Greetings, fellow bookworms. Our sixth season culminates with a new list of our favorite books of 2011, the ones that kids couldn't put down and adults couldn't refuse. We don't want Mom frowning or the Librarian to catch any flak, after all. One way to look at the Cybils is that instead of telling kids what we think they should be reading, we take a look at what they already are reading (or likely will read) -- and then pick out the best of them.

And that brings us to this year's winners. If you're an author or an illustrator and you spot your name on this list, don't forget we have shiny gold stickers now and a fancy logo for you.

For everyone else, get ready to update your "To Be Read" pile.

Book Apps

The Monster at the End of This Book
by Callaway Digital Arts, Inc
Nominated by: Sheila Ruth

No one will be able to resist lovable, furry old Grover in this giggle-inducing book app based on the 1971 classic Golden Book. Sesame Street and Callaway Digital Arts hit all the notes perfectly from the opening pages, as Grover draws the reader in with his charm and natural humor. From that point on, no matter what age you may be, you will laugh, smile and read along while Grover tries his best to keep you from turning yet another page. Emerging readers will follow the highlighted words as Grover speaks. Little fingers will tap the screen, discovering ways to untie the ropes and knock down Grover's brick wall, undoing each of his creative attempts to stop them. This app is perfect for preschoolers, but Grover’s silly voice and the engaging interactive features make it fun for all ages.

Fiction Picture Books

Me . . . Jane
by Patrick McDonnell
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Kerry Aradhya

Me...Jane is a touching glimpse into the life of a young Jane Goodall as a curious girl with a love of nature, and books, and a stuffed chimpanzee named Jubilee. A unique combination of dreamy watercolor vignettes and nature-inspired vintage engravings complement a simple and evocative text. Every element of the book's design, from its album-like cover and heavy yellowed pages to the inclusion of photographs and Goodall's own childhood drawings, helps create a picture book that feels like a relative's cherished scrapbook. Readers of all ages will take inspiration from a young girl who so fully follows her dreams.

Nonfiction Picture Books

I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat: History's Strangest Cures
by Carlyn Beccia
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Nominated by: Mary McKenna Siddals

 From the very first page, A Frog in My Throat offers readers a great deal of scientific and historical information with just enough ick factor to keep readers of all ages turning the pages. The question-and-answer format gives it an interactive feel, and the author includes amazing language choices that continually draw in the reader. The text and the illustrations are loaded with tidbits that will send kids to the library asking for more information on specific topics.

Elementary listeners, middle grade readers, and their parents will eat up this nonfiction picture book, filled with enlightening conversational text and perfectly suited pictures. Kids will likely choose I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat for the gross-out factor, but they'll put it down ever wiser about history, science, and sociology, too ... just don't tell them there's learning inside.

Easy Readers

I Broke My Trunk! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
by Mo Willems
Hyperion
Nominated by: Becky

Piggie is surprised to see Gerald's trunk wrapped in a bandage. When she asks how it happened, Gerald starts a v-e-r-y detailed, humorous explanation. It is wonderful how much suspense can be packed into so few words, leaving readers eager to turn the page. Willems effectively blends illustration and early-reader vocabulary in a way that allows new readers not only to decode what's happening, but to add emotion to their reading aloud. With wonderful facial expressions and expressive body language, Gerald and Piggie invite the reader into their friendship circle. Elephant and Piggie is an entry-level Easy Reader that works very well for that very first-time, read-by-yourself story, and hits kids in one of their favorite spots: their funny bone!

Early Chapter Books

Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus!
by Atinuke
Kane/Miller Book Pub
Nominated by: Madigan McGillicuddy

Readers of all ages will fall in love with Anna Hibiscus. With beautiful writing and great illustrations, Anna invites us into her world as a young girl from Africa visiting family in Canada during the winter. Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus has a lot of heart and humor. The story not only makes the reader reflect on his or her world, but shows them constructive ways of handling different situations. This is not a "girl book," but a story that celebrates cultural differences and at the same time highlights how childhood cares and concerns are similar around the world. The illustrations - particularly how they are used - add to the story's effectiveness as an early chapter book, making Anna a true friend for developing readers.

Poetry

Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto
by Paul B. Janeczko
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Tricia Stohr-Hunt

 "I am a watcher/sitting with those about to die." These are the words of Elisha Schorr/25565 as imagined by poet Paul Janeczko. In Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto, we all become watchers, viewing snapshots of the Holocaust, one after the other, each one deepening the grief and raising questions to which there are no answers.

