To add an extra layer of motivation, we will be recognizing the top-performing teams with prizes and commendations, creating a positive and rewarding experience for all participants. Prizes are as follows:
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1st place will receive $500 for their school library to purchase new books
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2nd place will receive $300 for their school library to purchase new books
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*Participation Award* - The school that has the highest participation rate will receive $200 to purchase books
Please note: If a winning team is made up of homeschooled students, the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library will purchase materials allocated to an area/topic of their choice.
Compete to win the Battle of the Books Trophy! The trophy will be engraved with the winning team’s name and school and will live at the winning team’s school until the next Battle of the Books program.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This year’s Battle of the Books will be a series of two virtual Battles, one in-person Penultimate Battle, and one in-person Championship Battle. Each Battle will consist of 20 questions from each of the 10 books. The Championship Battle will be an oral Battle consisting of only “in what book” questions, while the two virtual Battles will have a mix of questions. The types can be found below under "Sample Questions."
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All registered teams will participate in the first virtual battle. The top half of the teams with the highest scores will participate in the second virtual Battle. The top 10 teams will move on to the in-person Penultimate Battle, and the results will determine which two teams will compete at the in-person Championship Battle.
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Teams will meet on their own to participate in the Battles. If there is no place a team can meet, contact the library and we can have a space at the library.
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All Battles will take place on Thursday afternoons. Virtual Battles will take place between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm and will be timed. Once the Battle is started, a team will have a set amount of time to finish the Battle.
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After registration closes, Team Managers will receive an informational email. Another email will be sent at a later date with login information for a Practice Battle which mimics the time constraints of the upcoming Virtual Battles.
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Teams do not need to be all together in one place for the first two virtual Battles, they just need to be able to communicate with each other to answer the questions. For example, if one team member is going to be out of town, they can call a teammate and be part of the verbal discussion when deciding on an answer. Note: This rule does not apply to in-person Battles! All team members must be together to participate in the in-person Battles.
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The Championship Battle is to be broadcast live by MCTV. There will also be a live stream viewing opportunity in the Library Auditorium during the Battle.
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During the Battles, participants are not allowed to have the books with them and are not allowed to look up any answers. Managers are not allowed to help their teams answer questions. With the first two Battles being virtual, teams have the option of not being in the same place but still participating in the Battles. Because of this cell phones and other computers are allowed, but again, we trust that teams will not use them to look up answers to questions.
OVERVIEW
Battle of the Books is a program designed to encourage and reward readers. Our librarians choose books that encompass various interests and introduce students to a wide range of literature. During Battle season, students discuss the books with their teammates, team manager, and other adults, so reading becomes a shared activity. While reaping the rewards of reading and team building, the students also discover that they have a lot of FUN!
This Battle season kicks off on Saturday, November 9, 2024 with the release of the booklist and the beginning of online registration. This is the first day that Battle books will be available for checkout.
After the release, students interested in participating in Battle of the Books can form teams of four to six readers, have an adult team manager, and choose a name for their team. Register your team by Monday, December 9, to participate. The Battles begin on January 9 and conclude with the championship Battle on January 30.
2024-2025 Battle of the Books Schedule:
October 26: Team Managers Meeting - Story Room, 10:30am
Q&A and information for potential managers/parents
November 9: Elementary Battle of the Books Brunch, 10:00-11:00am
Online Registration opens and books will be available at the Library to check out at 11:00am
December 9: Registration closes
January 9: First Elementary Written Battle (Virtual)
January 16: Second Elementary Written Battle (Virtual)
January 23: Penultimate Battle (Top Ten Teams) - Auditorium, 4:30pm
*Elementary Celebration to follow at 5:30pm
January 30: Championship Battle - MCTV Studio, 4:30pm
Teams will Battle in person and be recorded by MCTV
Sample Questions
The following are some examples of questions asked in the written and Championship Battles.
All Championship Battle questions will use the ‘In what book” format.
Not all questions will fall into these precise categories.
1. “Name of important character or significant nickname of a minor character”
Name the Battle character who can sing part of an Italian opera and who wants to be an actress, a writer, or an obstetrician when she gets older?
2. “In what book”
In what book does a character compete in a video game competition?
3. “Comparison with another book(s) on the list”
In WOOF, Bowser was face to face with a gator but instead of fleeing he was ready to chomp back. In what other book did a character hope the alligator like caimans on the shore of a river didn’t mind him using their swimming hole?
4. “Important setting or location”
What state was the Willard family moving to?
