Thanks to the Cybils Middle Grade Fiction Team

Here's a thank-you to all the folks who worked on this year's Cybils Middle Grade Fiction award, starting with the Cybils organizers.

These Middle Grade Fiction Panelists read the nominated titles--far more in total than us judges--and produced a very interesting set of finalists.

• Sarah Mulhern, The Reading Zone
• Alysa Stewart, Everead
• Mary R. Voors, ACPL Mock Newbery
• Sherry Early, Semicolon
• Kim Baccellia
• Melissa Fox, Book Nut
• Matthew Wigdahl, The Book Club Shelf

My fellow Middle Grade Fiction Judges battled viruses, weather, and frustrating book-distribution systems to read all the finalists with care and reach a consensus by deadline. The discussion was very interesting, both on what folks thought about the individual books and what we thought a Cybils-winning book should be.

• Kelly Herold, Big A little a
• Eric Berlin
• Kerry Millar, Shelf Elf
• Julie M. Prince, Off to Turn Another Page

Finally, thanks to all the nominated authors (and, in one case, illustrator) for creating their books for kids to enjoy.