Battle of the Battle of the BooksBooks

What’s it all about?What’s it all about? It’s a reading program for students who love to read and It’s a reading program for students who love to read and

discuss books.discuss books.

Teams read books from a pre-selected list of 20 titles. Many Teams read books from a pre-selected list of 20 titles. Many of the books are William Allen White nominees. of the books are William Allen White nominees.

Teams meet often to practice, compare notes and master Teams meet often to practice, compare notes and master the details.the details.

Teams compete starting at the end of January. Questions Teams compete starting at the end of January. Questions will be given orally to teams in battle. The team who can will be given orally to teams in battle. The team who can answer the most questions correctly will be the answer the most questions correctly will be the “champions”.“champions”.

Who can participate?Who can participate?

4 4 thth and 5 and 5thth grade students grade students

Form teams of 4-6 students from the Form teams of 4-6 students from the same grade level. (You can request same grade level. (You can request team members – or leave it to me to team members – or leave it to me to place you.)place you.)

Everyone who wants to Everyone who wants to participate can do so.participate can do so.

How do I sign up?How do I sign up? Take home a registration packet and talk it Take home a registration packet and talk it

over with your parents (over with your parents (permission requiredpermission required))

Talk to your friends - round up a teamTalk to your friends - round up a team

Recruit an adult facilitator to help you stay Recruit an adult facilitator to help you stay organized. organized.

Turn in your team forms to Mrs. Fiedler by Turn in your team forms to Mrs. Fiedler by September 21September 21stst. .

Students joining this program are required Students joining this program are required to read novels independently at home to to read novels independently at home to help their team be successful for the help their team be successful for the battles in the spring. We are asking battles in the spring. We are asking students that sign up to make a students that sign up to make a commitment to finish the entire program if commitment to finish the entire program if the chose to join.the chose to join.

What books are on the list?What books are on the list?

Hachiko WaitsHachiko Waitsby Leslea Newmanby Leslea Newman

Professor Ueno's loyal Professor Ueno's loyal dog, Hachiko, waits for dog, Hachiko, waits for him at the train station him at the train station every afternoon, and every afternoon, and even after the professor even after the professor has a fatal heart attack has a fatal heart attack while at work, Hachiko while at work, Hachiko faithfully continues to faithfully continues to await his return until the await his return until the day the dog dies. day the dog dies. Based on a true story. Based on a true story.

Through My EyesThrough My Eyesby Ruby Bridgesby Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges Ruby Bridges recounts the story of recounts the story of her involvement, as a her involvement, as a six-year-old, in the six-year-old, in the integration of her integration of her school in New school in New Orleans in 1960. Orleans in 1960.

Love That DogLove That Dogby Sharon Creechby Sharon Creech

A young student, who A young student, who comes to love poetry comes to love poetry through a personal through a personal understanding of what understanding of what different famous different famous poems mean to him, poems mean to him, surprises himself by surprises himself by writing his own writing his own inspired poem.inspired poem.

The Secret SchoolThe Secret Schoolby Aviby Avi

In 1925, fourteen-In 1925, fourteen-year-old Ida Bidson year-old Ida Bidson secretly takes over as secretly takes over as the teacher when the the teacher when the one-room one-room schoolhouse in her schoolhouse in her remote Colorado area remote Colorado area closes unexpectedly. closes unexpectedly.

FrindleFrindleby Andrew Clementsby Andrew Clements

When he decides to When he decides to turn his fifth-grade turn his fifth-grade teacher's love of the teacher's love of the dictionary around on dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word invents a new word and begins a chain of and begins a chain of events that quickly events that quickly moves beyond his moves beyond his control. control.

LoserLoserby Jerry Spinelliby Jerry Spinelli

Even though his Even though his classmates from first classmates from first grade on have grade on have considered him strange considered him strange and a loser, Daniel and a loser, Daniel Zinkoff's optimism and Zinkoff's optimism and exuberance and the exuberance and the support of his loving support of his loving family do not allow him family do not allow him to feel that way about to feel that way about himself. himself.

Dovey CoeDovey Coeby Frances O’Roark Dowellby Frances O’Roark Dowell

Accused of murder in Accused of murder in her North Carolina her North Carolina mountain town in 1928, mountain town in 1928, Dovey Coe, a stronged-Dovey Coe, a stronged-willed twelve-year-old willed twelve-year-old girl, comes to a new girl, comes to a new understanding of understanding of others, including her others, including her deaf brother, as she deaf brother, as she attempts to clear her attempts to clear her name. name.

The Man Who Loved ClownsThe Man Who Loved Clownsby June Rae Woodby June Rae Wood

Thirteen-year-old Thirteen-year-old Delrita, whose Delrita, whose unhappy life has unhappy life has caused her to hide caused her to hide from the world, loves from the world, loves her uncle Punky but her uncle Punky but sometimes feels sometimes feels ashamed of his ashamed of his behavior because he behavior because he has Down syndrome. has Down syndrome.

The Black StallionThe Black Stallionby Walter Farleyby Walter Farley

The story of the The story of the understanding and understanding and love between a boy love between a boy and a magnificent and a magnificent wild horse and the wild horse and the adventures and adventures and dangers they shared. dangers they shared.

Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun…Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun…by Katherine Hanniganby Katherine Hannigan

In Wisconsin, fourth-In Wisconsin, fourth-grader Ida B. spends grader Ida B. spends happy hours being happy hours being home-schooled and home-schooled and playing in her family's playing in her family's apple orchard, until her apple orchard, until her mother begins mother begins treatment for cancer treatment for cancer and her parents must and her parents must sell part of the orchard sell part of the orchard and send her to public and send her to public school. school.

