Cybils judges are allowed to put a maximum of seven books on the shortlist (otherwise it isn’t a short, manageable list.) Here’s what the middle grade speculative fiction committee picked this year:
- Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes
- Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon
- Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge
- Mars Evacuees by Sophia McDougall
- The Dungeoneers by John David Anderson
- The Fog Diver by Joel Ross
- Wings of Fire Book Six: Moon Rising by Tui Sutherland
They are all really great books, and you should go read them or put in the path of readers of the appropriate temperament in your life.
But here are ten more middle grade speculative fiction books that I really loved this year. Almost half of them are series books that need the rest of the series to work well – which is really only a problem when we’re trying to make a list of books that stand on their own.
Beastkeeper by Cat Hellisen
The Hollow Boy. Lockwood & Co. 3 by Jonathan Stroud
Jinx’s Fire by Sage Blackwood
Nomad by William Alexander
A Pocket Full of Murder by R.J. Anderson
Rose and the Silver Ghost by Holly Webb
School for Sidekicks by Kelly McCullough
Shadows of Sherwood by Kekla Magoon
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones. Pictures by Katie Kath
The Wild Swans by Jackie Morris (with a note that this is really one I’d suggest for adult and teen lovers of retold fairy tales than kids.)
What were your favorites from last year?
alibrarymama 
A Pocket Full of Murder was my favorite MG read of 2015. My heart! I love those characters so much.
Looks like a great group of books to add to my TBR. I loved the first couple of Rose books, but haven’t read this one. I want to read Beastkeeper, and I haven’t gotten around to reading any of the Lockwood & Co books, but I love Jonathan Stroud. All the others look equally great! So many books, so little time!
And why can’t we read all the books? It’s just not right!
Right!
Oh my!!! This is such an excellent list! My tbr just grew with a lot more MG books. 🙂
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy.
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