This year, 13 schools within our district will be hosting a “Battle of the Books” tournament. This voluntary reading program encourages students to read good books and have fun while competing with peers. Each age group has a 20 set book list! There are four groups and each team member is responsible for five books. For secondary schools (like Dixon and Cenntenial) they created their own 20 book list based upon their interests.
A few of our schools have already started their first round of battles! During the first quarter of the year, the students compete in a monthly battle by answering in-depth questions about the books.
These battles are more than just a friendly competition. The students gain knowledge and enjoyment from reading good books that nourish their hearts and minds. They become lifelong readers of excellent literature that builds upon historical values and dignity of life.
Interested in knowing which books were chosen for this year’s tournament? Check out the reading lists below! See any books that you have read? See any that you’d like to start reading?
Third and Fourth Grade Books:
Bulla, Clyde R. -The Chalk Box Kid
Birney, Betty G. -Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs
Byars, Betsy -Wanted. . . Mud Blossom
Coville, Bruce -Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
Creech, Sharon -Moo
Draper, Sharon M. -Out of My Mind
Erickson, John R. -The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog
Guglielmo, Amy -Pocket Full of Colors
Gutman, Dan -The Million Dollar Shot
Hobbs, Will -Bearstone
Kehret, Peg -Earthquake Terror
Levine, Ellen -Henry’s Freedom Box
Look, Lenore Alvin Ho: -Allergic to Girls
Lord, Cynthia -A Handful of Stars
Lowry, Lois -All About Sam
MacLachlan, Patricia S. -Plain and Tall
Rappaport, Doreen -Helen’s Big World: The Life of Helen Keller
Robinson, Barbara -The Best School Year Ever
Rodda, Emily -Rowan of Rin
Wiles, Deborah -Each Little Bird that Sings
Fifth and Sixth Grade Books:
Barnhill, Kelly -The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Creech , Sharon -Ruby Holler
Curtis, Christopher P. -Bud, Not Buddy
DuPrau, Jeanne -City of Ember: the First Book of Ember
Gaiman, Neil -Fortunately, the Milk
Haddix, Margaret -P Found
Hannigan, Katherine -Ida B…and Her Plans to Maximize Fun
Klise K. & Klise, M. -Sarah Regarding the Fountain
LaFaye, A. -Worth
Law, Ingrid -Savvy
Lord, Cynthia -Rules
McSwigan, Marie -Snow Treasure
Morpurgo, Michael -War Horse
Nielsen, Jennifer A. -The False Prince
O’Reilly, Bill -Lincoln’s Last Days
Paterson, Katherine -Bridge to Terabithia
Rawls, Wilson -Summer of the Monkeys
Rowling, JK -Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Ruckman, Ivy -Night of the Twisters
Wrede, Patricia -Dealing With Dragons: The Enchanted Forest