Reading Time: 11 minutes Texas Bluebonnet Books Award List for 2023-2023
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As an educator, I love to encourage reading and hunting for new, fun books to read. At the Texas Book Festival children’s authors and students announced the 2021-2022 Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) Master List.
This list is considered one of the most prestigious children’s literature lists and children’s books awards in the country. I still remember that Bluebonnet seal on books in elementary school.
In this post, you can find the list of Bluebonnet award books 2021-2022 as well as lists of nominees and winners from previous years.
Table of Contents
Texas Bluebonnet Award List of the Best Children’s Books
For the state of Texas, the annual Texas Bluebonnet Award is a huge deal for students, teachers, librarians, authors, and booksellers. In order to encourage reading for pleasure, the books on the TBA list are chosen based on quality and appeal.
How are Texas Bluebonnet Books Decided?
Each year, more than 100,000 students from 3rd grade to 6th grade vote on their favorite book from the list generated by librarians on the TBA Committee.
How Do Students Vote for Texas Bluebonnet Books?
Each January, students who have read at least five of the books on the list, can vote for their favorite. Then, in February the winner is announced and the award given at the Texas Library Association (TLA) Annual Conference in San Antonio in April.
After you check out these award winner books, to find more great books, check out the Newbery Award Winners List.
How Can a School Apply to Choose Texas Bluebonnet Books?
If Texas schools and public libraries want to join the selection process, then they can register for the Texas Bluebonnet Awards by going to the TXLA Resources Page.
In addition, students can be part of the selection for Bluebonnet books. During the Texas Library Association (TLA) Annual Conference, April 15-19, 2019 students can participate in the Texas Bluebonnet Award ceremony by filling out The Texas Bluebonnet Award Student Presenter Entry Form found here.
Find Bluebonnet Books to Borrow or Buy
If you are looking for Bluebonnet Books to buy or borrow, then you have a few options. Below, each book has a link to the Amazon product.
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In addition, you can check your local library. The Austin Public Library has a list of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Books for 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021 and you can place holds right from the website.
Below is the Texas Library Association’s 2019-2020 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List. In order to learn more about each book, click the link to go to Amazon.
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Texas Bluebonnet Books List for 2021-2022
- Act by Kayla Miller. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, 2020).
- The Best of Iggy by Annie Barrows, illustrated by Sam Ricks. (G. P. Putnam & Sons Books for Young Readers, an Imprint of Penguin Random House, 2019).
- Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes. (Little Brown & Company Books for Young Readers, 2020).
- The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling. (Little Brown & Company Books for Young Readers, 2020).
- Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros. (Quill Tree Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2020).
- The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington. (Crown BFYR, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, 2020).
- Follow Those Zebras: Solving a Migration Mystery by Sandra Markle. (Millwood, an Imprint of Lerner Publications, 2020).
- A Hatful of Dragons: and More Than 13.8 Billion Other Funny Poems by Vikram Madan (WordSong, an Imprint of Boyds Mills & Kane, 2020).
- Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann. (Neal Porter, an imprint of Holiday House, 2020).
- The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds. (Little Brown & Company Books for Young Readers, 2020).
- Lexi Magill and the Teleportation Tournament by Kim Long. (Running Press Kids, an Imprint of Perseus Books, an Imprint of Hachette, 2019).
- The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora. (Schwartz & Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, 2020).
- Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us by Lauren Castillo. (Alfred A. Knopf BFYR, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, 2020).
- Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu. (Henry Holt, an Imprint of Macmillan Books, 2019).
- The Secret Garden of George Washington Carverby Gene Barretta, illustrated by Frank Morrison. (Katherine Tegan, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2020).
- Sharuko: el arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello / Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello by Monica Brown, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. (Children’s Book Press, an Imprint of Lee & Low Books, 2020).
- Someplace to Call Home by Sandra Dallas. (Sleeping Bear Press, 2019).
- Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia. (Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint of Disney Hyperion, 2019).
- Ways to Make Sunshine by Reneè Watson, illustrated by Nina Mata. (Bloomsbury Children’s Book, 2020).
- Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen. (Scholastic Press, an Imprint of Scholastic Books, 2019).
Find all of the books on Amazon here.
2019 – 2020 List
- The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss (An imprint of Holiday House, 2018, Margaret Ferguson Books)
- The Boo-Boos That Changed the World: A True Story About an Accidental Invention (Really!) by Barry Wittenstein, illustrated by Chris Hsu (Charlesbridge, 2018)
- Captain Superlative by J.S. Puller (Disney Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group, 2018)
- The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, 2018)
- Crown: An Ode to a Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James (Bolden, an imprint of Agate, 2017)
- The Dragon Slayer: Folktales From Latin America by Jaime Hernandez (TOON Graphics, 2018)
- El Chupacabras by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Crash McCreery (Dial Books For Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2018)
- Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome (A Paula Wiseman Book, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2018)
- Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Little Brown and Company, 2018)
- Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2018)
- The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris and Alex Azam (Little Brown and Company, 2017)
- Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes (Scholastic, 2018)
- The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, by Stacy McAnulty (Random House Children’s Books, 2018)
- Gedrick and Me by Patrick Carman (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2017)
- Rebound by Kwame Alexander (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018)
- Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech (HarperCollins Publishers, 2018)
- Shadow Weaver by MarcyKate Connolly (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2018)
- Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Go to School by Julie Falatko, illustrated by Colin Jack (Scholastic, 2018)
- Watchdog by Will McIntosh (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, 2017)
- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate ( Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2017)
Next, check out even more great kids’ books.
