Kentucky Bluegrass Award2023

Given by Kentucky Association of School Librarians (KASL)

50 Works 15,677 Books 717 Reviews 4.2
How does the Kentucky Bluegrass Award program work?

Each year, a KBA committee for each grade band chooses the books for each of the five voting Nominee Lists (Preschool, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12) show more in a year-long process. These committees are made up of volunteers and include school librarians, public librarians, and classroom teachers from across the state. Students should read books from a Nominee List before voting for their favorite title on that list. The specific voting process is determined at the individual school/library level. All the ballots are counted by an on-site coordinator (usually a teacher or librarian) and the results are transferred to an online tally sheet made available on the KASL website in March of the contest year. Votes are counted after the cutoff date (April 1st) and a winner is declared for each level during the first week of April.

The Kentucky Bluegrass Award is a program designed to encourage students to read widely from lists of current, well-reviewed literature that reflects a variety of experiences and points of view. Students are not restricted in their reading in any way in the KBA program. Schools, libraries, parents, and community organizations participating in the KBA should select books from these lists for inclusion in collections and programs that they feel are appropriate for the needs and interests of their patrons or students. These groups may provide some or all of the titles and develop local initiatives to promote the Kentucky Bluegrass Award.

Books on the Nominee Lists can be purchased as a set from several vendors or individually from bookstores, catalogs, and online sources. All titles on a current year's Nominee List have been published within the last 3 years.




Who can participate?

Students from Preschool - 12th grade can read and rate the books on the Nominee Lists.

Each Nominee List has a grade level recommendation, but students may read/vote from multiple Nominee Lists. If a student has read two books from a list, they are eligible to vote.​​

​Adults can nominate books for inclusion on the Nominee Lists, serve on KBA Committees, and encourage participation by students.​

Schools, libraries, bookstores, literacy groups, and individuals can help promote the program and help students participate in this program.




When does KBA take place?

Students can begin reading as soon as the Nominee Lists are released and submit ballots throughout the year.

​Some schools and districts incorporate KBA books into Summer Reading promotions.

All tallied votes must be submitted by April 1 of each year. Winners are announced in April.

Books for upcoming Nominee Lists can be nominated by adults through the KASL website.

New Nominee Lists are finalized in mid-February of each year.

In September, one of the winning authors is invited to come to Kentucky and speak at the KLA/KASL Joint Conference.




Why participate in KBA?

The Kentucky Bluegrass Award program promotes student reading and critical thinking.

It offers students a chance to give feedback and express their thoughts and opinions.

The KBA program is designed to provide a wide range of new reading materials to students and it should be implemented in a way that is simple and fun for students, parents, and schools.

By all means, feel free to make this program broadly inclusive!
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Stages:
All, Winner (129), Nominee (1,981)
Categories:
All, Grades 3-5 (332), Grades 3-8 (39), Grades 4-8 (342), Grades 6-8 (303), Grades 9-12 (276), Grades K-2 (273), Grades K-3 (351), Preschool (70)
Years:
All, 2024 (50), 2023 (50), 2022 (50), 2021 (50), 2020 (50), 2019 (50), 2018 (50), 2017 (40), 2016 (40), 2015 (40), 2014 (40), 2013 (40), 2012 (40), 2011 (41), 2010 (52), 2009 (54), 2008 (60), 2007 (60), 2006 (62), 2005 (61), 2004 (82), 2003 (67), 2002 (74), 2001 (64), 2000 (43), 1999 (48), 1998 (38), 1997 (44), 1996 (32), 1995 (49), 1994 (27), 1993 (37), 1992 (35), 1991 (34), 1990 (44), 1989 (50), 1988 (46), 1987 (40), 1986 (38), 1985 (36), 1984 (39), 1983 (39)

Winner 5

Nominee 50

WorkCategoryYear
Allergic by Megan Wagner LloydGrades 3-52023
Willodeen by Katherine ApplegateGrades 3-52023
A Day in the Life of a Poo, a Gnu, and You by Mike BarfieldGrades 3-52023
Dog Squad by Chris GrabensteinGrades 3-52023
The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. HolmGrades 3-52023
Stella by McCall HoyleGrades 3-52023
Twins by Varian JohnsonGrades 3-52023
The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg SloanGrades 3-52023
Brave Like That by Lindsey StoddardGrades 3-52023
Escape at 10,000 Feet: D. B. Cooper and the Missing Money (Unsolved Case Files, #1) by Tom SullivanGrades 3-52023
Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker RhodesGrades 6-82023
Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. AlstonGrades 6-82023
Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker BradleyGrades 6-82023
Starfish by Lisa FippsGrades 6-82023
Dress Coded by Carrie FirestoneGrades 6-82023
Final Season by Tim GreenGrades 6-82023
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba HigueraGrades 6-82023
Linked by Gordon KormanGrades 6-82023
Whispering Pines by Heidi LangGrades 6-82023
City Spies by James PontiGrades 6-82023
I Must Betray You by Ruta SepetysGrades 9-122023
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline BoulleyGrades 9-122023
Blackout by Dhonielle ClaytonGrades 9-122023
If These Wings Could Fly by Kyrie McCauleyGrades 9-122023
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason ReynoldsGrades 9-122023
Roxy by Neal ShustermanGrades 9-122023
We Are Not from Here by Jenny Torres SanchezGrades 9-122023
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen YangGrades 9-122023
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola YoonGrades 9-122023
In the Wild Light by Jeff ZentnerGrades 9-122023
Chez Bob by Bob SheaGrades K-22023
Invasion of the Unicorns by David BiedrzyckiGrades K-22023
Crossings: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals by Katy S. DuffieldGrades K-22023
Jack Horner: Dinosaur Hunter by Sophia GholzGrades K-22023
Change Sings: A Children's Anthem by Amanda GormanGrades K-22023
Room for Everyone by Naaz KhanGrades K-22023
Redlocks and the Three Bears by Claudia RuedaGrades K-22023
The Chicken Who Couldn't by Jan ThomasGrades K-22023
The Elephants Come Home: A True Story of Seven Elephants, Two People, and One Extraordinary Friendship by Kim TomsicGrades K-22023
The Year We Learned to Fly by Jacqueline WoodsonGrades K-22023
Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover) by Helen YoonPreschool2023
Little Grump Truck by Amanda DriscollPreschool2023
Have You Ever Seen a Flower? by Shawn HarrisPreschool2023
Maybe... by Chris HaughtonPreschool2023
A House by Kevin HenkesPreschool2023
Patrick's Polka-dot Tights by Kristen McCurryPreschool2023
The Fastest Girl on Earth! Meet Kitty O'Neil, Daredevil Driver! by Dean RobbinsPreschool2023
Animals!: Here We Grow by Shelley RotnerPreschool2023
The Universe and You by Suzanne SladePreschool2023
Bear Is a Bear by Jonathan StutzmanPreschool2023

Tags

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