2020 CYBILS Finalists

I can’t believe I forgot to share the 2020 CYBILS Finalists! These lists were released on January 1st with winners announced on February 14th. 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.” This means it’s a great place to go for book suggestions! Well-written books combined with popular appeal are must-haves in my opinion. And with 12 different categories to choose from, you’re sure to find something you’ll love!

What I actually love most about awards like these is seeing my favorites of the year on display. I’m talking about books like A Wish in the Dark, I Am Every Good Thing, and What About Worms!? Pair that with books that I haven’t read yet and are added immediately to my TBR list. Books like The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar and The Runaway Princess by Johan Troïanowski are at the top of the list now.

I actually was a CYBILS Round 1 judge way back in 2015 for the Elementary/Middle Grade Non-Fiction category. I’ll be the first to admit it was not an easy task, but the process went very smoothly and was really a lot of fun to be a part of. I mean, talking about kid lit with other kid lit lovers? What more can you ask for? I’m hoping to be able to volunteer my time again. Maybe this year things will calm down enough in the fall that I can devote some time to it.

Easy Reader

• See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
• The Best Seat in First Grade by Katharine Kenah, illustrated by Abby Carter
• Ty’s Travels: All Aboard! by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata
• Cat Has a Plan by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Fred Blunt
• King & Kayla and the Case of the Unhappy Neighbor by Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Nancy Meyers
• Yasmin the Gardener by Saadia Faruqi, illustrated by Hatem Aly
• What About Worms!? by Ryan T. Higgins and Mo Willems

Early Chapter

• Sofia Valdez and the Vanishing Vote by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
• Stella Endicott and the Anything-Is-Possible Poem by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
• Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business by Lyla Lee, illustrated by Dung Ho
• Monster and Boy by Hannah Barnaby, illustrated by Anoosha Syed
• Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us by Lauren Castillo

Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction

• Mulan: Before the Sword by Grace Lin
• Curse of the Night Witch by Alex Aster
• A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
• In the Red by Christopher Swiedler
• Rival Magic by Deva Fagan
• Thirteens by Kate Alice Marshall
• Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe

Fiction Picture Book

• Dozens of Doughnuts by Carrie Finison illustrated by Brianne Farley
• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade
• I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith
• In A Jar by Deborah Marcero
• The Camping Trip by Jennifer K. Mann
• I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James
• The Paper Kingdom by Helena Ku Rhee, illustrated by Pascal Campion

Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novel

• Go with the Flow by Karen Schneemann and Lily Williams
• Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith, Introduction by Kadir Nelson
• The Runaway Princess by Johan Troïanowski
• Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
• When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy
• Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song
• Class Act by Jerry Craft

Young Adult Graphic Novel

• Flamer by Mike Curato
• Almost American Girl by Robin Ha
• Superman Smashes the Clan by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by Gurihiru
• Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder
• That Can Be Arranged: A Muslim Love Story by Huda Fahmy
• Displacement by Kiku Hughes
• You Brought Me The Ocean by Alex Sanchez, illustrated by Julie Maroh

Middle Grade Fiction

• The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar
• Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
• King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
• Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
• Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
• Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

Elementary Nonfiction

• The Fighting Infantryman by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali
• The Story of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Duane Smith
• The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America’s Presidents by Kate Messner and Adam Rex
• Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist by Linda Skeers, illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns
• Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery by Meeg Pincus, illustrated by Yas Imamura
• Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann
• No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History by Lindsay H. Metcalf (Editor), Keila V. Dawson (Editor), Jeanette Bradley (Editor/Illustrator)

Middle Grade Nonfiction

• The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth by Wade Hudson (Editor), Cheryl Willis Hudson (Editor)
• STEM in the Final Four by Meg Marquardt
• This Is Your Brain on Stereotypes: How Science Is Tackling Unconscious Bias by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illustrated by Drew Shannon
• All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat
• How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
• Plasticus Maritimus: An Invasive Species by Ana Pego and Isabel Minhós Martins, illustrated by Bernado P. Carvalho
• Normal: One Kid’s Extraordinary Journey by Magdalena Newman and Nathaniel Newman, illustrated by Neil Swaab

High School Nonfiction

• All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson
• The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess and Laura L. Sullivan
• Walk Toward the Rising Sun: From Child Soldier to Ambassador of Peace by Ger Duany and Garen Thomas
• Jane Against the World: Roe v. Wade and the Fight for Reproductive Rights by Karen Blumenthal
• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
• The Radium Girls Young Reader’s Edition: The Scary But True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark by Kate Moore
• Throw Like a Girl, Cheer Like a Boy: The Evolution of Gender, Identity, and Race in Sports by Robyn Ryle

Young Adult Fiction

• Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
• The Edge of Anything by Nora Shalaway Carpenter
• Dear Justyce by Nic Stone
• Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp
• Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
• You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
• Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Young Adult Speculative Fiction

• Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
• Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
• The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White
• Burn by Patrick Ness
• Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold
• Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger, illustrated by Rovina Cai
• Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Check out all of these very talented authors and illustrators. Plus, keep your eyes out for the call for judges in late summer or early fall. It’s a really rewarding and run process to be a part of.