5. “Give one out of two or more possibilities”
In BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE, Gertrude would do two things whenever she saw Winn-Dixie. Name One.
6. “Short answer – significant title, event or object”
Sugar and Beau gave Billy Wills a present before he left for New Orleans. What did they give him?
7. “Quotation directly from the book”
In what book did one character tell another, “If a person or town is willing to cast you out, then maybe they don’t deserve to have you come back”?
8. “Definition of unique terms or important words”
In what book did you learn that cartographers are mapmakers?
ANSWERS
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Jeanie p 120, 167
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GAMERVILLE p 222
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THE AMAZON p 204
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California p 41
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1) Sit on him 2) Say “dog” p 50, 80, 84
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A dragon kite p 262
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THE ACCIDENTAL APPRENTICE p 251
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STRANGEWORLDS TRAVEL AGENCY p 85
Helpful Hints
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Listen carefully to the question. Is it asking for the title of the book or the name of a character? Did the question ask for both a first and last name?
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There are three ways to answer a question about a Battle character:
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If the question asks for the first and last name, both have to be correct.
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If the question asks “Name the Battle character,” you need to give a name such as “Zanzi.” You may give both the first and last names, but both names need to be correct. Saying “Byron’s sister” rather than a name would not be correct.
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If the question asks “What Battle character” any identifying name or title would be acceptable.
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When giving a title, use the complete title as listed on our Battle Booklist, such as “STRANGEWORLDS TRAVEL AGENCY” Just saying “Strangeworlds” is not acceptable.
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PLEASE NOTE - THE WILDES is the name of the book series and will not be accepted. THE AMAZON is the name of the book.
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We will not ask for more information if your answer is incomplete. However, be careful to not give so much information that part of your answer is wrong.
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Multiple Choice and True/False questions may be used during Written Battles. Many questions can be written in multiple ways. For example, the question “What planet was Resilience sent to for exploration”?:
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TRUE OR FALSE: True or False. Resilience was sent to Mars for exploration.
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MULTIPLE CHOICE: What planet was Resilience sent to for exploration”?
A) Venus B) Mars C) Jupiter D) Neptune
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TEAM MANAGER OVERVIEW
Being a Battle of the Books team manager is a very important job. The team manager helps the team work together by dividing up reading responsibilities, helping the team practice, and making Battle of the Books a fun, positive experience. If you are interested in learning more about what the team manager does, please attend the Team Managers’ Meeting at the Library on Saturday, October 26 at 10:30am in the Story Room. We will discuss how to form and register your team, how to write questions for your team to practice, how your team will participate in virtual Battles, the Penultimate Battle format, and our prize money and trophy incentives.
As the team manager, it is your responsibility to register your team. Register online by midnight on Monday, December 9. Some schools have additional forms to be filled out, so also check with your principal, media staff, or school Battle Coordinator about what is required at your school.
A person can act as a team manager for more than one team if they so choose.
When choosing a team name, remember that school names cannot be a part of the team name and that your team name will be listed exactly as it appears on the form. Team names should also be appropriate for a public setting and inoffensive to all people and groups involved. Your team should also select an alternate name since team names are given to the first team to submit the registration form. Note: The Library reserves the right to refuse any team names that are deemed inappropriate. Teams will be asked to choose an alternative option if Library staff find that a name is not appropriate for use during the competition.
An important part of Battle of the Books is having fun as a team, and there are many ways to accomplish this regardless of how far your team goes in the Battles.
We also encourage you and your team to watch MCTV's taping of the Championship Battle.
The library staff deeply appreciates the hard work and commitment of the team managers who make Battle of the Books possible!
HELPFUL HINTS FOR TEAM MANAGERS
The following hints have been suggested by previous team managers.
Please choose the ones you feel comfortable using.
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Remember that reading should – first and foremost – be enjoyable, so keep your team’s interest up and the pressure off by planning fun activities related to the books.
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Let your team members and their parents know what you expect of them in terms of reading and commitment. Have them acknowledge their agreement to these commitments by signing a permission slip.
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Encourage each team member to read as many books as possible. Some managers divide the books, making each team member responsible for certain books.
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Make a chart with the book titles across the top and your team members’ names down the side. As each member finishes a title, put a star in the appropriate spot.
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Keep notes for all of the books with the main characters, the important events, the settings, etc. listed below each title.
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As your team members read the books, have them write down questions and share them with other team members.
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Quiz the members periodically for authors’ last names.
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Read some of the books yourself and discuss them with team members.
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Emphasize the fact that every participant is a winner. It is important for your team members to learn to win and lose graciously.