Graphic Novels

Zita the Spacegirl
by Ben Hatke
First Second Books
Nominated by: Isaac Z

Zita the Spacegirl's appealing combination of humor and sci-fi adventure already has kids begging their librarians for the sequel. It's got everything: aliens, robots, critters from the cute to the weird to the scary, and a smart, self-sufficient heroine who's unfailingly loyal to her friends whether they happen to be human, robot or giant mouse. The visual storytelling is just as appealing—the drawing style is loose and open, and the fun character design and sound effects add liveliness and humor. There's enough action, novelty, and color to keep younger readers interested, and enough thoughtfulness to satisfy more sophisticated readers, making this a terrific choice for a wide range of ages.

Fantasy & Science Fiction

The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale
by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright; illustrations by Barry Moser
Peachtree
Nominated by: Monica Edinger

 The Cheshire Cheese Cat slipped into our hearts like Skilley the alley cat sneaks into Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. Much more than just a cute, talking animal fantasy (though it is that too), this book has a depth of theme and character and a richness of language that blew us away. Both animals and humans ring true to life and the unique alliance that develops between Skilley and Pip, an uncommonly well-educated mouse, matures and ripens like a tasty piece of cheese. The illustrations scattered through the text are warmly humorous and add dimension to the characters. Charles Dickens has an important supporting role and there are abundant literary allusions and though these may be lost on some younger readers, we believe they will remember and enjoy them again in later life. We feel that The Cheshire Cheese Cat has oodles of kid appeal and that readers will be as charmed as we were by this sweet and funny tale of an unlikely friendship overcoming the odds.

Middle Grade Fiction

Nerd Camp
by Elissa Brent Weissman
Atheneum
Nominated by: Jennifer Donovan

Gabe is a nerd. He's not ashamed of this fact; quite the contrary, since he's been accepted into the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment. It's the most exciting thing of his 10-year-old life. Then he meets his soon-to-be stepbrother, Zack. Zack is cool and most definitely not a nerd. In fact, Zack is disdainful of all things nerdy. Gabe really wants his new brother to like him, but he also really loves all things nerdy. In the end, Gabe sets out to find scientific proof, once and for all: are the adventures he has at the SCGE camp over the course of the summer too nerdy for words? Or are they cool in their own right?

With its quirky, nerdy humor; amazing camp activities; and believable characters, Nerd Camp is a delight to read. There are nerds of all stripes, from Gabe's bunkmates Wesley and Nikhil to a guy who goes by C² (a living legend at the camp because he skipped two grades). Elissa Brent Weissman just gets the awkwardness of being 10. It's admirable that Gabe strongly identifies as a nerd, even though he is picked on, and finds comfort and belonging in a group of people as quirky and as unique as he is. (Memorizing pi to the 20th digit, or rocking the nations of the world song on karaoke night, anyone?) A celebration of all things smart, Nerd Camp is a book that's worth cheering for.

Young Adult

Nonfiction Books

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
by Candace Fleming
Schwartz and Wade Books
Nominated by: Monica Edinger

Amelia Lost offers both a biography and an expose of Amelia Earhart, the aviation pioneer whose exploits played a groundbreaking role in the achievement of equal rights by American women. Earhart actively crafted and cultivated a mythology around herself in order to create ongoing opportunities as a female aviator and to maintain her heroine status. Exciting chapters alternate between Amelia's high-profile life and the days and hours preceding her still-unsolved mysterious 1937 disappearance somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Author Candace Fleming carefully separates history from myth with her meticulous research. Packed with photos and informative sidebars, Amelia Lost shows readers in vivid detail the dangers of early aviation and an accurate portrayal of this very real American heroine.

Graphic Novels

Anya's Ghost
by Vera Brosgol
First Second Books
Nominated by: Robin

Ghost story—check. Snarky but fully rounded protagonist—check. Believable teen characters and behavior—check. Humor—yep. Anya's Ghost has the perfect blend of story elements and it deftly layers several classic teen literature topics in a relatively short space. The themes of fitting in at school and in life, avoiding toxic friends both earthly and unearthly, and learning to come to terms with who you are, are nicely underscored by the fact that Anya is an immigrant. At the same time, Anya's interactions with the ghost add suspense and the perfect amount of creepiness. The art style is simple, engaging and funny, and works well with a monochromatic format. A fast-paced read that doesn't skimp on story.

