It’s Time for the Sibert Smackdown!
The Sibert Smackdown is an activity intended to build enthusiasm for
the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, which is given each year as part of
the American Library Association’s annual Youth Media Awards. It focuses on
picture books because they’re more manageable to read in a school setting.
Here’s how it
works. Students in grades 3-8 read the nonfiction picture books on
your class’s Mock Sibert list. You can use the book’s I’ve suggested below, select titles from Anderson’s
Bookshop list (Coming Soon!), or feature
your own favorite nonfiction titles from 2025. My list includes titles that have strong kid appeal, will
promote good discussions, and can be used as mentor texts in writing
workshop. They reinforce the research techniques and craft moves included in
most State ELA standards.
Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join
the Quest with Peru’s Famed Scientist and Potato Expert by Sara Andrea Fajardo and Juana Martinez-Neal
Black Mambas: The
World’s First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by Kelly Crull
Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer by Quartez Harris and Gordon
C. James
The History of We by Nikkolas Smith
The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard and Selina Alko
Imogen: The Life and Work of Imogen Cummingham by Elizabeth Partridge and Yuko Shimizu
In the World of Whales by Michelle Cusolito and Jessica Lanan
Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins—the First Lady
of Music by
Traci N. Todd and Eleanor Davis
Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United States by Rajani Larocca and Huy Voun Lee
Toes, Teeth, and Tentacles: A Curious Counting Book by
Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Tomatoes in Trial: The Fruit Vs. Vegetable Showdown by Lindsay H. Metcalf and Edwin Fotheringham
Zero: The Number that Almost Wasn’t by Sarah Albee and Chris Hsu
Will
some of these books be named on Monday, January 26, 2026, when the Sibert Medal committee announces its winner and honor
titles at the ALA Youth Media Awards ceremony? Who knows, but I do
have a pretty good track record.
After
reading your Mock Sibert titles, students choose their two favorites
and use this worksheet, which
you can download from my website, to evaluate and compare the books before
they vote. The worksheet features a kid-friendly version of the criteria used
by the real Sibert committee.
I also suggest using the guidelines developed by former Sibert
judge Melody Allen. They are available here, here, and here.
And I’d recommend reading some of the
following posts in which educators describe their past experiences with the
Sibert Smackdown, including how they
modified or enhanced it. It’s so
important to create learning
experiences that are perfect for your particular students.
The Lowdown on Our
Smackdown by Galiah Morgenstern
The Lowdown on Our
Smackdown by Mandy Robek
The Low Down on Our
Smackdown by Patti Francis
The Low Down on Our
Smackdown by Kate Narita
The
Low Down on Our Smackdown by Meredith Inkeles
Sibert Book Club Shines
a Light on Nonfiction by Jessica Fries-Gaither
The Lowdown on the
Smackdown by Renae Nichols
I’d love
to hear how your students are progressing, and so would other participating
teachers and librarians. Please tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Bluesky to
share what you’re doing.
Happy
Reading!
