Announcements

Registration

Dates:

• Opens: Thursday, January 8, at 5:00 p.m.

• Closes: Friday, Feburary 28, at 11:59 p.m.

Cost:  $75.00/team

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/i3gPawaGwZrpvcRY8

Confirmation: You will receive an email confirmation that we have received your registration, and you can verify your registration on the spreadsheet of Registered Teams below.  This will be updated at least once a month, so use the confirmation e-mail as your "official" acceptance into the competition.

FYI

• Registration Fee: The $75.00 fee per team

• Here's what is included in that registration fee:

  • • The cost of the guest author honorarium: We are much better able to invite authors who are in high demand with the

    • Student access to the virtual author visit at the Grand Battle. Regardless if your team makes it to the Grand Battle, they have the opportunity to see and hear the author speak at the final competition via Zoom. and is consistent with the pricing of the elementary and middle school competitions.

• Team Members:  You will enter the names of your team members when you sign up for a testing slot for the Online Qualifying Round.  If any team members change, you'll need to send that information to the co-chairs by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19.  Please be as accurate as possible the first time so that it's less work for everyone involved to have the correct competitors listed for your team.

• Team Coaches: Each team needs a registered coach, and you're welcome to coach multiple teams if you have the time and flexibility to meet with each one equitably.  Please know, however, if a team advances to the Grand Battle, an adult from each team serves as reader/judge/timer/helper.  Each team needs to bring an adult, so if you coach more than one team, be sure to find a parent or co-teacher to attend with you! 

Registered Teams

This spreadsheet updates automatically as teams register.  If you believe you have submitted your registration and do not see your team's name here, please refresh your page, and if you still don't see your team's name, please contact us to be sure your registration was completed.

Important Dates

• Registration: January 8, 2024-February 28, 2025 

• Practice Test for Qualifying Round: March 4, 2025

• Sign Up for Online Qualifying Round Testing: March 5-19, 2025

• Online Qualifying Round with Tiebreaker: March 24-April 4, 2025

• Announce In-person Grand Battle Participants: April 8, 2025

• In-person Grand Battle Practice Test: April 9, 2025

• Grand Battle Coaches’ Meeting via Zoom: April 15, 2025, from 3:30-4:15 p.m. (MANDATORY FOR ALL COACHES WITH GRAND BATTLE TEAMS AND ANY ACCOMPANYING ADULTS WHO WILL JOIN ADDITIONAL TEAMS)

• In-person Grand Battle @ CRAEA Marshalltown Office on April 23 from 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Coaching Tips

1. The most important role of the team coach is to encourage reading for enjoyment. Your good example and support are essential for the smooth operation of the BOB program.

2. Encourage parental support and interest by sending home a letter of introduction explaining the coach's role and plans for future meetings.

3. This competition is open to ALL readers, not just ELP students.  Teams should include any student who loves reading and wants to compete.

4. Teams should consist of at least two but no more than six readers.

5. Select a creative name for your team; pick something that will distinguish your team among others and reflect the personality of your school and students. Many teams create t-shirts to wear to the competition, but this isn't necessary or required.

6. Please allow students to choose the books from the list they want to read.  Not every student has to read every book; that's why they're a part of a team.  We support the American Library Association (ALA) Freedom to Read Statement. Students should have the right to read, or NOT to read, titles they wish.

7. If a student, parent, or coach thinks a book on the list is inappropriate, then we encourage you to invite them to NOT read that book.  Each book counts for 1/28th of the competition.  Omitting one book only removes 3.6% of the possible points.

The books on the list are there because they are diverse, award-winning books.  Concerned parties are welcome to contact the appropriate award committee with their concerns.  Please remember we do not choose the awards for these titles. However, we trust the committees of expert and knowledgeable literacy professionals at the state and national levels to determine that the titles have merit based on the award's particular criteria.

8. Coaches are responsible for monitoring the progress of their team and for encouraging each member to read as many of the books as possible.  You might want to meet over your students' lunch hour. Be creative and make it fun!

9. Communicate with your students! Emails from IHSBOB should be shared with your students when appropriate. You might want to collect your students' email addresses into a distribution group for easy forwarding.

10. At team meetings, let each student share important information (setting, plot, characters, theme) about their book with their teammates.  Search online for coaching strategies for battle of the books competitions. 

11. Stage mock battles and ask questions from the books. We will send out a practice test to teams so they can familiarize themselves with the kinds of questions they'll encounter in the actual competitions.

12. Pay attention to DEADLINES! There are only a few, but they are hard and fast. With so many teams competing and a tight timeline, we have to enforce these deadlines. Failure to meet any of the deadlines takes your team out of the competition.  WE DON'T WANT THAT! Please make sure you are aware and meet all deadlines so your readers can enjoy the competition.

13. Explore the website fully. Please contact IHSBOB at the email address below if you still have questions that you didn't find the answers to on the website.

STUDENT AND COACH FEEDBACK

Please fill in this feedback form so we know better how to organize this event, either because something is currently a strength or an areas of growth. There is a section for students to respond and a section for coaches. Please discuss the student questions with your team.

Teams who provide thoughtful responses to this year's feedback form will receive a $5 discount on registration in 2026!