Fantasy & Science Fiction

Blood Red Road
by Moira Young
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Leila Roy

Blood Red Road is one of those books that can be infinitely compared to other stories -- one panelist wrote that it “read like the Harlequin Romance version of Mad Max” -- while still having its own unique voice and style. We’re not sure where a Canadian writer living in England learned an Ozark accent.  Although we sometimes struggled with it, we admired the way the innovative use of language allows the reader to get into the head of the prickly but ultimately sympathetic protagonist.

Saba’s beloved twin brother Lugh has been kidnapped, and Saba knows it’s up to her to rescue him. This is no easy task in their post-apocalyptic world, where food is scarce and those who can’t fight are easy pickings. Luckily, Saba’s a survivor, and she finds some allies in her quest: a handsome man named Jack, a group of fierce warrior women, and even her own little sister Emmi.

Saba is a wonderfully dynamic character, growing from a sometimes cruel girl with a single-minded purpose into a more mature young woman sensitive to the feelings of those close to her, particularly Emmi. The violent wasteland Saba inhabits is well-drawn and terrifying in the best way. The romance can feel cheesy, but it’s interwoven in a way that doesn’t overpower the story. While the plot is sometimes predictable, we loved that this book takes risks, doesn't talk down to its audience, and takes us on a familiar journey in a style that we don't often see. The combination of voice, character, and fast-paced action make this an appealing book that will keep readers turning the pages.

 Young Adult Fiction

The moment is almost here. Instead of editing the blurbs for the winning titles, I spent my last day of the 2011-12 Cybils season in a courtroom filling out a jury questionnaire. I did my civic duty and am now free to finish the post, which goes up at one minute after midnight my time. Arizona exists in a parallel universe with a slipstream time current (I'm not really sure what that means, but it sounds good), so that's 2 a.m. on the East Coast and 11 p.m. for the West Coast.

We'll be announcing winners in all eleven genres, including the brand-spanking-new Book Apps. Join us tonight for The Big Reveal.

Cheers,

Anne Levy, Cybils Admin.

If you're coming here from Scottsdale Business + Life magazine, welcome aboard! I'm grateful to editor Elizabeth Hughes for her flattering profile of me. (See page 22.) Please feel free to learn more about us, whether you're visiting us for business or pleasure.

As for our regular readers ... squeee! I've been profiled in a magazine. Enjoy!

Not my favorite day of the week. I've already made one boo-boo. I was deleting comment spam (how much do I hate those people? Honestly, if you want to peddle your knock-off Uggs, buy a freaking ad!) and I accidentally deleted a legitimate comment. If it's yours, please repost it. Sorry!

Also, our fabulous teen nonfiction organizer, Gina Ruiz, is leading an effort to try and get the Tucson school board to reintroduce books that were banned as part of an effort to end ethnic studies statewide. Yes, my proud state is up to its silly tricks again. Gina explains it better. However, it's not part of the SB 1070 anti-immigration statute, but grows out of the same illogic and fearmongering that led to the bill's passage.

Gina's also compiling a list of books banned in Tucson and has a petition to sign.

Update: Here is an article explaining the controversy.

Update II: Gina gets a mention in The Nation.

I've never met David Elzey at Guys Lit Wire, but he must be one hunk of a blogger. Every year, and I mean every year, I break up fights among my (all-female) organizers over him. I saw him first! You had him last year! MEOW. Then there was the year two organizers duked it out while a third went behind their backs to nab him.

So, is this the George Clooney of book geeks? Who is this guy?

Well, he happens to run one of the few group blogs that caters primarily to what teen boys read. He writes spellbinding essays on how to write for boys. And he writes reviews of books that are page-turners (pixel turners?) all by themselves.

Feynman
by Jim Ottaviani
First Second Books

Elzey's take on Feynman, a graphic novel for teens, gets in your face about why it really shouldn't be as captivating a book as it is. It's about a physicist, for Einstein's sake. And then he heartily piles on what's so amazing about the Manhattan Project member who went on to solve the mystery of why the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded and who apparently could crack safes and play some mean Brazilian drums:

The joy of reading about the life of physicist Richard Feynman, in any format, is that he was the original out-of-the-box thinker. He retained his child-like sense of wonder and his desire to figure things out and applied them to science the same way that artists and writers apply them to their craft. Following the unconventional and peripatetic life of an unconventional thinker provides an fascinating example of the rewards that come from following your dreams in any field. That Feynman had a sense of humor to match his sense of wonder is a bonus, and despite his preference for research over lecturing he was nonetheless brilliant showman.

