Bluestem Award

 The Bluestem Award is the newest childrens' choice award in Illinois.  The books selected for this list are well-suited for students in grades 3, 4, and 5. 

This is the third year for the award program. Students in grades 3, 4, or 5 are encouraged to read the books on this year's list.  Students reading at least 4 books will be able to vote for their favorite book in February, as well as enjoy special activities throughout the school year.

    Join our Social Media Site Edmodo to discuss the Bluestem books!  Check out special activities and our monthly poll.

Ask Mrs. Krouse for the code to join!

 2012-2013 Bluestem Titles:

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Seven fifth-graders at Snow Hill School in Connecticut relate how their lives are changed for the better by “rookie teacher” Mr. Terupt.   A.R.  RL 3.7

Brendan Buckley’s Universe And Everything In It by Sundee Tucker Frazier

Brendan Buckley, a biracial ten-year old, applies his scientific problem-solving ability and newfound interest in rocks and minerals to connect with his white grandfather, the president of Puyallup Rock Club, and to learn why he and Brendan’s mother are estranged.  A.R.  RL 4.0

Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford

When ten-year old Newton dresses up as an unusual superhero for Halloween, he decides to keep wearing the costume after the holiday to help save townspeople and, eventually, his injured brother.  A.R.  RL 4.7

Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas And Brand-New Colors by Chris Barton

Chris Barton describes the discovery of fluorescent paint by Bob and Joe Switzer, who experimented for years before finding the formula for creating colors, which could glow in sunlight, a feature which led to the paint being used for safety items around the world.  A.R.  RL 6.0

Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein

When a scrappy alley cat named Aldwyn passes himself off as a magical animal companion to Jack, a young wizard in training, Aldwyn and his fellow “familiars,” a know-it-all blue jay and bumbling tree frog, must save the kingdom after the evil queen of Vastia kidnaps Jack and two other wizards.  A.R.  RL 4.0

Guyku: A Year of Haiku For Boys by Bob Raczka

A collection of humorous haikus celebrating outdoor fun throughout the seasons.  A.R.  RL 2.6

Honus & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman

Joey, who loves baseball but is not very good at it, finds a valuable 1909 Honus Wagner card and travels back in time to meet Honus.  A.R.  RL 4.3

How Tia Lola Came To Visit/Stay by Julia Alvarez

Although ten-year-old Miguel is at first embarrassed by his colorful aunt, Tia Lola, when she comes to Vermont from the Dominican Republic to stay with his mother, his sister, and him after his parents’ divorce, he learns to love her.  A.R.  RL 4.8

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

A young student, who comes to love poetry through a personal understanding of what different famous poems mean to him, surprises himself by writing his own inspired poem. A.R.   RL 4.5

Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Edward Tulane, a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him. He travels across the country, acquiring new owners and listening to their hopes, dreams, and histories.  A.R.  RL 4.4

Mirror, Mirror: A Book Of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer

A collection of short poems which, when reversed, provide new perspectives on the fairy tale characters they feature.  A.R.  RL 3.0

Name Of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

Two eleven-year-old misfits try to solve the mystery of a dead magician and stop the evil Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais, who are searching for the secret of immortality.  A.R.  RL 5.6

Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time. A.R.   RL 4.3

Redwoods by Jason Chin

When the main character finds himself on the cover of a book about redwoods, he has an unusual way of learning about redwood trees: such as their height, how the bark protects them from fires, average age, and the types of plants and animal life that live in them.  A.R.  RL 5.6

Ruth And The Green Book by Calvin A. Ramsey

When Ruth and her parents take a motor trip from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandma, they rely on a pamphlet called “The Negro Motorist Green Book” to find places that will serve them.  Includes facts about “The Green Book.”  A.R.  RL 4.6

Shadows by Jacqueline West

When eleven-year old Olive and her distracted parents move into an old Victorian mansion, Olive finds herself ensnared in a dark plan involving some mysterious paintings, a trapped and angry nine-year-old boy, and three talking cats.  A.R.  RL 5.1

Story of Snow: The Science Of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino

The book provides answers to questions about snow, accompanied by photographs of real snow crystals and snowflake-catching instructions.  A.R.  RL 4.8

Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff

Georgie’s dwarfism causes problems, but he could always rely on his parents, his best friend, and classmate Jeanie the Meanie’s teasing, until a surprising announcement, a new boy in school, and a class project shake things up. A.R.   RL 4.3

Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord

When the state of Maine threatens to shut down their island’s one-room schoolhouse because of dwindling enrollment, eleven-year-old Tess, a strong believer in luck, and her family take in a trumpet-playing foster child, to increase the school’s population.  A.R.  RL 4.4

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

Joey the horse recalls his experiences growing up on an English farm, his struggle for survival as a cavalry horse during World War I, and his reunion with his beloved master.  A.R.  RL 5.9

 If you read one of the Bluestem books, you can fill out one of the forms here, or ask Mrs. Krouse for one.