Library Media Center

Hillcrest is proud to engage students in the Monarch and Bluestem Awards, two distinguished book award programs that recognize outstanding literature and encourage a love of reading among young readers in Illinois.

Monarch Award: The Monarch Award, named after the state insect, the Monarch butterfly, is designed for children in kindergarten through third grade. It encourages young readers to explore a variety of books and vote for their favorite. This award helps develop early literacy skills and fosters a lifelong love of reading.

Bluestem Award: The Bluestem Award, named after the state prairie grass, is intended for students in third through fifth grade. It features a diverse list of 20 books, encouraging readers to expand their reading horizons. Students who participate read at least four books from the list and vote for their favorite, promoting critical thinking and discussion about literature.

Participation in these award programs not only enhances students' reading skills, but empowers them to have a voice in recognizing literary excellence. Through these programs, we aim to instill a lifelong passion for reading and an appreciation for diverse literary works.

Hillcrest proudly participate in the Battle of the Books, an exciting reading competition where students engage in friendly rivalry by reading selected titles and answering questions about them. This program encourages teamwork, critical thinking, and a love of reading.