1/28/2025 UPDATE
The book for grades 3rd to 5th “We’re Not From Here…” was not included in the order. Questions from this book will be removed from the Battle of the Books semi-finals and finals.
What is the Battle of the Books?
Battle of the Books is an engaging, school-wide reading competition designed to motivate students to read and think critically. Each year, students in two grade brackets—Grades 4-5 and Grades 6-8—form teams and read a selection of pre-approved books. The competition concludes with a trivia-style “battle” where teams answer questions to showcase their comprehension and knowledge of the books they’ve read.
Key Goals
Promote a love of reading.
Encourage students to explore a variety of literary genres.
Foster teamwork and collaboration.
How Does It Work?
1. Form Teams
Each team consists of four students. Teams can be made up of students from the same or mixed grades (e.g., 4th and 5th graders together). Multiple teams are allowed per class/grade, and the winning team from each school will represent their campus at regional competitions.
2. Prepare for Battle
Each team reads books from the official 2024-2025 Book List, and members can divide the books among themselves or read them collectively. In January, students who have read at least four books will take a test, determining which teams move forward.
3. Competition Format
The competition features four rounds per battle. Teams will answer direct questions about the books they’ve read, as well as participate in exciting buzzer rounds! Points are awarded for correct answers, and the team with the highest score wins.
4. Final Battle
School winners in each bracket (4-5, 6-8) will advance to compete against other campuses in regional semi-finals and the grand finale.
Rules and Procedures
Team Formation
Each team consists of 4 students.
Teams may combine students from different grades within their bracket (e.g., Grades 4-5 or Grades 6-8).
Multiple teams are allowed per school, but students may only participate on one team.
Team Captains & Seating
Each team must select a captain to announce answers.
Teams will sit together during the competition, with seating arranged alphabetically by team name.
Competition Format
Each battle consists of four rounds with two types of questions:
- Direct Questions:
Each team is asked two direct questions per round (8 total per team). - Buzzer Round:
Teams will compete to buzz in first. The number of buzzer questions will vary depending on the number of teams.
Answering Rules
– Questions start with, “In which book…”
– Teams must respond with the title and author’s name within 15 seconds.
– Each correct answer is worth 5 points. In the event of a tie, an additional buzzer question will determine the winner.
Event Schedule
Key Dates for the 2024-2025 Competition
January 2025: In-school battles begin.
Semi-Finals
The Palm Harbor, Clearwater, and Largo semifinal will be hosted at the Palm Harbor campus on Tuesday, March 25th.
The Seminole, St. Pete, and Pinellas Park semifinal will be hosted by the Seminole campus on Wednesday, March 26th.
The Tampa, Trinity, and Tarpon Springs Semifinals will be hosted at Plato Collegiate Academy of Tampa on March 27, 2025.
Finals
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at the Clearwater campus.
