More information will be coming in February 2023!

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 2019:

The Faithful Spy: Deitrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix.

Resistance by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang.

Dry by Neal Shusterman.

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson.

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 2018:

Crossing Ebenzer Creek by Tonya Bolden. Freed from slavery, Mariah and her young brother Zeke join Sherman's march through Georgia, where Mariah meets a free black named Caleb and dares to imagine the possibility of true love, but hope can come at a cost. Historical Fiction.

**The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does-or does not-say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life. Realistic Fiction.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. As Will, fifteen, sets out to avenge his brother Shawn's fatal shooting, seven ghosts who knew Shawn board the elevator and reveal truths Will needs to know. Realistic Fiction/Free-verse Poetry.

The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine by Mark Twain and Philip Stead. Based on a set of unfinished Mark Twain notes for a children's story, this is the tale of Johnny, a young boy with a magical ability to speak to animals who sets off to rescue a stolen prince. Fairy Tale.

Raid of No Return by Nathan Hale. Presents a graphic novel retelling of the Doolittle Raid an American aerial operation to bomb Tokyo during World War II. Graphic Novel/History.

****Refugee by Alan Gratz. Although separated by continents and decades, Josef, a Jewish boy livng in 1930s Nazi Germany; Isabel, a Cuban girl trying to escape the riots and unrest plaguing her country in 1994; and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015 whose homeland is torn apart by violence and destruction, embark on harrowing journeys in search of refuge, discovering shocking connections that tie their stories together. Historical Fiction/Realistic Fiction.

Solo by Kwame Alexander. Seventeen-year-old Blade, who endeavors to resolve painful issues from his past to navigate the challenges of his former rockstar father's addictions, scathing tabloid rumors, and a protected secret that threatens his own identity. Realistic Fiction/Free-verse Poetry.

The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked and Found by Martin Sandler. Describes what happened when a slave ship packed with plunder was captured by pirates in 1717 then sunk by a brutal storm. Tells the story of the 1984 expedition to locate the wreck of The Whydah and what was uncovered. Non-fiction.

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 2017:

Booked by Kwame Alexander. Twelve-year-old Nick loves soccer and hates books, but soon learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Realistic Fiction/Romance/Sport/Free-verse Poetry.

The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century by Sarah Miller. Discusses the trial of Lizzie Borden and the murders of her parents. Non-fiction.

Frozen in Time: Clarence Birdseye's Outrageous Idea about Frozen Food by Mark Kurlansky. A biography of Clarence Birdseye, the American inventor, discussing work as a fur trapper in Canada early in the twentieth-century, his patented Birdseye freezing process that changed the way we preserve, store, and distribute food, and the other inventions that he created. Biography.

**Illuminae by Amy Kaufman. The planet Kerenza is attacked, and Kady and Ezra find themselves on a space fleet fleeing the enemy, while their ship's artificial intelligence system and a deadly plague may be the end of them all. Science Fiction.

Ink and Ashes by Valynee F. Maetani. When Japanese American Claire Takata finds out that her deceased father was once a member of the yakuza, a Japanese crime syndicate, danger enters her life that could end up killing someone. Mystery.

Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai. Twelve-year-old Mai is sick of being perfect and her straight A's and extracurricular activities have gotten her a much unwanted trip to Vietnam with her family so she can learn more about her roots. But as time goes on, Mai grows closer to her family and she begins to understand her culture. Realistic Fiction.

The Most Important Things: Stories about Sons, Fathers, and Grandfathers by Avi. Introduces seven boys--boys with fathers at home and boys whose fathers have left, boys who spend most of their time with their grandfathers and boys who would rather spend time with anyone but the men in their lives. By turns heartbreaking, hopeful, and funny, the stories show us boys seeking acceptance, guidance, or just someone to look up to. Each one shines a different light on the question 'What is the most important thing a father can do for his son?' Realistic Fiction/Short Stories.

Nathan Hales Hazardous Tales: Alamo All-Stars by Nathan Hale. Relates, in graphic novel format, the story of the Alamo and features the exploits of historical legends, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. Graphic Novel/Non-fiction.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt. Jack, 12, tells the gripping story of Joseph, 14, who joins his family as a foster child. Damaged in prison, Joseph wants nothing more than to find his baby daughter, Jupiter, whom he has never seen. When Joseph has begun to believe he'll have a future, he is confronted by demons from his past that force a tragic sacrifice. Realistic Fiction.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. In a world divided by blood--those with common, Red blood serve the Silver-blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities--seventeen-year-old Mare, a Red, discovers she has an ability of her own. To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. But Mare risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard--a growing Red rebellion--even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. Fantasy.

****Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. As World War II draws to a close, refugees try to escape the war's final dangers, only to find themselves aboard a ship with a target on its hull. Historical Fiction.

Soar by Joan Bauer. Moving to Hillcrest, Ohio, when his adoptive father accepts a temporary job, twelve-year-old Jeremiah, a heart transplant recipient, has sixty days to find a baseball team to coach. Realistic Fiction.

Tru and Nelle by G. Neri. In their small town of Monroeville, Alabama in 1930, misfits Tru and Nelle strike up a friendship and find a mystery to solve when someone breaks into the drugstore and steals some candy and a fancy brooch. Historical Fiction.

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Linda Blackman Lowery. The author recounts her experiences as the youngest marcher on the 1965 voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Non-fiction/Biography.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk. Twelve-year-old Annabelle must learn to stand up for what's right in the face of a manipulative and violent new bully who targets people Annabelle cares about, including a homeless World War I veteran. Historial Fiction.

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 2016:

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Philip Hoose. Tells the story of a group of boy resistance fighters in Denmark after the Nazi invasion during World War II. Non-fiction.

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. Caden Bosch lives in two worlds. One is his real life with his family, his friends, and high school. There he is paranoid for no reason, thinks people are trying to kill him, and demonstrates obsessive compulsive behaviors. In his other world, he's part of the crew for a pirate captain on a voyage to the Challenger Deep, the ocean's deepest trench. Realistic Fiction.

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans. by Don Brown. A graphic novel account of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in November of 2005, when the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and surrounding areas were flooded and more than fourteen hundred people lost their lives. Graphic Novel/Non-fiction.

****Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan. Decades after a man is entwined in a prophecy-based quest involving three mysterious sisters and a harmonica, three individuals from different areas of the world confront daunting challenges involving the same harmonica. Fantasy/Historical Fiction.

Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are off to Alabama to visit their grandmother, Big Ma, and her mother, Ma Charles. Across the way lives Ma Charles's half sister, Miss Trotter. The two half sisters haven't spoken in years. As Delphine hears about her family history, she uncovers the surprising truth that's been keeping the sisters apart. But when tragedy strikes, Delphine discovers that the bonds of family run deeper than she ever knew possible. Historical Fiction.

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead. As Bridge makes her way through seventh grade on Manhattan's Upper West Side with her best friends, curvacious Em, crusader Tab, and a curious new friend, she finds the answers she has been seeking. Realistic Fiction.

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz. Fourteen-year-old Joan Skraggs, just like the heroines in her beloved novels, yearns for real life and true love. But what hope is there for adventure, beauty, or art on a hardscrabble farm in Pennsylvania where the work never ends? Over the summer of 1911, Joan pours her heart out into her diary as she seeks a new, better life for herself--because maybe, just maybe, a hired girl cleaning and cooking for six dollars a week can become what a farm girl could only dream of--a woman with a future. Historical Fiction/Romance.

I Crawl Through It by A.S. King. A surrealist novel about four teenagers who find unconventional ways to escape standardized tests and their perilous world, and discover that the only escape from reality is to face it. Realistic Fiction.

The Marvels by Brian Selznick. In 1766, a boy, Billy Marvel, is shipwrecked, rescued, and goes on to found a brilliant family of actors that flourishes in London until 1900--and nearly a century later, Joseph Jervis, runs away from home, seeking refuge with his uncle in London, and is captivated by the Marvel house, with its portraits and ghostly presences. Adventure/Historical Fiction.

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin. The story of Daniel Ellsberg and his decision to steal and publish secret documents about America's involvement in the Vietnam War. Non-fiction.

My Seneca Village by Marilyn Nelson. A collection of poems revives the long lost community of Seneca Village. A collection of poems revives the long lost community of Seneca Village. Poetry/Non-fiction History.

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel. When wasps come to Steve in a dream offering to fix his sick baby brother, he thinks all he has to do is say yes. But yes may not mean what Steve thinks it means. Paranormal.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. Lord Ballister Blackheart seeks to bring down the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics with the aid of his new shapeshifting sidekick, Nimona. Graphic Novel/Fantasy.

Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip Through Motown Sound by Andrea Davis Pinkney. A narrative history of the Motown music label covering the historical context, personalities, and ongoing legacy of the "sound of young America. Non-fiction.

**Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson. An account of the Siege of Leningrad reveals the role played by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich and his Leningrad Symphony in rallying and commemorating their fellow citizens. Non-fiction.

X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon. Malcolm Little's parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that's a pack of lies--after all, his father's been murdered, his mother's been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There's no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer. Historical Fiction.

