We are a little over halfway through the Cybils nominating period, a point where I am always afraid that some of my favorite books will not be nominated. Following is a list of a dozen books that I read and would love to see nominated in the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction category, as well as another half dozen that I want to read and very much hope will be nominated so that I’ll be sure to get to them. I am sure that I am missing many excellent titles on both lists, but this is a start. Links to my reviews in the pitifully few cases where they are available; stars next to titles with positive diverse representation.
If you haven’t already, please go on over to the Cybils page and nominate!
Books I’ve Read
Threads of Magic by Alison Croggon. Candlewick, 2021. ISBN 978-1536207194.
The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis. Bloomsbury, 2021. ISBN 978-1547606375
*Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom by Sangu Mandanna Penguin Random House, 2021 ISBN 978-0593206973
*Force of Fire by Sayantani DasGupta. Scholastic, 2021. ISBN 978-1338636642.
Nightingale by Deva Fagan. Atheneum, 2021. ISBN 978-1534465787.
River Magic by Ellen Booraem. Dial Books, 2021. ISBN 978-0525428046.
*Curse of the Forgotten City by Alex Aster. Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2021. ISBN 9781492697237.
Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu. Walden Pond Press, 2021. ISBN 978-0062275127
*Sugar and Spite by Gail D. Villanueva. Scholastic, 2021. ISBN 978-1338630923.
*Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack. Versify, November 2020. ISBN 978-0358006022.
*Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young. Heartdrum, 2021. ISBN 978-0062990402.
*Girl Giant and the Monkey King by Van Hoang. Roaring Brook Press, December 2020. ISBN 9781250240415
Books I Want to Read
*Last Gamer Standing by Katie Zhao. Scholastic, 2021. ISBN 978-1338741506.
*Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel Makonnen. Scholastic, 2021. ISBN 978-1338665857.
*Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee. Rick Riordan Presents, 2021. ISBN 978-1368068246.
*Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares by Tehlor Kay Majia. Rick Riordan Presents, 2021. ISBN 978-1368049344.
*Tristan Strong Keeps Punching by Kwame Mbalia. Rick Riordan Presents, 2021. ISBN 978-1368054874.
The Wild Huntsboys by Martin Stewart. Viking, 2021. ISBN 978-0593116135.
alibrarymama 
I wish I had read some of these so I could nominate them. Some of them are on my TBR list.
Thank you, Natalie! I’ll tell you a secret – every year I nominate some books I haven’t read, either based on my blogger friends’ recommendations or because they are in my TBR list. If I have books I’ve read and loved that haven’t been nominated, that’s best, of course, but I’d rather give the book a chance than have it fall through the cracks.
Thanks for this helpful post! I nominated Force of Fire. Haven’t read it yet, but I really liked The Serpent’s Secret, so I’m guessing this one will be as good!
Thank you! I’m only partway through it myself, but it’s good so far!