2026 Bluestem Book Award Nominees

1.
The Lost Library
The Lost Library 4.11 avg rating — 10,927 ratings
2.
Swim Team
Swim Team 4.27 avg rating — 9,463 ratings
3.
Millionaires for the Month
Millionaires for the Month 4.10 avg rating — 3,043 ratings
4.
The Double Life of Danny Day
The Double Life of Danny Day 4.06 avg rating — 397 ratings
5.
Escape at 10,000 Feet: D.B. Cooper and the Missing Money (Unsolved Case Files, #1)
Escape at 10,000 Feet: D.B. Cooper and the Missing Money (Unsolved Case Files, #1) 4.15 avg rating — 738 ratings
6.
Dogtown (Dogtown, #1)
Dogtown (Dogtown, #1) 4.17 avg rating — 2,801 ratings
7.
The Area 51 Files (The Area 51 Files #1)
The Area 51 Files (The Area 51 Files #1) 3.96 avg rating — 645 ratings
8.
Fighting for YES!: The Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann
Fighting for YES!: The Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann 4.39 avg rating — 361 ratings
9.
A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen
A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen 4.15 avg rating — 399 ratings
10.
Un plato de esperanza (A Plate of Hope Spanish Edition): La inspiradora historia del chef José Andrés y World Central Kitchen
Un plato de esperanza (A Plate of Hope Spanish Edition): La inspiradora historia del chef José Andrés y World Central Kitchen 4.15 avg rating — 399 ratings
11.
Rumaysa: A Fairytale
Rumaysa: A Fairytale 3.78 avg rating — 1,424 ratings
12.
Good Different
Good Different 4.47 avg rating — 3,306 ratings
13.
Butt or Face?
Butt or Face? 4.45 avg rating — 815 ratings
14.
The Deep!: Wild Life at the Ocean's Darkest Depths
The Deep!: Wild Life at the Ocean's Darkest Depths 4.25 avg rating — 110 ratings
15.
Squished
Squished 4.16 avg rating — 5,209 ratings
16.
Apachurrada: Una novela gráfica (Squished: A Graphic Novel) (Spanish Edition)
Apachurrada: Una novela gráfica (Squished: A Graphic Novel) (Spanish Edition) 4.16 avg rating — 5,209 ratings
17.
New in Town (Curlfriends #1)
New in Town (Curlfriends #1) 4.25 avg rating — 1,373 ratings
18.
Better with Butter
Better with Butter 4.31 avg rating — 1,318 ratings
19.
Batcat: The Ghostly Guest (Batcat, #1)
Batcat: The Ghostly Guest (Batcat, #1) 4.22 avg rating — 896 ratings
20.
The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)
The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) 4.16 avg rating — 1,452 ratings
21.
My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life (Nell of Gumbling #1)
My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life (Nell of Gumbling #1) 4.13 avg rating — 448 ratings
22.
A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits #1)
A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits #1)
by: Lisa Yee
3.75 avg rating — 2,199 ratings