Read the rest here.

It's back to book reviews! Today we're beginning a series by Round 2 judges, and all of them will be for titles on our short lists. Please note: these reviews were posted before the finalists came out and are taken from the bloggers' archives. We don't allow Round 2 judges to post new reviews of finalists in their genre during the six-week judging period. That way we preserve the secrecy, suspense and overall credibility of the awards (I hope).

Enough of the disclaimer stuff. Onto the review:

The Shattering
by Karen Healey
Little, Brown

We're starting in my favorite genre, teen fantasy and science fiction. Sam Musher over at Parenthetical took an in-depth look at Karen Healey's The Shattering. Healey made our short list last year with Guardian of the Dead. This one's also set in New Zealand in contemporary times.

The protagonist, Keri, is devastated by her older brother's suicide. Then she learns of other suicides by teenage boys over the span of a decade. She teams up with two friends to solve the strange deaths before another can occur.

Sam sums up what makes Healey's books so appealing (caution, mild spoilers):

... believable, flawed friendships between fully realized characters; sensitive handling of sex (and the lack thereof); a stunning sense of place. The magic felt a bit less organic here than in Guardian and required more suspension of disbelief for some reason; I kept waiting for a twist, that it wasn’t what the kids thought, but nope — it pretty much was, and was an idea we’ve all seen before, and therefore had something of a “Buffy monster-of-the-week” feel, like with established characters all of this could have happened in 50 minutes on TV.

Read the rest here.

Author reactions are still trickling in as they get word they made the Cybils finals. Here's the original post on that. Add to that Stephanie Perkins typing a giant Eeeeep! after learning Anna and the French Kiss was shortlisted in Young Adult Fiction:

Oh, man! This is the biggest honor that Anna has received, and I couldn't be more over-the-moon.

And believe it or not, an author left  a comment here too. I think this is a first for us. Here's Tim Egan, whose Dodsworth in Rome is on our Easy Readers short list:

I'm so thrilled to have Dodsworth as a Cybil's finalist! Thank you so, so much! What a great way to start the new year!!!

I'll post more as I find them.

*Hat tip to Catherine Nichols for the title of this post, which I blatantly stole.

Our panelists had the Herculean task of winnowing down a long list of nominees to this year's batch of finalists. We asked them to fight for their favorites and some of the discussions became the online equivalent of sparring matches. Very, very polite sparring matches, I'm sure, given that we're mostly introverts and aggression isn't quite our thing.

But it's still pretty bruising if you were hoping to push a book to the top and it failed to build a consensus or you were flatly outvoted. Whatever the reason, many panelists couldn't let these books go. I asked that if anyone blogged about titles that deserved a last, Cybils-led hurrah, to let me know. I have listed all of the blogs below.

I hope you'll browse the links and find a few more gems that had at least one vocal supporter, even if it wasn't enough to put them over the top for Cybils.

Easy Readers/Early Chapter Books

The Cath in the Hat picked Nick Bruel's Bad Kitty Meets the Baby and several others at a post with links to her original reviews.

Fantasy/Science Fiction

Charlotte's Library gives us four tween fantasy and science fiction choices she would've loved to have seen on our short list.

Over at Confessions of a Bibliovere there are two choices that didn't make the final cut for teen fantasy.

Fiction Picture Books

We were lucky to have two judges from 5 Minutes for Books, but they did one post for their runners-up. Scroll down for Dawn's picks for Fiction Picture Books.

Graphic Novels

Guerilla Librarian recommends Ozma of Oz, an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novels.

Everead tapped Around the World by Matt Phelan and posted a review.

Middle Grade Fiction

Sharp Read provides links to his Top Ten for last year, many of which made our finals.   

And here's that link again for 5 Minutes for Books to get Jennifer's picks in this genre.

Nonfiction Picture Books

Jean Little Library usually does a batch reviews of Cybils nominees at one go, so she emailed me to point out specific titles from two posts. In this first post, scroll down to An Edible Alphabet for her pick for also-ran. In this one, her review of The Guardian Team is at the top.

