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

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is the significance of the name Bluestem?

Big Bluestem, the Illinois state prairie grass, symbolizes the entire Bluestem Award and the variety of titles on the Master List each year.  The deep roots of this dominant native grass of the tall grass prairie indicate the older titles with lasting appeal.  New yearly growth relates to the newer titles chosen.  Its changing colors are a reflection of the variety of literatures, and the three seed spikes represent the three grades of students for whom the program is intended: 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

2) Who may participate and what are the requirements?

Any school which serves students in third through fifth grade may register and participate in the Bluestem Award program. Public libraries are also encouraged to register if local schools do not participate and to provide access to the program for home-schooled children.

Any Illinois student in grades 3-5 during the school year of the award may participate.  Participants must read, or have read to them, four of the 20 nominated books.

3) How do I register for participation and what are library requirements?

Registration Forms for the 2011 Bluestem Award are being developed and will be available at this site March 1st 2010.

4) What are the voting procedures?

The school library media specialist will conduct the voting.  In schools with no library media specialist a teacher, library paraprofessional, or parent may conduct voting in the schools.  In public libraries, a librarian may collect votes from eligible readers not voting in another school or library. To be eligible to vote children must have read or heard at least four (4) of the books on the Master List. Any appropriate day between February and April may be selected as voting day. Each reader may vote for his or her favorite book from among the nominees. The official Vote Tally sheet may be used to record all student votes.  Vote totals are then submitted online by the first Monday in April.  Online voting will be available between February and April.  After the statewide tabulations are complete, the Bluestem winner will be announced during National Library Week in April and posted on the ISLMA website and the ISLMA listserv.

5) Why is the voting time for Bluestem different than that of the other state awards?

By extending the due date for submitting the official vote tally students would have a longer time to read and enjoy the titles.  This seems especially important for students who are just beginning to read longer chapter books.  Libraries who felt they needed to vote at the same time as Monarch and Caudill Awards could still do so and submit their tallies at any time between February and April. 

6) Who will accept the award and when will it be announced?

The Bluestem Award is given to the book, not necessarily the author or illustrator.  In this way classic pieces of literature can still be a part of the nominated titles.  If the author or illustrator of a book is still living and available for presentation, the book’s award will be presented to the author/illustrator or his/her selected representative.

7) How do I nominate a book?

All nominations are accepted online.  Click here to read the nomination requirements and nominate a book.

8) How do I volunteer?

Volunteers are currently requested for the Reader’s Committee.  To learn Reader Committee responsibilities and to fill out a volunteer reader form click here.  The Bluestem Steering Committee will appoint the Reading Committee.

9) May students participate in more than one of the Illinois reader’s choice awards?

Students are free to read and vote in more than one award program.  If their school only participates in one, they may vote at a public library that is participating.