Bluestem Award (Grades 3-5)
Welcome to the 2023-2024 Bluestem Award page! This year's award nominees are listed below. Search the SOAR catalog to see if a title is available in the Clinton library or as an eBook from the virtual library (these titles can be read on any device and are marked as eResource in the SOAR results).
Ahmed Aziz's Epic Year by Hamza, Nina
Allergic by Lloyd, Megan Wagner
Amari and the Night Brothers by Alston, B.B.
Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom by Swanson, Matthew
Chunky by Mercado, Yehudi
Elephants Come Home, The by Tomsic, Kim
Everything Awesome about Sharks and Other Underwater Creatures! by Lowery, Mike
Great Stink, The: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem by Paeff, Colleen
Katie the Catsitter by Venable, Colleen AF
List of Things That Will Not Change, The by Stead, Rebecca
Long Distance by Gardner, Whitney
Magical Imperfect, The by Baron, Chris
Maya and the Robot by Ewing, Eve L.
New from Here by Yang, Kelly
Only Woman in the Photo, The: Frances Perkins & Her New Deal for America by Krull, Kathleen
Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book by Dawson, Keila V.
Shelter by Matheson, Christie
Unforgettable Logan Foster, The by Peters, Shawn
Ways to Make Sunshine by Watson, Renée
Don't forget to fill out the I Read a Bluestem! form or a book report bookmark (in the library) to report each book you read. Anyone in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade who has read or listened to four or more of these books by the end of February gets to vote! They also will be entered in a raffle to win prizes from our next book fair.
Ahmed Aziz's Epic Year by Hamza, Nina
Allergic by Lloyd, Megan Wagner
Amari and the Night Brothers by Alston, B.B.
Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom by Swanson, Matthew
Chunky by Mercado, Yehudi
Elephants Come Home, The by Tomsic, Kim
Everything Awesome about Sharks and Other Underwater Creatures! by Lowery, Mike
Katie the Catsitter by Venable, Colleen AF
List of Things That Will Not Change, The by Stead, Rebecca
Long Distance by Gardner, Whitney
Magical Imperfect, The by Baron, Chris
Maya and the Robot by Ewing, Eve L.
New from Here by Yang, Kelly
Only Woman in the Photo, The: Frances Perkins & Her New Deal for America by Krull, Kathleen
Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book by Dawson, Keila V.
Shelter by Matheson, Christie
Unforgettable Logan Foster, The by Peters, Shawn
Ways to Make Sunshine by Watson, Renée
Don't forget to fill out the I Read a Bluestem! form or a book report bookmark (in the library) to report each book you read. Anyone in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade who has read or listened to four or more of these books by the end of February gets to vote! They also will be entered in a raffle to win prizes from our next book fair.
Past Bluestem Award Results (Grades 3-5)
2023 Illinois State Winner: Twins by Varian Johnson
2022 Illinois State Winner: Does It Fart? by Nick Caruso
2021 Illinois State Winner: Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors
2020 Clinton School Winner: Real Friends by Shannon Hale
2020 Illinois State Winner: Real Friends by Shannon Hale
2019 Clinton School Winner: Fish in a Tree by Linda Mulally Hunt (3rd in Illinois voting)
2019 Illinois State Winner: Wish by Barbara O'Connor
2018 Clinton School Winner: Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
2018 Illinois State Winner: Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
2017 Illinois State Voting:
1. El Deafo by Cece Bell
2. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
3. Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
2016 Clinton Voting:
1. The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
2. Sidekicks by Dan Santat
3. Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
2016 Illinois State Voting:
1. The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
2. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
3. Sidekicks by Dan Santat
2015 Clinton Voting:
1. The Stonekeeper (Amulet Book 1) by Kazu Kibuishi
2. Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
3. Niagara Falls, or Does It (Hank Zipzer) by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
2015 Illinois State Voting:
1. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
2. The Stonekeeper (Amulet Book 1) by Kazu Kibuishi
3. Frindle by Andrew Clements
2022 Illinois State Winner: Does It Fart? by Nick Caruso
2021 Illinois State Winner: Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors
2020 Clinton School Winner: Real Friends by Shannon Hale
2020 Illinois State Winner: Real Friends by Shannon Hale
2019 Clinton School Winner: Fish in a Tree by Linda Mulally Hunt (3rd in Illinois voting)
2019 Illinois State Winner: Wish by Barbara O'Connor
2018 Clinton School Winner: Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
2018 Illinois State Winner: Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
2017 Illinois State Voting:
1. El Deafo by Cece Bell
2. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
3. Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
2016 Clinton Voting:
1. The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
2. Sidekicks by Dan Santat
3. Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
2016 Illinois State Voting:
1. The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
2. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
3. Sidekicks by Dan Santat
2015 Clinton Voting:
1. The Stonekeeper (Amulet Book 1) by Kazu Kibuishi
2. Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
3. Niagara Falls, or Does It (Hank Zipzer) by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
2015 Illinois State Voting:
1. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
2. The Stonekeeper (Amulet Book 1) by Kazu Kibuishi
3. Frindle by Andrew Clements