Book Recommendation Sources for Nonreaders

youth librariansIn my book, there are two sources for getting suggestions about books you might like to read:

Librarians and Cybils lists

Why? Because when you need an avid reader, these are the people who have read LOTS of books. All ages; all genres; fiction and nonfiction.

Next Monday, October 1, the Nomination Period opens for the 2018 Cybils (Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards). For two weeks, readers of all stripes will nominate their favorite book in up to 15 categories (aka genres).

Top 5 Reasons to Consider a Cybils-Nominated Book Your Next Read

Could someone add a “meh” book? Yes. Would someone try to add their own book to get attention? Probably. In my experience, those types of books are the minority, and the system is designed to discourage self-nomination.

Here is my list of why Cybils-nominated books are a reliable choice.

  • People love to pick winners and bragging rights.
  • Many, if not most, of the people who nominate also review books.
  • It is easy to find books that represent different cultures and diversity. Cybils encourage nomination of multicultural books.
  • People who review books read lots of books: in their classroom, at their library, in their home. They have a front-row seat and can gauge what the target audience thinks of the book.
  • Last but not least, a book can only be nominated once. If I read 50 books in a particular category, I have to pick a favorite.

The bonus of the Cybils lists is they also give you a ready-made gift idea list. If your the kind of person who loves to give books as gifts, then be sure to bookmark the page with your favorite category for the young readers and teens in your life. Watch as the nomination lists grow, and in January 2019 come back to see the finalists.

You can also follow along on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Just look for @CybilsAwards.

Transparency Note: I am the 2018 Cybils Awards Literary Evangelist and Social Media Guru.