The Cybils: 2008 short lists

The lists of finalists for the 2008 Cybils (the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards) were, as promised, released yesterday. The categories and finalists, with links to brief descriptions, are:

Easy Readers:
Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time, by James Howe
I Love My New Toy, by Mo Willems
I Will Surprise My Friend!, by Mo Willems
Maybelle Goes to Tea, by Katie Speck
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig, by Kate Dicamillo

Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade):
Cabinet of Wonders, by Marie Rutkoski
Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
Lamplighter, by D M Cornish
Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas
Savvy, by Ingrid Law

Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult):
Airman, by Eoin Colfer
Curse Dark as Gold, by Elizabeth C Bunce
Explosionist, by Jenny Davidson
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Wake, by Lisa McMann

Fiction Picture Books:
Abe Lincoln Crosses A Creek: A Tall Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend), written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by John Hendrix
The Big Bad Bunny, written by Franny Billingsley and illustrated by G Brian Karas
Chester's Back, written and illustrated by Melanie Watts
How to Heal a Broken Wing, written and illustrated by Bob Graham
Katie Loves the Kittens, written and illustrated by John Himmelman
The Sea Serpent and Me, written by Dashka Slater and illustrated by Catia Chien
A Visitor for Bear, written by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Kady Denton
Wabi Sabi, written by Mark Reibstein and illustrated by Ed Young

Graphic Novels (Middle Grade):
Chiggers, written and illustrated by Hope Larson
Into the Volcano, written and illustrated by Don Wood
Jellaby, vol. 1, written and illustrated by Kean Soo
Rapunzel's Revenge, written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, and illustrated by Nathan Hale
The Savage, written by David Almond and illustrated by Dave McKean
There's a Wolf at the Door: Five Classic Tales, written by Zoe Alley and illustrated by R W Alley

Graphic Novels (Young Adult):
Emiko Superstar, written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Steve Ralston
Kin: Good Neighbors, Book 1, written by Holly Black and illustrated by Ted Naifeh
Life Sucks, written by Jessica Abel and Gabe Soria, and illustrated by Warren Pleese
Skim, written and illustrated by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
Three Shadows, written and illustrated by Cyril Pedrosa

Middle Grade Fiction:
Alvin Ho, by Lenore Look
Diamond Willow, by Helen Frost
Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass
The London Eye Mystery, by Siobhan Dowd
Shooting the Moon, by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books:
11 Planets: A New View of the Solar System, by David Aguilar
Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry, by Scott Reynolds Nelson
Body Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers, by Nancy Amanda Redd
King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution, by Steve Sheinkin
Lincoln Through the Lens, by Martin Sandler
Swords: An Artist's Devotion, written and illustrated by Ben Boos
We Are the Ship: The Story of the Negro League Baseball, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir, by Cylin Busby and John Busby

Non-Fiction Picture Books:
Astronaut Handbook, written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
Duel! Burr and Hamilton's Deadly War of Words, written by Dennis Brindell Fradin and illustrated by Larry Day
Fabulous Fishes, written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale
Nic Bishop Frogs, written and illustrated by Nic Bishop
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Lived to Draw, written and illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray
Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter

Poetry:
America at War, illustrated by Stephen Alcorn and edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Honeybee, by Naomi Shihab Nye
Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures, written by Julie Larios and illustrated by Julie Paschkis
More than Friends: Poems from Him and Her, by Sara Holbrook and Allan Wolf
On the Farm, by David Elliott and Holly Meade

Young Adult Fiction:
Audrey, Wait!, by Robin Benway
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E Lockhart
I know It's Over, by C K Kelly Martin
Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta
Sweethearts, by Sara Zarr
Ten Cents a Dance, by Christine Fletcher
Thaw, by Monica Roe

The pages linked to also include links to Amazon.com listings for each book. Further information can be found on the Cybils website.

The winners will be announced on 14 February.

As last year, none of the books I really liked were shortlisted. In fact, I haven't read a single one of these. Guess I'd better get started....