitchen by Willie Poll & illustrated by Shaikara David, and Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley.

November is in full swing, so it's time for the latest Cybils Scribbles. In this edition:

📚 Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month
📚 A social justice book list for Nonfiction November
📚 News about a new film adaptation of a children’s book classic
📚 And more!

VOTE! The 2025 Undies Case Cover Awards Make your voice heard by voting for the 2025 Undies Case Cover Awards.

It's time. Vote for your favorite case covers in the 2025 Undies Awards! 100scopenotes.com/2025/11/10/v... @carterhiggins.bsky.social @spikypenelope.bsky.social

Cover of Dragonborn by Struan Murray A red and purple dragon behind an intense, windblown girl.

Cover of Outside by Jennifer Holm A girl stands before a jagged opening with a natural landscape before her. Behind her are four other kids.

Need some great new middle grade speculative fiction? Check out my reviews on my two new favorites! imtanner.blogspot.com/2025/11/new-... @struan-murray.bsky.social @cybilsawards.bsky.social @netgalley.bsky.social

Pale yellow graphic titled “Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Heartdrum” There is a photo collage made up of six picture frames, each displaying a close-up of a cover illustration from the Heartdrum catalogue. In the top right corner is a circular photo frame containing the logo for Heartdrum, a Native-focused publishing imprint under HarperCollins.

Celebrate Indigenous storytelling this #IndigenousPeoplesDay — and every day! — with these new and upcoming releases from Heartdrum!

Here’s every Heartdrum title that’s been published in 2025 — as well as a look ahead at forthcoming 2026 Heartdrum titles that you can pre-order today!

Nominate Your Favorites for the 2025 Undies and Endies Awards! The best (see: only) case cover and endpaper awards in children’s literature are back! That’s right, the 2025 Undies and Endies are officially up and running. It’s time to submit your favorite case co...

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Undies Case Cover Awards and Endies End Paper Awards! Anyone can nominate a book. Head here to get started: 100scopenotes.com/2025/10/01/n...

The book You've Awoken Her by Ann Dávila Cardinal laying on torn paper and a smoky purple background.

A torn piece of paper on top of a purple hazy background. Written on the paper are the words: "DON'T MISS THIS BOOK - IT'S A GOOD ONE". Then there's a separator line followed by more writing that says: "MOM READ IT".

It's October, and our team is on the hunt for books that go bump in the night.

Fortunately, @anndavilacardinal.bsky.social's newest YA horror novel, You've Awoken Her, more than delivers.

Check out this glowing review from @roesolo.bsky.social: momreadit.com/2025/07/25/c...

We don’t have much to add to this week’s chat, but we’re loving this behind-the-scenes look at a (difficult!) part of the writing process. #kidlitchat

What an honor!

Thank you @cybilsawards.bsky.social for including SAME PAGE in this important resource alongside these other wonderful reads.

@randomhousekids.bsky.social
@rhcbschoollibrary.bsky.social

Cathy's book, THE LITTLE RED CHAIR, was a @cybilsawards.bsky.social
finalist and is a beautiful look at a family chair loved for generations. She also has a nonfiction book PEW: THE STINKY AND LEGEN-DAIRY GIFT about a 1,400-pound cheese wheel given to President Andrew Jackson.

My friend @cathyso.bsky.social put ONE CAN BE in a @littlefreelibrary.bsky.social
in Salem, NH. It has a tall box for adult books, and a short box for kid books.

Cathy was in my first critique group. She was a school librarian and also hosted my first author visit. #megakidlit #nh #booksky

This is AMAZING. 📚💛

We don’t have a uniform, but… 👀

I’m so excited to see Torrible Puns included in this list of amazing poetry books!

It's one of our favorite days of the month. If you haven't yet, scroll through #kidlitartpostcard and be in awe of the amazing skill (and future books?) on display.

And if that doesn't inspire you to try your own hand at poetry, then check out these five collections we're loving.

📖 Dinos That Drive
📖 If I Could Choose a Best Day
📖 Words with Wings and Magic Things
📖 Torrible Puns
📖 A Universe of Rainbows

A white box with a poem in the top left corner that read, "Roses are red Violets are blue, We read good books And share them with you." The bottom left corner reads, "www.cybils.com". The bottom right corner is a logo for the Cybils Awards.

On this Random Acts of Poetry Day, here's a little poem for your feed.

Meet the New Host of Reading Rainbow: Mychal the Librarian After 20 years, Reading Rainbow is back! The new host is Mychal the Librarian, who has been spreading library joy online for years.

bookriot.com/new-host-of-...

YAY, #ReadingRainbow is back AND with @mychal3ts.bsky.social as host!!!

#ReadingRainbow #KidLit #Books #Librarian #Readers

A block of text that reads: "Cybils Scribbles September Roundup: Latine Books List, Beach Day Book List, News & More!" Eight books surround the text, each with a white border. The books are A Sea of Lemon Trees, An Encantadora's Guide to Monstros and Magic, Dreaming of a Quinceañera, Marisol Acts the Part, A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation, Lost on Doll Island; Bold, Brilliant, and Latine; and The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar.

September is coming to an end, so it's time for the latest Cybils Scribbles over on our Substack. In this edition:

📚 Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
📚 A World Beach Day book list
📚 A look at how the Cybils is different this year
📚 & more!

Check it out: cybilsawards.substack.com/p/september-...

Everyone should do what they feel is necessary to protect themselves and others. However, our intent is not to be silent but to celebrate diverse books. We are just going to do it in a different way for this year.

Somehow I managed to miss this sad announcement. I loved working with @cybilsawards.bsky.social. www.cybils.com/2025/06/were...