**NEW THIS YEAR! 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:
1st place will receive $500 for their school library to purchase new books
2nd place will receive $300 for their school library to purchase new books
*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.
There is now also a 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 Semifinal Battle, and one in-person Final Battle. Each Battle will consist of 20 questions from each of the 10 books. The Final 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 on our sample question sheet.
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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 Semifinal Battle, and the results of the Semifinal Battle will determine which 2 teams will compete at the in-person Final 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 quiz 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 2 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 Final 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. Grace A. Dow 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 Monday, December 4 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.
2023-2024 BATTLE BOOKLIST (Released on Dec.4)
BATTLE TEAMS LIST 2024 (TBD)
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, January 29 to participate. The battles begin in early February and conclude with the championship battle in March. (*Registration begins Dec.4)
2023-2024 Battle of the Books Schedule:
December 4: Library Kickoff
(Online Registration Opens and books will be available at the Library to check out at 9:00am)
January 13: Team Managers Meeting (Time TBD)
January 29: Last Day of Registration
February 15: First Virtual “written “ Battle 4:30-5:30pm
February 22: Second Virtual “written” Battle 4:30-5:30pm
February 29: Semifinals (In person; For the top ten teams only) 4:30-5:30pm
March 2: Final Battle (Time TBD)
(Teams will battle in person and be recorded by MCTV)
Sample Questions
The following are some examples of questions asked in the written and final 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”
Satchel Paige said that he'd been given enough nicknames in his life to know a winner. What nickname did he give Nick that he believed was a guaranteed champ?
2. “In what book”
In which battle book do the characters use cheeseburgers as bait?
3. “Comparison with another book(s) on the list”
In KATIE THE CATSITTER, Katie is left behind in New York while her friends go to Camp Bear Lake. In which other Battle Book is a character left in New York while one of his sisters attends camp?
4. “Important setting or location”
What Battle book takes place in the city of Xanadu?
5. “Give one out of two or more possibilities”
The orchid that Natalie’s mother studied developed after a pipe burst and leaked chemicals into the ground. Name one of the two chemicals that affected the orchids.
6. “Short answer – significant title, event or object”
Give the name of the newspaper that used the phrase, "Your secrets are our business."
7. “Quotation directly from the book”
Name the Battle character who told Gregor, "Mutual need is a strong bond. Stronger than friendship, stronger than love."
8. “Definition of unique terms or important words”
In FRAMED, you learned that an artist who practiced by painting duplicates of other artists' paintings was called a WHAT?
ANSWERS
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Hopalong Tooke p 28, 32
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THE MENAGERIE Sutherland p 197
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GREAGOR THE OVERLANDER Collins p 2-3
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THE MENAGERIE Sutherland p 3
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1) Cobalt 2) Aluminum Keller p 50
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The Ghastly Times Klise p 24
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Ripred (the rat) Collins p 220
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Copyist Ponti p 43
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 3 ways to answer a question about a Battle character.
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If the question asks for the first and last names, 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 “Mr. Churchill.” You may give both the first and last names, but both names need to be correct. Saying “the owner of the baseball team” 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 “THE SCIENCE OF BREAKABLE THINGS.” Just saying “Breakable Things” is not acceptable.
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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, Question Number 4 could also have been written as:
TRUE OR FALSE: True or False: Logan Wilde lives in the city of Xanadu, Wyoming.
MULTIPLE CHOICE: In what city does Logan Wilde live?
A) Willoughby; B) Xanadu; C) Yellowstone; D) Zenobia
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, January 13 (tentatively scheduled for 11:00am). 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 new semifinal battle format, and our new prize money and trophy incentives.
As the team manager, it is your responsibility to register your team. Register online by midnight on Monday, January 29. 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 to the Youth Services Desk, and your first choice may have already been taken. 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.