About the Battle of the Books

Battle of the Books is a friendly, book-based competition that encourages students to celebrate reading, explore great literature, and connect with their school and local libraries. The program is open to all 4th and 5th grade students in the Hillsborough City School District.

Each year, teams of students from North, South, and West Elementary Schools participate in this exciting reading challenge. Students read a carefully curated list of 10 books, with the titles released each year in May so readers have plenty of time to prepare. Many teams meet regularly to discuss the books, review important details, and practice answering questions together. 

The competition takes place in three rounds held in March. The first two rounds are held at each school site during lunch. During each round, teams answer 35 multiple-choice questions about the books they have read, including details about the plot, characters, settings, themes, and important events. The questions are written by the team of HCSD librarians, and the competition is run using the Kahoot platform, which allows teams to answer questions quickly and track scores in real time. 

After the first round, half of the contestants at each school advance to Round Two. Following Round 2, two teams from each elementary school move on to the final round, which takes place in the evening at one of the elementary school sites. There, the top teams from North, South, and West come together to compete for the district title.

The HCSD librarians manage all aspects of the program, from selecting the book list to organizing and running the competition. The event is supported by school staff and our amazing parent community. Preparing for Battle of the Books is an ongoing process throughout the school year and includes creating team names and designing posters.

The goal of Battle of the Books is to foster a love of reading, encourage students to explore a variety of genres, strengthen comprehension skills, and promote teamwork in a fun and engaging way.