The call for Cybils panelists is open now through September 7, 2024! It takes a lot of people to make these wonderful awards work, and you can be part of it! If you love books and post about them regularly, you can apply. Read all about the requirements!

I have been a Round 1 Panelist on the Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction panel for almost a decade. This is my first year as Category Chair. I have kept doing it all these years because I really enjoy it, and I think you would enjoy it, too! As a round 1 panelist, there are usually about 100 books nominated (some of which you’ll already have read because you love the genre) and we’ll need at least two panelists reading all of them. As a round 2 judge, you’ll need to read all 7 seven finalists.

Here are my top six reasons to apply to be a Cybils judge today:

1. Elementary and middle grade speculative fiction is the most fun category in my very biased opinion! Fantasy and science fiction take us out of the mundane while at the same time letting us explore contemporary issues through a very different lens, and middle grade fiction tends to do this through an overall belief in good that’s often lacking in adult literature.
2. You will gain broad and deep knowledge of the middle grade fantasy and sci-fi being published right now, whether you want to help kids find their perfect book or are reading for your own satisfaction.
3. This will lead to you discovering new favorite authors! I wish I’d kept a list – but there are so many authors I now follow whose books I first discovered through my Cybils reading.
4. You’ll be able to discuss your real thoughts on these books in a private forum with other book lovers (including me!), which will lead to
5. Making new book-loving friends who share your favorite genre!
6. You will have a really, really good reason to make lots of guilt-free time to read.

…There are of course other categories of the Cybils that you could also apply for, including YA Speculative Fiction if you prefer the teen drama and romance!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments or directly! I would love to have you apply especially for my category, and will be grateful in a more general sense if you apply for any of the Cybils categories.