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http://mppl.org/services/youth-department/good-books/?list=2024+Bluestem+Award+Nominees&category=awards

List: 2024 Bluestem Award Nominees


A photo of Amari and the night brothers

Amari and the night brothers

Thirteen-year-old Amari, a poor Black girl from the projects, gets an invitation from her missing brother to join the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs and join in the fight against an evil magician.

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A photo of The magical imperfect

The magical imperfect

"Etan has stopped speaking since his mother left. His father and grandfather don't know how to help him. His friends have given up on him. When Etan is asked to deliver a grocery order to the outskirts of town, he realizes he's at the home of Malia Agbayani, also known as the creature. Malia stopped going to school when her acute eczema spread to her face, and the bullying became too much. Soon, other kids tease Etan for being friends with the creature. But he believes he might have a cure for Malia's condition, if only he can convince his family and hers to believe it, too. Even if it works, will these two outcasts find where they fit in?"--

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A photo of Maya and the robot

Maya and the robot

A forgotten homemade robot comes to life just when aspiring fifth-grade scientist Maya needs a friend--and a science fair project.

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A photo of Long distance

Long distance

After moving to Seattle, Vega's dads send her to the very strange Camp Best Friend, where she discovers that one can make new friends without forgetting old ones.

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A photo of Ahmed Aziz's epic year

Ahmed Aziz's epic year

Ahmed Aziz is having an epic year--epically bad. After his dad gets sick, the family moves from Hawaii to Minnesota for his dad's treatment. Even though his dad grew up there, Ahmed can't imagine a worse place to live. He's one of the only brown kids in his school. And as a proud slacker, Ahmed doesn't want to deal with expectations from his new teachers. Ahmed surprises himself by actually reading the assigned books for his English class: Holes, Bridge to Terabithia, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Shockingly, he doesn't hate them. Ahmed also starts learning about his uncle, who died before Ahmed was born. Getting bits and pieces of his family's history might be the one upside of the move, as his dad's health hangs in the balance and the school bully refuses to leave him alone. Will Ahmed ever warm to Minnesota?

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A photo of Allergic

Allergic

Hoping to adopt a pet to find a sense of belonging in her busy family, Maggie is disappointed to discover she is severely allergic to anything with fur and tries to find a pet to love anyway.

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A photo of Everything awesome about sharks and other underwater creatures!

Everything awesome about sharks and other underwater creatures!

"Discover all there is to know about sharks and other underwater creatures! Including: Amazing--but true!--shark facts; A deep dive into awesome marine science; Hilarious deep sea jokes; How to draw sharks instructions; A comprehensive underwater field guide; and so much more! It's time to find out everything awesome there is to know about the underwater world of sharks!"--

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A photo of Shelter

Shelter

While ten-year-old Maya attends an elite private school on scholarship her classmates are unaware that she and her family are living in a homeless shelter, but on one poignant day Maya discovers having a house is not the only way to have a home.

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A photo of Chunky

Chunky

"In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican-Jewish family"--

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A photo of The great stink : how Joseph Bazalgette solved London's poop pollution problem

The great stink : how Joseph Bazalgette solved London's poop pollution problem

"This funny and informative picture book tells the story of Joseph Bazalgette, a 19th century engineer who designed London's first comprehensive sewage system. In doing so, he saved thousands of lives from cholera outbreaks that regularly plagued the city. This STEM-focused story provides a window into the past and shows how one invention went on to affect generations to come-and teaches kids how they can prevent pollution in their own neighborhoods today"--

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A photo of The unforgettable Logan Foster

The unforgettable Logan Foster

Logan, an undersized twelve-year-old orphan with a photographic memory and no filter, discovers that his foster parents are superheroes in grave danger and only Logan's highly logical mind can save them.

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A photo of The list of things that will not change

The list of things that will not change

Despite her parents' divorce, her father's coming out as gay, and his plans to marry his boyfriend, ten-year-old Bea is reassured by her parents' unconditional love, excited about getting a stepsister, and haunted by something she did last summer at her father's lake house.

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A photo of Ben Yokoyama and the cookie of doom

Ben Yokoyama and the cookie of doom

Eight-year-old Ben takes a fortune cookie literally, and believing he has only one day left to live, tries to do everything he has always wanted to before nightfall.

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A photo of The elephants come home : a true story of seven elephants, two people, and one extraordinary friendship

The elephants come home : a true story of seven elephants, two people, and one extraordinary friendship

"Lawrence Anthony and Françoise Malby love animals-so when they hear that a herd of wild African elephants needs a new home, they welcome the herd to their wildlife sanctuary-Thula Thula-with open arms. What follows in this beautifully illustrated true story is an extraordinary cross-species friendship that will move readers and warm the hearts of animal lovers at every age"--

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A photo of Katie the catsitter

Katie the catsitter

Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp--something that's way out of Katie and her mom's budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life get interesting. First, Madeline has 217 cats (!) and they're not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie's upstairs neighbor is really a super villain? Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship (why is Beth barely writing back? And who's this boy she keeps talking about?!), AND crack the biggest story in the city's history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats!

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A photo of Ways to make sunshine

Ways to make sunshine

The Hart family of Portland, Oregon, faces many setbacks after Ryan's father loses his job, but no matter what, Ryan tries to bring sunshine to her loved ones.

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A photo of New from here

New from here

Knox works to keep his family together as they move from Hong Kong back to northern California during the initial outbreak of the coronavirus.

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