Cybils 2016: Graphic Novel Winners

The Cybils announced the 2016 winners on February 14th; I apologize for only posting now.

This year I had the honor of serving as a second-round judge (for the first time!) in the Elementary/Middle Grade and Young Adult Graphic Novels categories. Choosing a winner from the finalists was difficult, because graphic novels are such a broad category. How do you compare an excellent fantasy work to a moving memoir to charming adventure story? Somehow, we managed.

You can look at the finalists' lists to see the excellent works we had to read and vote on:
Elementary/Middle Grade
Young Adult

In the end, our winners were:

Elementary/Middle Grade

Lowriders to the Center of the Earth (Lowriders in Space, Book 2)
By Cathy Camper; illustrated by Raúl the Third

I wrote our blurb about why we chose Lowriders as our winner:

Lupe Impala, Elirio Malaria, and El Chavo Flapjack are back in an adventure that takes them to the underworld of Mictlantecuhtli. When their beloved cat Genie goes missing from their auto shop, they go on a quest to find her—and her epic true identity, as it turns out. Their quest takes them on a tour through Latin pop culture, from el chupacabra and La Llorona to lucha libre wrestling. Bad puns delivered in two languages abound, and every panel (inked in ball point pen!) is bursting with visual detail that adds to the story. This unique art, by Raúl the Third, brings to mind diverse influences such as graffiti, tattoos, and thirties cartoons. The clean lines and busy scenes are a perfect companion to a story that twists and turns while remaining approachable for elementary readers. Unlike the Lowriders themselves, Lowriders to the Center of the Earth is never bajito y suavecito (low and slow). The cultural and linguistic lessons are woven seamlessly into a fast-moving adventure that will entertain readers of all ages.

Young Adult

March: Book Three
By John Lewis and Andrew Aydin; illustrated by Nate Powell

You can visit the list of winners to see our blurb about this powerful work.

I thought March: Book Three was a strong conclusion to the trilogy as well as a work that can stand on its own, capped by tragedy and success. It is both informative and personal, and shows how the Freedom Summer, Selma marches, and other fights for Civil Rights are more relevant than ever. At points it feels less like history and more like a timely call to action.