August. ‘Nuf Said

Aug 17, 2012

In my office sits three still-sealed boxes of books – two from BookExpo America, one from the National Education Association, not to mention publisher-sent copies waiting to be cataloged and shared with reviewers.

August – two months after BEA, one month after NEA, and nothing to say for itself but boxes waiting to be opened and a reader filled with unread blogs.

I know: Unopened boxes of books? Yep. No blogs? Double yep. It has been that kind of summer. I haven’t been very social, either. Sorry friends. Summer is not over, and until school is back in session (at the end of August), I’ll be mostly offline … but not today!

As you may have seen on the blogs around the Kidlitosphere, the 2012 Cybils Call for Judges opened yesterday! The opportunity to volunteer for this year’s Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards is from NOW until August 31, 2012.

Cybils season is a face-paced, book lovers time of year. This will be my fifth year participating in the event. I look forward to it in the same way I look forward to the start of school.

Every year fills my world with new possibilities … not to mention a chance to read books in my favorite category and get a head start on my holiday shopping from the nomination lists! Being part of the Cybils isn’t about getting books. It isn’t about who reads the most or the fastest. It is all about

  • discovering new-to-you authors and genres;
  • meeting fellow readers as passionate as you are;
  • finding new blogs within the kidlitosphere to add to your reader; and
  • launching friendships that don’t end when your panel’s job is done.

Lats but not least, it is an opportunity to start 2013 with new ways to view books and fresh ideas on how you can share your thoughts about what you read.

I am quite honored to be part of such a kick-butt group of organizers and heading up the Easy Reader / Short Chapter Book Category this year.

If you aren’t familiar with the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards, everything you need to know is spelled out right here. Our simple application form not only lets you pick your top three choices for genre (from picture books to poetry to YA) but it lets you share your experiences as a reader who blogs!

We hope you’ll rush over to the website and fill out the application to be a first or second round judge. Its a chance to volunteer to do something you already love (reading and blogging) and to help us select the “books [that] combine the highest literary merit and kid appeal.”

August 31, 2012 is not that far away … I’m counting the days!

 

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