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 2015:

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. The author shares her childhood memories and reveals the first sparks that ignited her writing career in free-verse poems about growing up in the North and South. Historical Fiction/Free-verse Poetry.

Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett. Cecily and Jeremy have been sent to live with their uncle Peregrine in the English countryside, safe from the war, along with a young refugee named May. But when Cecily and May find two mysterious boys hiding in the ruins of a nearby castle, an extraordinary adventure begins. Historical Fiction/Mystery.

**The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health. Realistic Fiction/Sports/Free-verse Poetry.

Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire. Impoverished Russian country girl Elena Rudina and the aristocratic Ekatrina meet and set in motion an escapade that includes mistaken identity, a monk locked in a tower, a prince traveling incognito, and the witch Baba Yaga. Fantasy/Historical Fiction.

El Deafo by Cece Bell. A graphic novel memoir of author/illustrator Cece Bell who grew up hearing impaired. Graphic Novel/Biography.

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming. Details the history of Russia's last royal family, the Romanovs. Non-fiction/Biography.

**** Revolution by Deborah Wiles. It's 1964 in Greenwood, Mississippi, and Sunny's town is being invaded by people from up north who are coming to help people register to vote. Her personal life isn't much better, as a new stepmother, brother, and sister are crowding into her life, giving her little room to breathe. Historical Fiction.

The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza by Jack Gantos. Everything goes topsy-turvy for Joey as he becomes the man of the house, looking after his new baby brother, taking care of his troubled mother, and seeking out his missing father. Realistic Fiction.

The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis. Even though it is now 1901, the people of Buxton, Canada (originally a settlement of runaway slaves) and Chatham, Canada are still haunted by two events of half a century before, the American Civil War, and the Irish potato famine, and the lasting damage those events caused to the survivors. Historical Fiction.

Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty by Christine Heppermann. This collection of fifty poems puts the ideals of fairy tales right beside the life of the modern teenage girl. Poetry.

The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin. Presents an account of the 1944 civil rights protest involving hundreds of African-American Navy servicemen who were unjustly charged with mutiny for refusing to work in unsafe conditions after the deadly Port Chicago explosion. Non-fiction.

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 2014:

All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry. Judith can't speak. But when her close-knit community of Roswell Station is attacked by enemies, Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice. Historical Fiction/Romance.

The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest - and Most Surprising - Animals on Earth by Steve Jenkins. Contains illustrations of and facts about three-hundred animals. Non-fiction.

Boxers and Saints by Gene Yang. In two volumes, Boxers & Saints tells two parallel stories. The first is of Little Bao, a Chinese peasant boy whose village is abused and plundered by Westerners claiming the role of missionaries. Little Bao, inspired by visions of the Chinese gods, joins a violent uprising against the Western interlopers. Against all odds, their grass-roots rebellion is successful. But in the second volume, Yang lays out the opposite side of the conflict. A girl whose village has no place for her is taken in by Christian missionaries and finds, for the first time, a home with them. As the Boxer Rebellion gains momentum, Vibiana must decide whether to abandon her Christian friends or to commit herself fully to Christianity. Graphic Novels/Non-fiction History.

A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty. Fourteen-year-old Madeleine of Cambridge, England, struggling to cope with poverty and her mother's illness, and fifteen-year-old Elliot of the Kingdom of Cello in a parallel world where colors are villainous and his father is missing, begin exchanging notes through a crack between their worlds and find they can be of great help to each other. Fantasy.

Doll Bones by Holly Black. Zach, Alice, and Poppy, friends from a Pennsylvania middle school who have long enjoyed acting out imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures, embark on a real-life quest to Ohio to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl. Mystery/Thriller/Adventure.

****Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits, smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. Romance.

Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal. When Jeremy Johnson Johnson's strange ability to speak to the ghost of Jacob Grimm draws the interest of his classmate, Ginger Boltinghouse, the two find themselves at the center of a series of disappearances in their hometown. Paranormal.

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo. A girl named Flora and a squirrel named Ulysses, whose life was saved by Flora after he was involved in an incident with a vacuum cleaner, team up to use Ulysses' superpowers to conquer villains and protect the weak. Fantasy.

Hokey Pokey by Jerry Spinelli. Ever since they were Snotsippers, Jack and the girl have fought, until one day she steals his bike and as he and the Amigos try to recover it, Jack realizes that he is growing up and must eventually leave the "goodlands and badlands of Hokey Pokey". Fantasy.

March: Book One by John Lewis. Presents in graphic novel format the life of Georgia congressman John Lewis, focusing on his youth in rural Alabama, his meeting with Martin Luther King Jr., and the birth of the Nashville Student Movement. Graphic Novel/Non-fiction/Biography.

