Battle of the Books
Battle of the Books is a summer reading program and team trivia competition for students entering grades 6 – 9.
Participating libraries have registration for teams in late spring and early summer. Registration dates and meeting schedules are determined by each individual library.
Titles for our 2024 Battle of the Books will be released in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, we want to hear from you! Two books were chosen by committee, but the third is your choice! If you're entering grades 6-9 in fall of 2024, go here to see your options and cast your vote - entry deadline is March 4.
2024 Virtual Battle of the Books Rules
2024 Art Contest Rules for Battle of the Books
2023 Battle of the Books Flyer
Battle of the Books Titles - Previous years
In 2023 the Kenmore Library team were the Battle of the Books Champions
A Look Back at Battle of the Books
The #1 Summer reading program and team trivia competition for students entering 6th through 9th grade. To sign up, visit your local library today. You can't win if you're not in it!
Wonder what “Battle” is like? Check out this video!
Battle Stories
From Orchard Park: Jacob was 12 years old and a first time Battle participant last year. Jacob was always smiling... he really liked being part of a “team”. He will be back to compete for Orchard Park in 2008.
From Lackawanna: Lackawanna has fielded a battle team since 2001. Nick joined the team in 2005 at age 11. He is a bright boy with a great memory for details. The Battle of the Books is an activity where children like Nick can shine. He reads all 6 books, writes many questions and acted as the team's spokesperson in 2007. Nick is a great asset to the Lackawanna team!
From Newstead: Jason joined the Newstead team in 2006 as a 6th grader. He had always had difficulty reading because of an eye condition. He was working with a behavioral ophthalmologist to who worked with him to train his eyes to "work together". Participating in Battle in 2006 was a struggle, but 2007 was a much better year and Jason really enjoyed it. He is looking forward to helping the team in 2008!
Behind the Scenes
The success of the Battle of the Books program is vitally dependent on the many dedicated volunteers. The question writers and readers are a major component to the success of the competition. Many of the volunteers return year after year because they enjoy the experience and enthusiasm of the participants and their families! They are current and former library employees, teachers, and school and college librarians.
How Battle Changed My Life
When I put my name on the piece of paper ten years ago for Battle of the Books, I had no clue how it would come to change my life. I had always loved to read books, and that summer when I had the chance to enter into a contest that revolved around reading, I leapt at the chance. Over the next two years, I came to know Mrs. Forsberg, one of the librarians at Orchard Park. I had reached the age limit for doing Battle, but continued to spend y time devouring different books. Four years later, when I applied for a job at the Orchard Park Library, it was her who hired me because she remembered me from my time doing Battle. Working at Orchard Park was a wonderful experience that opened the door for me to work downtown in the bookstore. Last summer I wished to go back where it all began, and I decided to be an assistant coach to one of the teams from Orchard Park for Battle of the Books. I spent my Tuesday nights helping the students answer questions and understand the books. However, it was while I was working at Orchard Park that I came to realize that I wished to always work in a library. It was this realization that inspired me to apply to library school at the University at Buffalo. I am now currently finishing up my first semester of grad school, and when I look back, I realize that had I not signed up for Battle of the Books ten years ago. I would not be where I am today. ~ Sara