The Bluestem Award: Illinois' Grades 3-5 Readers' Choice Award Year Three - 2013 Bluestem Nominees 2014
In the Sears LTC, we participated in our third year of the award with a 98% voter rate of which we are very proud. The award reading was done by our 3rd and 4th graders. Any 5th grader who qualified was able to vote as well even though 5th - 8th participate in the Caudill Award. Qualifying is achieved by reading or listening to 4 or more of the 20 nominated titles. Special recognition is given to students who read over 15 titles.
The Winners of the 2013 Bluestem: Illinois’ Grades 3-5 Readers’ Choice Award are:
First Place: Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Second Place: Because of Mr. Terupt by Bob Buyea
Third Place: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Our local voting winners were:
First Place: Because of Mr. Terupt by Bob Buyea
Second Place:
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Third Place: War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
In the spring of 2008, the ISLMA board approved establishing a committee to explore the possibility of a new book award that would fit between the Monarch and Rebecca Caudill Awards.
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. (ISLMA Bluestem webpage c2011)