Midwinter Blood by Marcus Sedgwick. Seven linked short stories unfold on a Scandinavian island inhabited--throughout various time periods--by Vikings, vampires, ghosts, and a curiously powerful plant. Paranormal/Adventure/Fantasy/Romance.

P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia. After spending the Summer of 1968 with their mother and the Black Panthers, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern return home to Brooklyn with a new feeling of independence, but they discover their father has a new girlfriend, Uncle Darnell has come home from Vietnam a changed man, and Big Ma still expects Delphine to take care of everything. Feeling overwhelmed, Delphine writes to her mother, who reminds her to enjoy being eleven and not grow up too fast. Historical Fiction.

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein. When young American pilot Rose Justice is captured by Nazis and sent to Ravensbruck, the notorious women's concentration camp, she finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery, and friendship of her fellow prisoners. Historical Fiction.

**The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata. Just when she thinks nothing else could go wrong, twelve-year-old Summer finds herself taking care of her younger siblings and helping her grandmother feed harvest workers as her parents head to Japan to deal with an emergency. Realistic Fiction.

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt. Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn, ancient Sugar Man, and his raccoon-brother Swamp Scouts Bingo and J'miah try to save Bayou Tourterelle from feral pigs Clydine and Buzzie, greedy Sunny Boy Beaucoup, and world-class alligator wrestler and would-be land developer Jaeger Stitch. Realistic Fiction.

What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms, and Blessings by Joyce Sidman. Presents a collection of illustrated poems that were translated from ancient forms of the spoken word into the twenty-first century. Poetry.

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 2013:

Bomb : The Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. Examines the history of the atomic bomb, discussing the discovery of the behavior of uranium when placed next to radioactive material, the race to build a bomb, and the impact of the weapon on societies around the world. Non-fiction.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. In 1943, a British fighter plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France and the survivor tells a tale of friendship, war, espionage, and great courage as she relates what she must to survive while keeping secret all that she can. Historical Fiction.

Endangered by Eliot Schrefer. Sophie is not happy to be back in the Congo for the summer, but when she rescues an abused baby bonobo she becomes more involved in her mother's sanctuary, and when fighting breaks out and the sanctuary is attacked, it is up to Sophie to rescue the apes and somehow survive in the jungle. Historical Fiction.

**The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Sixteen year old Hazel, who has cancer, meets Augustus at a kids-with-cancer support group and as they fall in love they both wonder how they will be remembered. Realistic Fiction/Romance.

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh. Jepp, a teenage dwarf living in 16th century Europe, leaves home to seek his destiny. Historical Fiction.

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead. Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his father's efforts to start a new business, his mother's extra shifts as a nurse, being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on another resident of their building. Realistic Fiction/Mystery.

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Philip Hoose. Chronicles a year in the life of rufa red knot B95, also called Moonbird, following him through his migration pattern and discussing the environmental problems that caused the rufa population to collapse by nearly eighty percent. Non-fiction.

No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Micheaux, Harlem Bookseller. by Vauda Micheaux Nelson. Fictionalized biography of the bookseller and civil rights activist who owned the African National Memorial Bookstore in Harlem, New York City. Historical Fiction.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life. When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life. Historical Fiction.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. In a world where dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy truce and dragons can assume human form, Seraphina, whose mother died giving birth to her, grapples with her own identity amid magical secrets and royal scandals, while she struggles to accept and develop her extraordinary musical talents. Fantasty.

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz. When Clara vanishes after the puppeteer Grisini and two orphaned assistants were at her twelfth birthday party, suspicion of kidnapping chases the trio away from London and soon the two orphans are caught in a trap set by Grisini's ancient rival, a witch with a deadly inheritance to shed before it is too late. Fantasy.

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin. An innkeeper's chore boy discovers that a visitor's stories hold the key to returning the moon to the Starry River of the Sky. Fairy Tale.

Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery. Examines the life and accomplishments of Temple Grandin, whose childhood diagnosis of autism and love of cows led her to revolutionize the livestock industry. Non-fiction/Biography.

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage. Washed ashore as a baby in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, Mo LoBeau, now eleven, and her best friend Dale turn detective when the amnesiac Colonel, owner of a caf and co-parent of Mo with his cook, Miss Lana, seems implicated in a murder. Mystery.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson. Pieces together the story of what happened aboard the Titanic on that fateful April night in 1912, drawing on the voices of survivors. Non-fiction.

****Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunts and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student. Realistic Fiction.

** Sand Ridge Runner-up

****Sand Ridge Winner