Battle of the Books Official List

Battle of the Books has begun! Third through eighth grade will spend the next six weeks reading and strategizing before going head to head with the other classes in fast paced battles that test comprehension. Thursday the official list of 29 books was released. Classes will work together to not only read these books, but master them. Because each student can answer only three questions per battle, it must be a team effort. Which class will come out on top? It's anyone's game at this point. Be sure to ask your student what BOB book they are reading. You are more than welcome to read it with them or even to them! 

How are books chosen?

The Battle of the Book list is chosen by a team of teachers and administrators. They review the National Librarian’s Association recommendations, Newberry Medal winners, Caldecott Medal winners, and other notable award winners. From these lists they find books that range from the lowest reading level participating to 3 years above the highest grade participating. From there they ensure that we have fiction and nonfiction, historical fiction, classics, sports fiction, animal fiction, adventure, and a biography. The last consideration is a balance between female and male characters. The idea is to have at least one book in the list that appeals to every child participating.

What if I think a book is over my child’s head or is inappropriate for them?

The beauty of Battle of the Books is that it is a team effort. No one child is expected to read every book. In fact, it’s best if they don’t read every book. Choose 2 or 3 from the list that you are OK with and read those.

Can my child listen to the book/watch the movie/have it read to them etc?

YES! The idea is for children to be exposed to literature and to understand the story. They can have it read to them by an adult or older sibling, listen to it on tape, or read it themselves. They can watch the movie, but be careful; often the movie is not the same as the book.

Battle of the Books 2015

Battles Begin: February 23rd

• Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse
• National Geographic Kids Chapters: Ape Escapes!: and More True Stories of Animals Behaving Badly by Aline Alexander Newman
• Buffalo Hunt by Russell Freedman
• Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
• Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
• Countdown by Deborah Wiles
• Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White
• Game Changers #2 Play Makers by Mike Lupica
• The Story Of George Washington Carver by Eva Moore
• Getting Organized Without Losing It by Janet S Fox
• Ghosts of the White House by Cheryl Harness
• Glass Town: The Secret World of the Bronte Children by Michael Bedard
• Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
• The Case of the Spooky Sleepover by James Preller
• Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
• Just Juice by Karen Hesse
• Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
• Love that Dog by Sharon Creech
• Meow Means Mischief by Ann Whitehead Nagda and Stephanie Roth
• Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
• One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
• Poetry for Young People: Maya Angelou by Dr. Edwin Graves Wilson Ph.D. and Jerome Lagarrigue
• Lost Star: The Story of Amelia Earheart by Patricia G. Lauber
• Swiss Family Robinson by Johann D. Wyss
• The Boys' War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War by Jim Murphy
• The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw
• The Orphan of Ellis Island: A Time-Travel Adventure by Elvira Woodruff
• The Van Gogh Café by Cynthia Rylant
• The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum