CYBILS Discussion

There have been some great discussions on the CYBILS site. As we all wait anxiously for the winners to be announced on Valentine's Day, stop over and share your thinking.

Today's conversation is about whether the CYBILS judges should have more clear qualifications. Are bloggers really qualified to give an award like this?

Here is my thinking on the topic, in case anyone was wondering.

The thing I LOVE about the CYBILS judges is that they come from a variety of groups. We are not reading from a single perspective. I love all of the awards out there and I feel like they all have a different take on books based on the judges/group giving the awards. Some are given by librarians (ALA). Others by NCTE or IRA (teachers). Some are given by editors and reviewers. The thing I think that makes the CYBILS process greatly unique is the fact that so many perspectives come together to judge books. Because people who blog about books come from various fields, it seems to cover a span of children's book lovers in a way that other award committees can't.