Illinois State Reading Lists
Award Lists
Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Book List Selection
2016 Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Book List Selection
As Brave As You
Kirkus Award Finalist Schneider Family Book Award Winner Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book In this “pitch-perfect contemporary novel” (Kirkus...
A Case of the Clones
Dr. Bunsen causes some serious double trouble when he creates clones of the DATA Set in this fifth DATA Set adventure.Dr. Bunsen is just trying to...
Don't Disturb the Dinosaurs
The DATA Set find themselves stuck in the prehistoric era in the second adventure of the brand-new series!Thanks to Dr. Bunsen’s latest wacky...
March of the Mini Beasts
Danger! Action! Trouble! Adventure! Introducing The DATA Set, a brand-new chapter book series for young readers.What would happen if your next-door...
Robots Rule the School
In the fourth DATA Set adventure, the DATA Set race to deprogram an army of robots before they take over Newtonberg Elementary School.One morning, Mrs....
The Sky Is Falling
In the third action-packed adventure of The DATA Set series, Dr. Bunsen uses his newest invention—the Bunsenmunicator 3000—to communicate with...
Freedom Over Me
Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
Newbery Honor Book Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book Using original slave auction and plantation estate...
I Dissent
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark
Get to know celebrated Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—in the first picture book about her life—as she proves that disagreeing does not make...
The Last True Love Story
From the critically acclaimed author of The Gospel of Winter and the coauthor of All American Boys comes a cool, contemplative spin on hot summer...
The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring
The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation
With magnificent dioramic illustrations, Gilbert Ford captures the joy, creativity, and determination behind the invention of an iconic, one-of-a-kind...
Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story
From the critically acclaimed author of Anything But Typical comes a touching look at the days leading up to the tragic events of September 11, 2001,...
The Storyteller
From Ezra Jack Keats 2015 New Illustrator Honor recipient Evan Turk comes his debut work as author-illustrator: an original folktale that celebrates...
The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year “A marvelous debut…Sometimes it takes the right nudge to...
The V-Word
True Stories about First-Time Sex
An honest and poignant collection of essays by women about losing their virginity in their teens. The V-Word captures the complexity of this important...
We Are the Ants
From the “author to watch” (Kirkus Reviews) of The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley comes a brand-new novel about a teenage boy who must decide whether or...
2019 Monarch Award Master List
Creepy Pair of Underwear!
From the celebrated team behind Creepy Carrots!, Aaron Reynolds and Caldecott Honor winner Peter Brown, comes a hilarious (and just a little creepy)...
The Night Gardener
In the spirit of Goodnight Moon and The Curious Garden comes a stunning debut picture book filled with whimsy and creativity from brothers Terry and...
2017 Monarch Award Winner
Gaston
A bulldog and a poodle learn that family is about love, not appearances in this adorable doggy tale from New York Times bestselling author Kelly...
2017 Monarch Award Master List
Going Places
A go-cart contest inspires imagination to take flight in this picture book for creators of all ages, with art from New York Times bestselling...
2019 Bluestem Award Master List
Amina's Voice
A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2017 “For inspiring empathy in young readers, you can’t get better than this book.” —R. J. Palacio, author of...
2017 Bluestem Award Master List
Lulu's Mysterious Mission
This irresistible third illustrated chapter book starring Judith Viorst’s Lulu is full of hilarious hijinks, delightful twists, and a top-secret...
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh
Some extraordinary rats come to the aid of a mouse family in this Newbery Medal Award–winning classic by notable children’s author Robert C....
2016 Bluestem Award Master List
Hatchet
20th Anniversary Edition
This award-winning contemporary classic is the survival story with which all others are compared—and a page-turning, heart-stopping adventure,...
2019 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Award Master List
Better Nate Than Ever
“The Nate series by Tim Federle is a wonderful evocation of what it’s like to be a theater kid. Highly recommended.” —Lin-Manuel Miranda, star and...
2017 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Award Master List
Stella by Starlight
Sharon M. Draper presents “storytelling at its finest” (School Library Journal, starred review) in this New York Times bestselling Depression-era novel...
2016 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Award Winner
Michael Vey
The Prisoner of Cell 25
The electrifying #1 New York Times bestselling first installment of the action-packed Michael Vey series from author Richard Paul Evans.My name is...
2016 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Award Master List
Camo Girl
Set in a suburb of Las Vegas, Ella and Zachary, called Z, have been friends forever, but Z has always been “the weird kid” in their class. He collects...
2019 Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Master List
When Dimple Met Rishi
A New York Times bestseller The inspiration for the Netflix original series Mismatched! An NPR Best Book of 2017 A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2017 A...
Scythe
Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New...
Beartown
A Novel
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY: LibraryReads • BookBrowse • Goodreads “You’ll love this engrossing novel.” —People The bestselling author...
2018 Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Master List
All American Boys
A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book, and recipient of the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature. In this Coretta Scott...
2017 Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Master List
The Boy in the Black Suit
A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book Just when seventeen-year-old Matt thinks he can’t handle one more piece of terrible news, he meets a girl...
Through the Woods
Discover a terrifying world in the woods in this collection of five hauntingly beautiful graphic stories that includes the online webcomic sensation...
100 Sideways Miles
Destiny takes a detour in this heartbreakingly hilarious novel with five starred reviews, from the acclaimed author of Winger, which Kirkus Reviews...
2016 Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award Master List
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison....
Rot & Ruin
In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their...