Your Ideas

The Illinois Bluestem Readers' Choice Award is given for the favorite book of Illinois students grades 3-5.  Books are nominated by and voted on by students just like you! You can be a part of the process by nominating a favorite book. The rules are listed below. Please think of the books you might like to see on next year's list and reply to this post. It will be fun to see what other students are reading and what they think about the books they read. You might even reply with books you would NOT like to see on the Bluestem list!

To be eligible for nomination a book must meet the following criteria:

a. Nominator must have read the book.
b. Book must be in print at time of nomination.
c. Book must be of interest and appeal to students in grades 3-5.
d. Book must have literary merit and lasting appeal.
e. Book may be fiction or non-fiction.
f. Book may not be a textbook, anthology, formula fiction, toy, puzzle, or pop up.
g. No winning title or series may appear more than once.
h. No book may be included on the list twice in a 3 year period.
i. Book may have been included on previous Monarch or Caudill lists.

Consider titles such as:

• Picture books for older readers
• Timeless classics
• Award winning titles
• Nonfiction
• Biography
• Variety of genres
• Variety of reading levels.
• Books reflective of the diverse Illinois student population
• Current favorites

Let's hear your ideas!