They didn’t have camouflage fatigues on, but students still battled it out at the Santa Maria-Bonita School District’s main office in March at the fourth annual Battle of the Books.
To prepare for the clash, students had to read at least 15 books and answer questions based on a list of 30 books that had been distributed to the students and focused on such topics as characters in a specific book, plotlines, and quotations.
More than 130 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders competed in the bookish competition.
“The Battle of the Books is an excellent way to encourage students to read books they might not have selected for themselves,” Susan Prober, a retired teacher and coordinator of the battle, said in a statement.
The battle was designed to introduce students to “an eclectic mix of genres that really sparks their imaginations,” Prober added.
Required reading included The Lightning Thief, a book with allusions to Greek mythology; Call It Courage; and Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
School Scene is compiled by Contributor Henry Houston. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Mar 31 – Apr 7, 2011.