Putnam County fifth grader Kami Nauman completes all 20 bluestem nominee books

Putnam County Elementary fifth-grade student Kami Nauman has read all 20 of the nominated titles on the Bluestem list.

Nauman, daughter of Josh and Shelly Nauman of Granville, set the goal of reading all 20 books starting last summer. She also enjoys gymnastics and other sports.

She is active in softball, basketball and volleyball and is looking forward to participating in the cheer squad next school year at the junior high school.

Nauman stated that reading is a bit out of her comfort zone, but she did have two books on the list she particularly liked, “The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street” by Karina Yan Glaser and “Project Z: A Zombie Ate My Homework” by Tommy Greenwald.

Lori Mertel, the media paraprofessional at PCES, leads the Bluestem program which is sponsored by the Association of Illinois School Library Educators.

This was the 10th year the program has been at PCES and students who read at least four of the 20 books on the list were eligible to vote for their favorite book.

Students also had to pass a quiz and complete a worksheet on each book. A voting celebration was held March 11. Students had until the end of April to finish reading all 20.

Nauman will receive a medal and a certificate at the end-of-school assembly. Her name also will be added to the plaque in the PCES Media Center.