Battle of the Books

By: Emily Bagnall and Lily Tatro

What is the battle of the Books?

Battle of the Books is a competition where different schools read 20 different books and compete against each other with book related questions. Students practice twice a week, once during lunch and once after school. We asked Mrs. Wentzloff (who sponsors Battle of the Books) what they do during practice and she said “We chat about the battle books and play games!”

What about the books?

Well, there are 20 books for the students to read in Battle of the Books. Each year the Wheaton Public Library swaps out two unpopular books for two new ones. Mrs. Wentzloffs favorite book this year is the False Prince. We asked Penny Jodelka, a Battle of the Books participant what her favorite book was as well and she said that she loved Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie.

What are the best things and the worst things about Battle of the Books?

Some of the best things according to the two people we interviewed the best things are that you get to play games, hang out with your friends, and read good books! Some of the not so great things about Battle of the Books are that the season is very short and stressful and that you meet during lunch so you miss out on a mask break.

How do they compete?

Students used to go in person to the Wheaton Public Library and three teams would compete at a time with four people on each team. Now the whole team gets to participate by doing a Kahoot when they meet after school. One pro about doing Battle of the Books this way is that the whole team gets to participate instead of just four people.

Why did Mrs. Wentzloff choose to host Battle of the Books?

She was inspired by how excited the students got doing it and how well the students collaborated with each other. Mrs. Wentzloff also likes how if a student is not interested in sports but they love to read and are competitive they can join Battle of the Books.