Library Services
Monarch Awards - Awarded to the best book as decided by Illinois readers in grades K-3
Bluestem Awards - Awarded to the best book as decided by Illinois readers in grades 3-5
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award - Awarded to the best books as decided by Illinois readers in grades 4-8
Lincoln Award - Awarded to the best books as decided by Illinois teen readers
Blueberry Award - Awarded to the best book that supports kids' connection to and stewardship of the Earth
2025 - There's a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers
2024 - Chez Bob by Bob Shea
2023 - Are You a Cheeseburger? by Monica Arnaldo
2022 - Potato Pants! by Laurie Keller
2021 - Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings
2020 - Baby Monkey Private Eye by Brian Selznick
2019 - Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
2018 - Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
2017 - Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio
2016 - Breaking News: Bear Alert by David Biedrzycki
2025 - Odder by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Charles Santoso
2024 - Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd, illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter
2023 - Twins by Varian Johnson, illustrated by Shannon Wright
2022 - Does It Fart? : a kid's guide to the gas animals pass by Nick Caruso & Dani Rabaiotti, illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths
2021 - Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors & Barbara Fisinger
2020 - Real Friends by Shannon Hale
2019 - Wish by Barbara O'Connor
2018 - Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
2017 - El Deafo by Cece Bell
2016 - The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton
Real Friends
by
2025 - The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
2024 - Alone by Megan E. Freeman
2023 - When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed
2022 - The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
2021 - Front Desk by Kelly Yang
2020 - Refugee by Alan Gratz
2019 - Ghost by Jason Reynolds
2018 - A Night Divided by Jennifer A Nielsen
2017 - The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
2016 - Michael Vey: the prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
When Stars Are Scattered
by
The Crossover
by
2025 - I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy
2024 - You'd Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow
2023 - The Loop by Ben Oliver
2022 - The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
2021 - Truly, Devious by Maureen Johnson
2020 - They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
2019 - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
2018 - Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
2017 - Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
2016 - We Were Liars by e. lockhart
I'm Glad My Mom Died
by
The Hate U Give
by
2024 - The Great Lakes: our freshwater treasure by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Jamey Christoph
2023 - The Gift of Mnoomin / Mnoomin maan'gowing by Brittany Luby, illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, translated by Mary Ann Corbiere
2023 - How to Bird by Rasha Hamid
2022 - Listen To the Language of the Trees: a story of how forests communicate underground by Tera Kelley, illustrated by Marie Hermansson
2021 - How to Find a Fox by Kate Gardner, illustrated by Ossi Saarinen
