I read more than 77 of the titles nominated for the 2009 Cybils Middle Grade Fiction Award, so I’m qualified to at least have an opinion on the best of the best. This post will be my last attempt to sum up the Cybils experience for 2009. I enjoyed reading and evaluating and sharing the books immensely, and I’m already looking forward to reading the books, children’s, young adult, and adult, of 2010.

First, the Semicolon Kid Awards

Karate Kid (age 12) read 10 of the titles nominated.
Karate Kid Award: Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti.
What Karate Kid Read.

Betsy-Bee (age 10) read 5 of the titles nominated.
Betsy-Bee Award: Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur. Betsy-Bee’s thoughts on Love, Aubrey.
What Betsy-Bee Read.

My awards:
Best Cover: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. I love the silhouette of Calpurnia. Semicolon review here.

Best Humor: Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti.

Best Tragedy: The Last Invisible Boy by Evan Kuhlman. Semicolon review here.

Best Mystery: Ice Shock by M.G. Harris. Semicolon review here.

Best Sequel: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look.

Best Sports Fiction: The Brooklyn Nine by Alan Gratz or The GIrl Who Threw Butterflies by Mich Cochrane. Semicolon review here.

Best Historical Fiction: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick and Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown. Semicolon review here.

Best for Girls: Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival by Dene Low (Semicolon review here) OR Born to Fly by Michael Ferrari. Semicolon review here.

Best for Boys: Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta OR Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look.

Going Green Award for the Best in Environmental Fiction: My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald. Semicolon review here.

Best Treatment of Christian Themes: Heart of a Shepherd by Roseanne Parry. Semicolon review here.

Best Book Set in a Foreign Land (not U.S.): Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan. Semicolon review here.

Best Fun Food Fiction: Dessert First by Hallie Durand. Semicolon review here.

Semicolon’ 12 Best Middle Grade Fiction Books of 2009 Plus Newbery Predictions

Anything But Typical tells the story and features the stories of Jason, a not neurotypical twelve year old boy who longs to relate to other people and make connections even though he doesn’t know how. In some ways, Jason is all of us, at least those of us who keep trying to connect and express love in spite of our disabilities and mental blocks.