We are so grateful to everyone in the kidlitosphere, the literary and publishing worlds, and beyond for helping us publicize the Cybils and for getting the nominations flowing in. In the past couple of weeks, our Technorati ranking has jumped from 100 to 167--thanks to all of you!

• Loree Griffin Burns, 2006 Cybils panelist and 2007 Cybils finalist for her non-fiction MG/YA book Tracking Trash, gave us a nice plug on her blog
• Bruce Black of Wordswimmer posted about poetry for children and being a poetry panelist for this year's Cybils
• Cynthia Lord discusses kid appeal, one of the key criteria we use to evaluate books (requires LiveJournal login)
• We got a nice mention on the blog of the International Reading Association
• Through the Looking Glass Book Review posted an announcement that nominations are open, and encouraged people to nominate their favorites
• On Scholastic's Kid Lit Kit, Sonja Cole did a Video Wednesday post about one of last year's winners, The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex, and also posted a nominations announcement
• Author Gail Gauthier cited three excellent reasons why you should nominate your favorite book for the Cybils
• Tricia of The Miss Rumphius Effect lists several worthy non-fiction picture books that still need nominating
• Similarly, over at A Wrung Sponge, Cloudscome posts a list of nomination-worthy Easy Reader books
• The youth team at Kepler's Bookstore encouraged people to nominate for the Cybils on their blog, TheBookBind

Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped us get the word out about nominations. Stay tuned for more links and thank-yous later in the week.

--Jen Robinson, Literacy Evangelist and Sarah Stevenson, Deputy Editor

Want to make it really easy to let people know how great the Cybils are? We've got a nifty double-sided Cybils flyer with all the information you need to get the word out in libraries, schools, bookstores or anywhere.

The front page of the flyer includes a description of what the Cybils are all about, nomination instructions, important dates, and contact information.

The back of the flyer is the ultimate booklist: It lists all the 2007 Cybils shortlisted titles from all eight categories, with the winning titles in boldface type. Just click on the graphic at right to download the flyer (.PDF format, 508KB). Requires Adobe Reader.

--Sarah Stevenson, deputy editor

News flash: Bloggers love the Cybils!

Well, actually, it's several news flashes--far too many to post here, but we've provided a sampling of the Cybils love from around the web. The Cybils team appreciates the help that everyone has given us in spreading the word about the Cybils and about nominations (and if you haven't done it yet, be sure to go nominate!).

• Terry from The Reading Tub linked to our nomination pages--way to go!
• Amanda from A Patchwork of Books is doing a giveaway that people enter by nominating titles at the Cybils
• Alli at YPulse Books gives us props in her latest post
• Mediabistro's GalleyCat posted a Cybils announcement
• Justina Chen Headley of the lovely Readergirlz blogged about us (from Inner Mongolia, no less!)
• Guys Lit Wire posted a mention, too, for guy readers out there
• We got some truly kind words from The Brown Bookshelf, too
• Gina Ruiz at A Graphic Landscape posted our full announcement
• Librarian Mom at Scholastic Publishing included quick nominating tips

And this really just scratches the surface! Listservs, newsletters, conferences--we're everywhere. Sincere thanks to everyone who has given us a mention, and please don't forget to stop by and nominate before October 15.

Today we meet Kerry Millar, category organizer for Middle Grade Fiction:

Hello fellow Cybilers: nominators, panelists and judges! I've been teaching Grade 5 for three years, so I’ve got some solid first-hand know-how about what's going on out there in Middle-Grade-land--what's cool, what's old, what has true kid appeal and what doesn't.

Before teaching, I was part pastry chef, part children's bookseller (a.k.a. the dreamiest job-combo known to man), and went to sleep every night full of French pastries and stories. Now I spend my days with many ten-year olds, trying to find every conceivable excuse to pull out a book and read to them.

Over a year ago, inspired by the many quirky, clever and generally delightful blogs in the kidlitosphere, I launched Shelf Elf, where I've been blogging ever since about everything kidlit related. I’m also a contributing blogger over at Guys Lit Wire, the new group blog that recommends great books to teen male readers, and a regular participant in features such as Poetry Friday and Nonfiction Monday.

Last year I served as a Cybils panelist for the Middle Grade Fiction category, and I'm so happy to be back again, this time as a MGF judge and category organizer. When I’m not teaching / blogging / reading, I can be found curled up with a Siamese cat and slice of cake.

You'll find no dragons or magic, robots or vampires here. Just real people, in the real world, in real situations. In a good YA novel teens will find themselves and discover their world. A great YA novel will do both of those while respecting and appealing to its audience.

We are looking for a handful of the greatest teen novels of 2008. Historical, humorous, or contemporary, they must have literary merit AND a lasting effect on their readers; something teens will press into their friends' hands with fervor in their eyes and say, "You HAVE to read this book."

--Jackie Parker, organizer

Please leave a nomination -- including author and title -- in the comments below. One nomination per person, per category, please. Avoid duplicate nominations--it only takes ONE nomination to add a book to the list.

The middle grade years are those with the most potential to turn a child into a reader for life. It's often the books you read between the ages of 8-12 that you remember long into adulthood as your dearest books of all. These are the years when kids really and truly start to figure themselves out as readers--their likes and dislikes and all the rest in between. It's during this time when children strike out on their own in earnest, reading for themselves and by themselves, all the while creating themselves.

In this Cybils category, we're looking for the 2008 novels that capture real life in all of its wonderful messiness. So we're not talking magic or superheroes or werewolves or elves. Instead, think adventures and school stories, mysteries and stories about families, and tales that tell kids of life across the globe. Tell us which of the Middle Grade fiction titles published this year you think kids will still be talking about when they're all grown up.

--Kerry Millar, organizer

Please leave a nomination -- including author and title -- in the comments below. One nomination per person, per category, please. Avoid duplicate nominations--it only takes ONE nomination to add a book to the list.

Pictures and stories; stories and pictures. While many of the Cybils categories explore one or the other, only the Graphic Novel category looks at the unique melding of words and images that is comics. Whether it's the daring deeds of superheroes or realistic stories of middle school life, sweeping fantasy tales or terrifying works of horror, graphic novels offer a way to read that engages all parts of the brain, electrifying the senses like no other print medium. We're looking forward to your nominations for the best of the best, those graphic novels that blend words and pictures into a seamless work that will capture readers and never let them go.

--Snow Wildsmith, organizer

Please leave a nomination -- including author and title -- in the comments below. One nomination per person, per category, please.

A good picture book is a pleasing merger of text and artwork. A great picture book is a celebration of story and illustration, with lasting appeal for kids and/or adults. The best picture books completely excel in art, story, kid-friendliness, and adult appeal.

A Cybils-winning picture book adds that special "It Factor." In message, in world-view, in connection, in humor, in reach, a book with "It Factor" rises to a higher level. These are the picture books we bring home to show our seventh-grade daughter. These are the titles that we recommend repeatedly to everyone who will listen. These are the ones we buy even if we have no preschool children, and the ones we pull out to read again and again. And at the end of the Cybils judging, these are the books that we hope to share with you.

--Pam Coughlan, organizer

Please leave a nomination -- including author and title -- in the comments below. One nomination per person, per category, please. Avoid duplicate nominations--it only takes ONE nomination to add a book to the list.