The Sibert Smackdown is an activity intended to build enthusiasm forthe  Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal , which is given each year as part ofthe American Library Association’s annual Youth Media Awards . It focuses onpicture books because they’re more manageable to read in a school setting.

Here’s how itworks. Students in grades 3-8 read the nonfiction picture books onyour class’s Mock Sibert list. You can use the book’s I’ve suggested below, select titles from Anderson'sBookshop list (Coming Soon!), or featureyour own favorite nonfiction titles from 2025. My list includes titles that have strong kid appeal, willpromote good discussions, and can be used as mentor texts in writingworkshop. They reinforce the research techniques and craft moves included inmost State ELA standards.  

Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Jointhe Quest with Peru’s Famed Scientist and Potato Expert by Sara Andrea Fajardo and Juana Martinez-Neal

Black Mambas: TheWorld’s First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by Kelly Crull

Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer by Quartez Harris and GordonC. 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 Ladyof Music byTraci 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 bySteve 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

Willsome of these books be named on Monday, January 26, 2026, when the Sibert Medal committee announces its winner and honortitles at the ALA Youth Media Awards ceremony? Who knows, but I dohave a pretty good track record. 

Afterreading your Mock Sibert titles, students choose their two favoritesand use this worksheet, whichyou can download from my website, to evaluate and compare the books beforethey vote. The worksheet features a kid-friendly version of the criteria usedby the real Sibert committee.

I also suggest using the guidelines developed by former Sibertjudge Melody Allen. They are available here, here, and here.

And I’d recommend reading some of thefollowing posts in which educators describe their past experiences with theSibert Smackdown, including how they

modified or enhanced it. It's soimportant to create learningexperiences that are perfect for your particular students. 

The Lowdown on OurSmackdown by Galiah Morgenstern 

The Lowdown on OurSmackdown by Mandy Robek 

The Low Down on OurSmackdown by Patti Francis 

The Low Down on OurSmackdown by Kate Narita 

TheLow Down on Our Smackdown by Meredith Inkeles

Sibert Book Club Shinesa Light on Nonfiction by Jessica Fries-Gaither

The Lowdown on theSmackdown by Renae Nichols

I’d loveto hear how your students are progressing, and so would other participatingteachers and librarians. Please tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Bluesky toshare what you’re doing.

HappyReading!