Incredible JourneyIncredible Journeyby Sheila Burnfordby Sheila Burnford

A Siamese cat, an old A Siamese cat, an old bull terrier, and a bull terrier, and a young Labrador young Labrador retriever travel retriever travel together 250 miles together 250 miles through the Canadian through the Canadian wilderness to find wilderness to find their family. their family.

Help! I’m a Prisoner in the LibraryHelp! I’m a Prisoner in the Libraryby Eth Cliffordby Eth Clifford

Two girls spend an Two girls spend an adventurous night adventurous night trapped inside the trapped inside the public library during a public library during a terrible blizzard. terrible blizzard.

Jim Thorpe’s Bright PathJim Thorpe’s Bright Pathby Joseph Bruchacby Joseph Bruchac

A biography of Native A biography of Native American athlete Jim American athlete Jim Thorpe, focusing on Thorpe, focusing on how his boyhood how his boyhood education set the education set the stage for his athletic stage for his athletic achievements which achievements which gained him gained him international fame international fame and Olympic gold and Olympic gold medals.medals.

No Dogs AllowedNo Dogs Allowedby by

Twelve-year-old Twelve-year-old Kristina, still Kristina, still struggling to come to struggling to come to terms with the death terms with the death of her beloved horse, of her beloved horse, finds it difficult to finds it difficult to accept the new dog accept the new dog she receives for her she receives for her birthday. birthday.

Time for Andrew: A Ghost StoryTime for Andrew: A Ghost Storyby Mary Downing Hahnby Mary Downing Hahn

When he goes to When he goes to spend the summer spend the summer with his great-aunt in with his great-aunt in the family's old the family's old house, eleven-year-house, eleven-year-old Drew is drawn old Drew is drawn eighty years into the eighty years into the past to trade places past to trade places with his great-great-with his great-great-uncle who is dying of uncle who is dying of diphtheria. diphtheria.

Chancey of the Maury River *Chancey of the Maury River *by Gigiby Gigi Amateau Amateau

After being abandoned, After being abandoned, Chancey, an albino Chancey, an albino Appaloosa horse, finds Appaloosa horse, finds a new home with Claire a new home with Claire who needs him as who needs him as much as he needs her, much as he needs her, but as his eyesight but as his eyesight deteriorates, he and deteriorates, he and Claire start anew as a Claire start anew as a therapeutic team. therapeutic team.

Masterpiece *Masterpiece *by Elise Broach ;  Kelly Murphy by Elise Broach ;  Kelly Murphy

After Marvin, a beetle, After Marvin, a beetle, makes a miniature makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for James, birthday gift for James, a human with whom he a human with whom he shares a house, the shares a house, the two new friends work two new friends work together to help recover together to help recover a Durer drawing stolen a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Museum of Art.

Eleven *Eleven *by Patricia Reilly Giff by Patricia Reilly Giff

When Sam, who can When Sam, who can barely read, discovers an barely read, discovers an old newspaper clipping old newspaper clipping just before his eleventh just before his eleventh birthday, it brings forth birthday, it brings forth memories from his past, memories from his past, and, with the help of a and, with the help of a new friend at school and new friend at school and the castle they are the castle they are building for a school building for a school project, his questions are project, his questions are eventually answered. eventually answered.

Swindle *Swindle *by Gordonby Gordon Korman Korman

After unscrupulous After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell collector S. Wendell Palamino cons him out of Palamino cons him out of a valuable baseball card, a valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of puts together a band of misfits to break into misfits to break into Palomino's heavily Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal guarded store and steal the card back, planning to the card back, planning to use the money to finance use the money to finance his father's failing his father's failing invention, the SmartPick invention, the SmartPick fruit picker. fruit picker.

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great*The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great* by Gerald Morris ;  Aaron Renier by Gerald Morris ;  Aaron Renier

Relates tales of Sir Relates tales of Sir Lancelot, the bravest Lancelot, the bravest knight in King Arthur's knight in King Arthur's court court

Chancey of the Maury River *Chancey of the Maury River *by Gigiby Gigi Amateau Amateau

After being abandoned, After being abandoned, Chancey, an albino Chancey, an albino Appaloosa horse, finds Appaloosa horse, finds a new home with Claire a new home with Claire who needs him as who needs him as much as he needs her, much as he needs her, but as his eyesight but as his eyesight deteriorates, he and deteriorates, he and Claire start anew as a Claire start anew as a therapeutic team. therapeutic team.

Masterpiece *Masterpiece *by Elise Broach ;  Kelly Murphy by Elise Broach ;  Kelly Murphy

After Marvin, a beetle, After Marvin, a beetle, makes a miniature makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for James, birthday gift for James, a human with whom he a human with whom he shares a house, the shares a house, the two new friends work two new friends work together to help recover together to help recover a Durer drawing stolen a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Museum of Art.

Eleven *Eleven *by Patricia Reilly Giff by Patricia Reilly Giff

When Sam, who can When Sam, who can barely read, discovers barely read, discovers an old newspaper an old newspaper clipping just before his clipping just before his eleventh birthday, it eleventh birthday, it brings forth memories brings forth memories from his past, and, with from his past, and, with the help of a new friend the help of a new friend at school and the castle at school and the castle they are building for a they are building for a school project, his school project, his questions are questions are eventually answered. eventually answered.

Swindle *Swindle *by Gordonby Gordon Korman Korman

After unscrupulous After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell collector S. Wendell Palamino cons him out of Palamino cons him out of a valuable baseball card, a valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of puts together a band of misfits to break into misfits to break into Palomino's heavily Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal guarded store and steal the card back, planning to the card back, planning to use the money to finance use the money to finance his father's failing his father's failing invention, the SmartPick invention, the SmartPick fruit picker. fruit picker.