How did it begin?
In the 1930’s Battle of the Books was a Chicago radio program. Today it is a reading incentive program in elementary, middle and high schools across the country. All of the questions in the competition begin with the words “In which book” and the correct answer is always the title and author of the book. This program works at the individual school level as well as at the interscholastic and district wide levels. Classroom teachers, reading specialists and library media specialists spend many hours choosing books and writing questions for each year’s battles. We are a team of library media specialists with many years experience in running district wide battles. We have chosen the books and written the questions for you.
How are the books selected?
All of the books selected must be available in paperback. Books are carefully selected so that classics, award winners and new favorites are all considered. Books are selected over a range of reading levels so that all students can participate. For example: in the grades 3 and 4 list there is at least one book on the second grade level to appeal to reluctant readers and one on the fifth grade level to challenge those students reading above grade level. Care is taken to ensure that the collection is balanced with respect to male and female protagonists, the genres represented, and the ethnic groups portrayed. We also look for books in series or authors with a large body of work to encourage students to read after the competition.