Newbery Award Winners 2018 List – Prestigious Children’s Literature Award Winning Books
Teachers and parents using this list will find the Texas Bluebonnet books for 2018 – 2019.
2018 – 2019 Award List
- Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan (Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
- Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael López (Godwin Books/Henry Holt, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
- The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zeldis McDonough (Scholastic Press)
- Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and June Jo Lee, illustrated by Man One (Readers to Eaters)
- Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes (Wordsong, an imprint of Highlights Press)
- Grand Canyon by Jason Chin (Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
- Grandpa’s Hal-La-Loo-Ya Hambone by Joe Hayes, illustrated by Antonio Castro L. (Cinco Puntos Press)
- The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley (Scholastic Press)
- Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly, illustrated by Isabel Roxas (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
- How to Avoid Extinction by Paul Acampora (Scholastic Press)
- Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing by Kay A. Haring, illustrated by Robert Neubecker (Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group)
- Me and Marvin Gardens by Amy Sarig King (Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Press)
- Refugee by Alan Gratz (Scholastic Press)
- Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero by Patricia McCormick, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno (Balzer & Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
- Slider by Pete Hautman (Candlewick Press)
- Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
- Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres (Little, Brown and Company)
- Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness by Donna Bowman, illustrated by Daniel Minter (Lee and Low Books)
- The Unlucky Lottery Winners of Classroom 13 by Honest Lee and Matthew J. Gilbert, illustrated by Joelle Dreidemy (Little, Brown and Company)
- Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors, illustrated by Barbara Fisinger (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Next, here are the 2017-2018 Texas Bluebonnet Books
- Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
- The Best Man by Richard Peck (Penguin/Dial)
- Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Meilo So (Chronicle)
- The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (Algonquin Young Readers/Workman Publishing)
- The Great Pet Escape (Pets on the Loose) by Victoria Jamieson (Macmillan/Henry Holt)
- The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg (Bloomsbury)
- In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall, illustrated by James Mark Yellowhawk (Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS)
- The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd (Scholastic Inc.)
- The Last Kids on Earth by Max Braillier, illustrated by Douglas Holgate (Penguin/Viking)
- Little Cat’s Luck by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
- Lola Levine: Drama Queen by Monica Brown, illustrated by Angela Dominguez (Little, Brown)
- The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: Spirit Week Showdown by Crystal Allen (HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray)
- Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Allison McGhee (Simon & Schuster/Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books)
- The Princess and the Warrior by Duncan Tonatiuh (Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS)
- Soar by Joan Bauer (Penguin/Viking)
- Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart (Scholastic Inc.)
- The Storyteller by Evan Turk (Simon & Schuster/Atheneum)
- Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Little, Brown)
- Unidentified Suburban Objects by Mike Jung (Scholastic Inc.)
- Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton, illustrated by Don Tate (Charlesbridge)
Previous Years’ Past Winners of the Texas Bluebonnet Award – Award-Winning Children’s Books List
In order to get the current books winner, look in this section of 2000 – 2016 Bluebonnet Winners.
2016: When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill
2015: The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
2014: Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break if you Want to Survive the School Bus by John Grandits
2013: Postcards from Camp by Simms Taback
2012: The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
2011: The Uglified Ducky by Willy Claflin; illustrated by James Stimson
2010: Help Me, Mr. Mutt! by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
2009: One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice & Andrea U’Ren (illustrator)
2008: Down Girl and Sit: On the Road by Lucy Nolan
2007: Ghost Fever/Mal de Fantasma by Joe Hayes
2006: Seadogs: An Epic Ocean Operetta by Lisa Wheeler and Mark Siegel
2005: Togo by Robert Blake
2004: Shoeless Joe and Black Betsy by Phil Bildner
2003: The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring by Ruth Sanderson
2002: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
2001: Cook-A-Doodle-Doo! by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
2000: The Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia DeFelice
In addition, you will find the 1981 – 1999 Bluebonnet Book Winners.
1999: Verdi by Janell Cannon
1998: Tornado by Betsy Byars
1997: Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
1996: Time For Andrew: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
1995: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka
1994: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
1993: The Houdini Box by Brian Selznick
1992: Snot Stew by Bill Wallace
1991: Aliens for Breakfast by Jonathan Etra & Stephanie Spinner
1990: There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom by Louis Sachar
1989: Wait ‘Til Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
1988: Christina’s Ghost by Betty Ren Wright
1987: The Hot and Cold Summer by Johanna Hurwitz
1986: The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright
1985: Skinnybones by Barbara Park
1984: Nothing’s Fair in Fifth Grade by Barthe DeClements
1983: A Dog Called Kitty by Bill Wallace
1982: Superfudge by Judy Blume
1981: Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
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Rachel is an Austin blogger, educator, mom, wife, young breast cancer survivor writing about health, saving money, and living a happy life in Austin, Texas.
Rachel has written for HuffPost and Hometalk and has been featured on KXAN, Studio 512, Fox 7 Austin, and CBS Austin.