On March 11th, 13 teams from Manatee County's elementary, middle and high schools convened in Braden River High School's newly renovated media center for a long-awaited competition - the 4th Annual Battle of the Books.
Each year, students read book titles from the Sunshine State Young Reader Award (SSYRA) program. The Battle of the Books competition gives them the chance to test their knowledge of the text. Media specialists say their students belong to school book clubs, sometimes meeting before or after school to discuss their reading.
Andy Larson, President and Founder of Cranium CoRE, hosts Manatee County's event. He reads more than a dozen books from the SSYRA list every year and comes up with in-depth questions for the students to answer. Cranium CoRE's co-founder and Chief Technology Officer RJ Lindelof developed the quiz show software.
The students have one minute to answer the questions, but it's not the first respondent who wins. Larson reminds students, it's their thoughtful answer to the question that will earn them the most points. Students must answer the question correctly, and provide text evidence in their response.
Here's an example of a high school question:
In 33 of "Date Me, Bryson Keller" (pg. 297), what tone did the author mostly establish at the end of this chapter, according to what we read?
1. A tone of resignation.
2. A tone of acceptance.
3. A tone of bitterness.
4. A tone of determination.
Educators and families quietly watched the fast-paced competition as students carefully flipped through pages of their books. Competing in this competition requires a certain level of dedication. Battle of the Books was held on Record Day, in which students had the day off from school.
Congratulations to this year's winners - and a real nail-biter in the middle school division which resulted in a tie.
Willis Elementary School
Braden River Middle School (tie)
Nolan Middle School (tie)
Southeast High School
District Library Media Specialist is excited about the future of the Battle of the Books competition. With each new year, interest grows and she looks forward to the day when all schools participate in this challenging yet fulfilling event.