Monday, January 13, 2014

Battle of the Books is here!

Dear Parents,
For many of you, this may be your family's first time through BOB season. Here are some important details for helping your child, and our class, in this Book Reading Competition.

Battle of the Books has begun! Third through eighth grade will spend the next six weeks reading and strategizing before going head to head with the other classes in fast paced battles that test comprehension. Today the official list of 26 books will be released. Classes will work together to not only read these books, but master them. Because each student can only answer three questions per battle, it must be a team effort. Which class will come out on top? It's anyone's game at this point. Be sure to ask your student what BOB book they are reading. You are more than welcome to read it with them or even to them! Students should also begin memorizing the titles and authors exactly as they are written on the official lists. 

THE OFFICIAL LIST

AUTHOR                                                                                    TITLE                     
  1. Burnford, Shelia                          The  Incredible Journey
  2. Cleary, Beverly                            Henry and Ribsy
  3. Cleary, Beverly                            Ralph S. Mouse                                
  4. Conrad, Joseph                          Lord Jim
  5. Curtis, Christopher Paul            The Watson’s Go to Birmingham
  6. Farley, Walter                             The Black Stallion
  7. Freedman, Russell                    Lincoln: A Photobiography
  8. George, Jean  Craighead        The Talking Earth
  9. Giff, Patricia Reilly                     Lily’s Crossing
  10. Houston, Gloria                          Bright Freedom’s Song
  11. Kimmel, Elizabeth                     Balto and the Great Race
  12. Kipling, Rudyard                        The Jungle Book
  13. Lauber, Patrica                          Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mt. St. Helens
  14. Lawson, Rob -                            Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin                                                                      Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos
  15. Lupica, Mike                               The Batboy
  16. Paulsen, Gary                             The Voyage of the Frog
  17. St. George, Judith                     Dear Dr. Bell; Your Friend Helen Keller
  18. Sepetys, Ruta                            Between Shades of Gray
  19. Shakespeare, William              Taming of the Shrew
  20. Sperry, Armstrong                     Call It Courage
  21. Stevenson, Robert Louis          Kidnapped
  22. Taylor, Mildred                           Let the Circle Be Unbroken
  23. Thurber, James                          The Wonderful O
  24. Williams, Margery                      The Velveteen Rabbit
  25. Well, H.G.                                    The Time Machine
  26. Yomtov, Neil                                Revolutionary War Spies

FAQ
How are books chosen?
The Battle of the Book list is chosen by a team of teachers and administrators. They review the National Librarian’s Association recommendations, Newberry Medal winners, Caldecott Medal winners, and other notable award winners. From these lists they find books that range from the lowest reading level participating to 3 years above the highest grade participating. From there they ensure that we have fiction and nonfiction, historical fiction, classics, sports fiction, animal fiction, adventure, and a biography. The last consideration is a balance between female and male characters. The idea is to have at least one book in the list that appeals to every child participating.

What if I think a book is over my child’s head or is inappropriate for them?
The beauty of Battle of the Books is that it is a team effort. No one child is expected to read every book. In fact, it’s best if they don’t read every book. Choose 2 or 3 from the list that you are OK with and read those.

Can my child listen to the book/watch the movie/have it read to them etc?
YES! The idea is for children to be exposed to literature and to understand the story. They can have it read to them by an adult or older sibling, listen to it on tape, or read it themselves. They can watch the movie, but be careful; often the movie is not the same as the book. Abridged and "Junior Classic" versions are also a good option for making more difficult texts accessible to younger readers. They may not have as much detail, but should get the characters, places, and main story points. 

FREE AUDIOBOOKS: links to selected titles available on bookshouldbefree.com

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