I am a sentimental fool. I just am. I refuse to cry at funerals because I think I should be all stoic, even when my heart is breaking. But when I hear the words "thank you," I start to sob all over myself. It's embarrassing. Who does this to be thanked? Not me. I do it to fill up the free months between July and March.

Anyway. I asked my organizers for feedback from around the Internet from authors and publishers as they got the news they'd made the Cybils finals. I wasn't even through the third or fourth tweet when the waterworks began.

Take this blog post from the only author of a born-digital, self-published book to ever make our shortlists:

There's something about this whole thing that makes me feel rather giddy and punky—like I'm getting away with something I'm not supposed to. :) No matter what happens, I feel like Angelfall has already won just by making it to the finalist list against all odds.  --Susan Ee, Angelfall

Consider that accepting such titles was a total experiment for us this year and you realize just how long Susan's odds were. I like that Cybils plays against type and considers books that wouldn't get a second glance elsewhere.

Many posts and tweets were like Carmen Deedy's, who thanked us, the person who nominated The Cheshire Cheese Cat (in tween fantasy) and even one of her reviewers.

The folks in book publishing weren't back from their holiday break when we posted our finalists, so Peachtree Publishing didn't tweet their good news until Wednesday that they'd nabbed three spots on the short lists. Not to be outdone, Little, Brown squeezed into a single tweet the titles of their four finalists.

My favorite tweets are the ones that clearly indicate the author had no idea to expect a big surprise to start his or her new year. Something like this one from Stephanie Perkins:

I'm thrilled to wake up in the new year and discover that ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS is a Cybils award finalist!

Lisa Yee's another one we caught napping on New Year's Day. She calls her blog post "The Cybils, the Dreamers and Me" which Muppet lovers like me instantly recognize. Okay, so Kermit sang about rainbows. It's pretty much the same thing, right?

Then there's Mo Willems, who seems pleased no matter how many times he finds himself on our short lists:

Hey, looks like Elephant & Piggie's I BROKE MY TRUNK! is a Cybils' finalist: http://ow.ly/8fCXL Thanks web-savvy-kids-books-enthusiasts!

What's nice about Mo's support is that he really seems to get us. Web savvy. Check. Book enthusiasts. Check!

I just started reading Holly Black's Red Glove as a Round 2 judge and was pleased to see her gracious reaction, typical of many authors:

I am so excited to be on the Cybils shortlist for sf/f, especially because I LOVE all the other books on it.

Now, if that doesn't make an overlord all ferklempt, what does? There are many, many more of course: Geoff Herbach tweeted he was "psyched" and surprised to see his Stupid Fast shortlisted in YA fiction. Rae Carson says "holy wow" and thanks panelists for voting for Girl of Fire and Thorns in teen fantasy.

So. Now you know why we all do this. We do it for kids and teens and their teachers, librarians and parents. We don't necessarily do it for the authors, since there were more than 1,200 of them this year and we can't make them all happy. But when we do ... wow. What fun.

And who doesn't love a good cry?

This was the year the Kindle caught Fire, the Nook fought for its niche, Borders went belly up and ebooks overtook their dead tree cousins for good. But for us here at Cybils, it was another year of reading, blogging and more reading. Whether on paper or in pixels, we found plenty of stories worth sharing with the world.

By now, you're probably inundated with "best books of the year" list. Well, here's ours. Kid friendly, blogger approved. Out of 1,289 nominated books, the ones in the links below rose to the top after fierce discussions and numerous rounds of vote-taking and yet more debate.

Enjoy!

--Anne Levy, Cybils admin.

Click on the links for the 2011 Finalists:

Book Apps

Easy Readers & Early Chapter Books

Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade)

Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult)

Fiction Picture Books

Graphic Novels

Middle Grade Fiction

Nonfiction for Middle Grade & Young Adult

Nonfiction Picture Books

Poetry

Young Adult Fiction

... because we intend to ring 2012 in with a bang. Yep, it's our very own Cybils tradition of rousing you from your New Year's celebrations with the publication of our short lists. Tune in at one minute past the stroke of midnight (Mountain time). That's 2:01 am Eastern and 11:01 pm Pacific.

On behalf of all of us here at the Cybils Awards, we wish you a happy and healthy New Year, full of lots of great books and the time to read them all in.

