The Bluestem Award: Illinois' Grades 3-5 Readers' Choice Award

The award is designed for students in grades 3-5 who are ready for longer titles than found on the Monarch list, but not quite ready for the sophistication of some of the Rebecca Caudill titles. Named in honor of Big Bluestem which is the state prairie grass, the award may include both timeless classics and current titles, as well as books that have appeared on Monarch and Rebecca Caudill lists. There are 20 titles and students must read at least four to be eligible to vote in March.

2012 Master List

How Tia Lola Came to Stay by Julia Alvarez

The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton

The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buye

The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino

 Redwoods by Jason Chin

 Love that Dog by Sharon Creech

 The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo 

 Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

 The Familiars by Adam Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

 Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It by Sundee T. Frazier

 The Thing about Georgie by Lisa Graff

 Honus and Me by Dan Gutman

 Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord

 War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

 Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford

 Guyku by Bob Raczka

 Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin A. Ramdey

 Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer

 The Shadows (Books of Elsewhere Vol. 1) by Jacqueline West