Not sure if you want to participate in BOB? Here are some things you need to know to help you make your decision!
What is BOB?
The purpose of the Middle School Battle of the Books program is to encourage reading. The NC School Library Media Association sponsors the competition for NC Public Schools whose librarians are a part of the NC School Library Media Association. While this is a competitive game, the purpose is to encourage students to read from different genres, discuss quality literature, and get excited about books!
Who participates on BOB Team?
If we have more than the allowed number of people for a competition team, we will have tryouts for the team that will consist of a multiple-choice test on the books. The highest scorers will make up the team.
16 books are on the list! Do I have to read them all?
The more you read, the more answers you will know. We encourage you to pace yourself (we will assist in this) to read each book over the course of the year.
What if I'm not the best reader in my class?
That's not what this club is about! It's not just for top readers! If you enjoy reading and discussing what you've read with others, and enjoy trivia -- this club is for you! Do you watch movies and then remember the details of that movie months later? Then you may be the prime BOB player!!! Questions for the game often ask very minute details from the books. A great memory will be a great asset! Books are on all reading levels and different lengths.
How is the game played?
Six members will play at a time. An adult will ask a question and the team will get to talk to each other quickly to decide on an answer. Each member of the playing team will take turns giving the "official" answer for the team. All questions start with the phrase "In which book...." All answers are the title and author of the book. It's that simple! The team gets 2 points for the correct title and 1 point for the correct author; for a total of 3 points per question asked. If a team cannot answer, the other school's team gets a chance to answer for 2 points. After 12 questions are asked the round is over, and the team with the most points wins.
Do I have to buy the books?
It is not required that you purchase your own copies of the book, but you're welcome to. We have 3 copies of each book available for check-out. Many of the BOB books are also available at the RCS library, Person County library, or can be checked out for free from the Libby/Overdrive app through Person County Public Library.
Is it free to join?
We do have a $10 club fee that allows us to purchase a digital program where participants can practice questions, have mock battles, and do other activities to help you test your knowledge of the books you've read. The fee also helps us to pay for other things throughout the year, such as our end of year celebration, t-shirts and awards.
How often does the club meet and do I have to attend every meeting?
Check out the "Meeting Information" tab for meeting dates and expectations. We know that there are sometimes other obligations after school, such as sports practice or other extracurricular activities. We ask that you make every effort to be at the meetings so that we can check in with your progress and so you can have the chance to discuss the books with other participants. If you have to miss a meeting, just email Mrs. Lewis or Mrs. Shattuck to let us know and we can catch you up to speed. Meeting attendance will influence whether or not you are selected to compete.