Illinois Readers’ Choice Book Awards 

Each book award list includes 20 nominees of both fiction and non-fiction titles that students in grades K-12 will read throughout the year and then vote for a winner.

The Monarch Award: Illinois’ Grades K-3 Readers’ Choice Award  

Created in 2003, the Monarch Award was “designed to encourage children to read critically and become familiar with children’s books, authors and illustrators”. The titles on this list are chosen by teachers and librarians for children in grades K-3.  

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

In 2008, the Bluestem Award was created to appeal to students "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”. The titles on this list are chosen by teachers and librarians for children in grades 3-5.  

The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award (For Grades 5-8)

This award was created in 1988 to honor Rebecca Caudill, an author and resident of Urbana, Illinois for over 50 years. The titles on this list are chosen by teachers and librarians for children in grades 5-8. 

Past Winners