Battle of the Books Basics
Battle of the Books is a reading incentive program in which teams of students read books, write questions, and later answer questions about the books they have read. Students should be working on building their reading comprehension as they read. They will later compete as teams, first in their classroom and
then among other teams from their grade level, to see who can recall the most about the books they read.
Why have Battle of the Books?
- Promotion of literature and libraries
- Competition with focus on academics
- Team Building
- Recognition of importance of reading
- FUN!
Responsibilities:
Teachers
- Assign students to 4 multi-ability teams per classroom
- Share books with students (you may want to keep track of who has what book using the forms provided)
- Make sure students turn in their questions as they finish reading a book
- Make sure each student reads at least two books
- Remind students regularly of their responsibilities
- Enjoy your students enthusiasm about the books
Students
- Read at least two of the books for their grade level
- Enjoy the books they read
- Write 5 questions after reading each book (form provided) that take the following format “In which book…..”
- Learn the Title and Author (first name and last name) of each book
- Take care of the books and return them promptly
- Work cooperatively with their teammates
- Choose a team spokesperson/captain
Library Media Specialist
- Provide books to the teachers
- Organize and order materials
- Meet with teachers and students to answer questions
- Read books
- Prepare questions
- Organize and schedule the tournaments
- Conduct tournaments
- Supervise school team at district competition
4th Grade Battle of the Books Titles - 2022-2023
Link to form to submit questions
Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey (DRA 34)
The Bad Guys, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Piranha, want to be heroes, and they decide that the way to do it is to free the 200 dogs in the city dog pound--but their plan soon goes awry.
Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord (DRA 40)
On the last night of summer, Emma and her Maine game warden father rescue a small domestic rabbit stuck in a fence; the very next day Emma starts fifth grade after years of being homeschooled, excited and apprehensive about making new friends, but she is paired with Jack, a hyperactive boy, who does not seem to fit in with anyone--except that they share a love of animals, which draws them together, because of the rabbit.
Bob by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead (DRA 40)
Visiting her grandmother in Australia, Livy, ten, is reminded of the promise she made five years before to Bob, a strange, green creature who cannot recall who or what he is.
Chocolate Touch by Patrick Catling (DRA 30)
A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.
Dear Levi: Letters from the Overland Trail by Elvira Woodruff (DRA 40)
Twelve-year-old Austin Ives writes letters to his younger brother describing his three-thousand-mile journey from their home in Pennsylvania to Oregon in 1851.
Lions & Liars by Kate Beasley (DRA 40)
Fifth-grader Frederick is sent to a disciplinary camp where he and his terrifying troop mates have just started forging a friendship when they learn a Category 5 hurricane is headed their way.
Stranger Next Door by Peg Kehret (DRA 50)
A clever cat's heroism helps two twelve-year-old boys become friends after their families, one of which is in a witness protection program, move to neighboring houses in Hilltop, Washington.
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson (DRA 34-38)
The Hart family of Portland, Oregon, faces many setbacks after Ryan's father loses his job, but no matter what, Ryan tries to bring sunshine to her loved ones.
Wild Robot by Peter Brown (DRA 40)
Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there, and her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island's hostile inhabitants.
Wish by Barbara O'Connor (DRA 40)
Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. She even has a list of all the ways there are to make the wish, such as cutting off the pointed end of a slice of pie and wishing on it as she takes the last bite. But when she is sent to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family she barely knows, it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true. That is until she meets Wishbone, a skinny stray dog who captures her heart, and Howard, a neighbor boy who proves surprising in lots of ways. Suddenly Charlie is in serious danger of discovering that what she thought she wanted may not be what she needs at all.
5th Grade Battle of the Books Titles - 2022-2023
Link to form to submit questions
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (DRA 50)
In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong.
Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford (DRA 40)
When ten-year-old Newton dresses up as an unusual superhero for Halloween, he decides to keep wearing the costume after the holiday to help save townspeople and eventually his injured brother.
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (DRA 60)
In the city of Ember, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang (DRA 40)
Recent immigrants from China and desperate for work and money, ten-year-old Mia Tang's parents take a job managing a rundown motel in Southern California, even though the owner, Mr. Yao is a nasty skinflint who exploits them; while her mother (who was an engineer in China) does the cleaning, Mia works the front desk and tries to cope with demanding customers and other recent immigrants--not to mention being only one of two Chinese in her fifth grade class, the other being Mr. Yao's son, Jason.
Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate (DRA 60)
Kek, an African refugee, is confronted by many strange things at the Minneapolis home of his aunt and cousin, as well as in his fifth-grade classroom, and longs for his missing mother, but finds comfort in the company of a cow and her owner.
Mission Unstoppable: The Genius Files by Dan Gutman (DRA 50)
On a cross-country vacation with their parents, twins Coke and Pepsi, soon to be thirteen, fend off strange assassins as they try to come to terms with their being part of a top-secret government organization known as The Genius Files.
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty
A lightning strike made Lucy, twelve, a math genius but, after years of homeschooling, her grandmother enrolls her in middle school and she learns that life is more than numbers.
Pax by Sara Pennypacker (DRA 40-50)
After being forced to give up his pet fox Pax, a young boy named Peter decides to leave home and get his best friend back.
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Elanor Coerr (DRA 40)
Hospitalized with the dreaded atom bomb disease, leukemia, a child in Hiroshima races against time to fold one thousand paper cranes to verify the legend that by doing so a sick person will become healthy.
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui Sutherland (DRA 60)
Determined to end a long war among the seven dragon tribes, the Talons of Peace draws on a prophecy calling for a great sacrifice, compelling five dragonets to fulfill a painful destiny against their will.