--Anne Levy, Cybils Admin.

I post our numbers just about every year, and every year somebody gets mad at me. Apparently, I don't include enough disclaimers because I assume facts speak for themselves. So I have included some important reminders this time for the sake of clarity.

Total eligible books nominated: 1,289

Disclaimer: Yours wasn't eligible because a) it came out in the wrong year or b) you didn't write one.

Books read by at least one panelist: 1,284 or 99 percent.

Disclaimer: Yes, we read your book. It didn't make the short list because we don't like your looks.

Books read by at least 2 panelists: 1,262 or 98 percent.

Disclaimer: Yes, we read your book. I swear.

Unread books: 5

Disclaimer: Will you stop? It wasn't yours. Honestly.

Panelists with the most books read:

Rebecca Reid and Debbie Nance with 260 apiece.

Disclaimer: They're in fiction picture books, which are shorter than novels. Still more books than many people read in a lifetime.

Panelist with the most pages read:

Hallie Tibbets, with 48,665 pages read

Disclaimer: Page counts reflect the total pages in the book and not the point where Hallie got disgusted and tossed the darn thing across the room.  

Remember to check back tomorrow night after midnight my time (because I am the center of the universe, of course) for our finalists. That's 2:01 am Eastern and 11:01 pm Pacific.

See you then!

--Anne Levy, Cybils admin.

The lists of finalists are streaming in from our panels and I'm as thrilled as ever. Some exciting stuff awaits you at 12:01 am Mountain Time (2:01 am Eastern, 11:01 am Pacific) on January 1st. There's a good mix of familiar authors and new discoveries, plus at least one self-published title in the mix.

Hints? Spoilers?

Keep dreaming.

See you in a few days!

-Anne

We at Cybils hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and there were lots of books under your tree or magically appearing in your Nook/Kindle/iPad or whatever. Welcome back!

Today's review is of a book that's kind of a downer, so don't read on if you don't like books about Bad Things That Happen. That's a heckuva lot of YA books, by the way, so I feel pretty confident you're still reading.

Mockingbirds, The
by Daisy Whitney
Little, Brown

I won't give away what bad things happen in The Mockingbirds (which I haven't read) but instead will point you to Ten Cent Notes, written by Jordyn Turney. While she starts off with plot summary, as many bloggers do, she pulls back to look at the book's broader themes of the search for justice and how well the author keeps the story moving along. A sample:

It's about being brave and tough when those are the last things you feel like you can be. The supporting cast of this book - Alex's older sister, her roommates, key members of the Mockingbirds, and even Carter himself - are all amazingly well-written. Each character is there for a reason and each character, even the most minor, have distinct personalities that make them stand out. The cast of characters here is fairly large, but it's written in the most manageable way possible and the dynamics that exist between certain characters, such as Alex and her roommates, add additional layers and depth to the story.

The boldface is hers. Read the rest here.

I met Maureen Kearney at Kidlit Con in September and was relieved to find another 'Zonie (short for Arizonan) shivering in what Seattle calls early autumn. Maureen is another Cybils veteran and this year is judging in teen Science Fiction & Fantasy. Her regular gig is at Confessions of a Bibliovore, where she's been doing some brief roundups of the books she's reading for us.

I've included two here, from October and November, to give you a last-minute chance to pick out a few great reads for the fantasy lover in your household. Which, if you're like me, is the person reading this.

Don't forget to come back to our site and click on the Amazon ad above if you're going to place an order. We get a wee, itty-bitty commission from anything you buy after clicking through us.

Happy Reading!

I was a kid when New York City had its big blackout in the 1970s. Stories of looting gave the Big Apple a big, black eye for decades. By the time a power outage hit again a few years ago, the city had returned to a more civilized, neighbor-helping-neighbor kind of place.

Blackout
by John Rocco
Hyperion

Natalia Ortega-Brown reviews a picture book called "Blackout" that captures a kid's-eye-view of the more recent night the lights went out. Ortega-Brown should know -- she's an ESL teacher in the South Bronx and blogs at "A Picture Book a Day." She says "Blackout" is one of her favorite books of the year:

It captures perfectly what it felt like to be in New York City during the last big blackout. It was a block party! The sense of family extended beyond the walls of the apartments to include whole neighborhoods. We were almost sad when the lights came back on...

Read the rest here.