Join us for the 2024 Battle of the Books!

Date and Location of Battle:

  • Saturday, October 26th at Ossining High School
  • Battle of the Books will be in person!
  • Anticipate Battle of the Books being a full school day (roughly 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, including a lunch break)
  • We will arrive early — exact time to be determined closer to Battle day

Children’s Team (Gr. 4-6) Book List:

  • Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland
  • The Swifts by Beth Lincoln
  • The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters
  • The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz
  • Mabuhay! by Zachary Sterling (graphic novel)
    *participants will receive a free copy of each book

Teen Team (Gr. 7-12) Book List:

  • Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
  • We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
  • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
  • Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
  • Gideon Green in Black and White by Katie Henry
    *participants will receive a free copy of each book

What is it?

  • Battle of the Books is a fun, book-based trivia tournament with teams from libraries across Westchester County participate in
  • You must read all 5 selected books for your age category in order to participate
  • There will be 25 questions in each Battle Match consisting of a mixture of trivia and “in which book” questions. Questions about all 5 books will be included in each match.
  • Teams can have only 5 students competing in a given match — we will take turns for each Battle to make sure everyone can participate
  • To answer each question, team members will get to “buzz” in. The person who buzzes in first must be the person to officially answer that question for the team and after buzzing in may confer with teammates for 10 seconds before answering.
  • Teams get 1 point for each correct answer. The team with the most points after all 25 questions have been asked wins the match and will progress to the next Battle.

Practice Meetings and Requirements

  • Each participant must fill out and submit a permission slip and photo/video release form before Thursday, September 26th— no one is allowed to participate without this paperwork
  • You must have all 5 books read in their entirety before we begin practicing
  • Practice will start in September — we will practice once each week leading up to the Battle on Saturday, October 26th
  • A few weeks before the Battle date we will meet roughly twice a week
  • Practice may include practice matches against another library and in this case practice dates may vary
  • Specific practice dates to come — so please make sure to check your email!

Volunteers

  • Parents are welcome to volunteer! If you would like to be a volunteer you will not be placed in the same room as your child(ren)’s team or be allowed to take official photographs
  • Volunteers can commit to a full or half day
  • Volunteers will receive breakfast and lunch
  • Age of volunteers: adult; teenagers are welcome but must be 11th grade and older

In order to be a member of the Hendrick Hudson Free Library’s Children’s or Teen Team, you must commit to attending the Battle day in person at Ossining High School on Saturday, October 26th.

If you would like to join either the Children’s or Teen Team, let the coaches know by Saturday, June 1st.

For Children’s Team: Contact Allyson Macci at amacci@henhudfreelibrary.org or call (914) 739-5654 ext. 309 with any questions.

For Teen Team: Contact Elise Landesberg at elandesberg@henhudfreelibrary.org or call (914) 739-5654 ext. 305 with any questions.

 

Want to view sample questions from previous tournaments? Take a look here!