I just wanted to make sure you all know that Cybils Awards judging panels will be announced this week–Wednesday, to be exact! It’s always an exciting time because I know, once the panels get announced, it’s time for me to start thinking about books to nominate. And this is a really inspirational year for children’s and YA books: we’ve seen so much well-deserved attention being given to books featuring protagonists from a variety of races, ethnicities, socioeconomic background, gender, sexual orientation…it’s the year of #WeNeedDiverseBooks and countless other efforts to bring wonderful diverse reads into the hands of the readers who need them.
If you’re a blogger and you have something to say about diversity and diverse books, please consider coming to KidLitCon this year in Sacramento, CA. There’s already a growing list of fantastic attendees, authors and bloggers alike, and you’ll have a chance to meet several authors (and buy books and get them signed, too!) at the Friday afternoon meet and greet. Plus, of course, there will be a wide range of panels and sessions on children’s/YA books and blogging–this year, there’s a special focus on diversity, so go check out the program for more details. My favorite part of the conference, though, is always getting to meet bloggers I’ve “known” for years online, and getting to talk books with bloggers who have become longtime friends both online and offline. Registration closes at the end of this week, so don’t delay!! Register now.
