Bluestem Award 2026

"Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them. Chance, a real dog, has been in Dogtown since her owners unwittingly left her with irresponsible dog-sitters who skipped town. Metal Head is a robot dog who dreams of being back in a real home. And Mouse is a mouse who has the run of Dogtown, pilfering kibble, and performing clever feats to protect the dogs he loves. When Chance and Metal...

"Bree can't wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees--until she's stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she's forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help"-- Provided by...

From a very young age, Judy Heumann heard the word NO. When she wanted to attend public school, the principal said NO. When she wanted her teaching license, the New York Board of Education said NO. Judy and people with disabilities everywhere were tired of hearing "NO." In the 1970s, an important disability rights law, Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, was waiting to be signed. Judy and other disability-rights activists fought for "YES!"...

Un conmovedor libro biográfico sobre el chef José Andrés, quien, junto con su organización World Central Kitchen, seguramente inspirará a los niños a ayudar en sus propias comunidades.El amor de José Andrés por la cocina comenzó cuando era un niño en España, mientras recogía la leña para hacer el fuego que cocinaría la paella perfecta. A José le encantaba cada aspecto: el chisporroteo del aceite de oliva, los montones de vegetales...

Selah knows her rules for being normal. She always, always sticks to them. This means keeping her feelings locked tightly inside, despite the way they build up inside her as each school day goes on, so that she has to run to the bathroom and hide in the stall until she can calm down. So that she has to tear off her normal-person mask the second she gets home from school, and listen to her favorite pop song on repeat, trying to recharge. Selah feels...

"Move over, Jeopardy, Family Feud, and The Price Is Right - this book will be your new favorite laugh-until-your-stomach-hurts family game! In Butt or Face, weird animals are introduced with a close-up photo. Kids must guess: are they seeing seeing ... um ... err ... the bottom or the top? Readers will learn about animals like Cuban Dwarf Frogs, whose backsides look like a pair of eyes, and the Mary River Turtle, which not only has a unique face,...

From the Eisner-nominated duo behind the instant bestseller Allergic comes a fun new graphic novel about finding your own space... especially when you're in a family of nine!

Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she's tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! They're noisy

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"After seventh graders Benji and Felix "borrow" $20 from a lost wallet, the billionaire owner challenges them to spend over $5 million dollars in thirty days in order to learn life lessons about money"-- Provided by publisher.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER!
 
2024 Golden Kite Award Winner • An NPR and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
 
“I want to be friends with them all” — Vashti Harrison, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
New Kid meets The Baby-sitters Club in this graphic novel series opener about the Curlfriends, four...

Batcat loves being all alone in their home on Spooky Island, spending time playing videogames and watching TV. But, when they find themself being haunted by an annoying, ice cream-stealing ghost, they visit the local Island Witch for a spell to remove their ghostly guest permanently.