Battle of the Books

Hi Families,

Chets Creek 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are participating in a reading competition called Battle of the Books. The purpose of the Battle of the Books is to encourage students to read quality literature, promote critical thinking, and to enhance book discussions. These high-interest books are part of the Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program and are included in our classroom and school library. Many students already selected one of the books, and we are currently reading one together called The Gollywopper Games.

We NEED your support!!! Please consider purchasing one of these wonderful books for our classroom library so that we have enough for all of our eager readers. Right now, we only have about one complete set for 75 readers who are anxious to read these interesting books. If you prefer to donate a gift card for a local bookstore, teachers receive a 20% discount for classroom materials. Thanks for your support!

Starting soon, students may take comprehension tests to measure their knowledge of the individual Battle books. If students pass the tests, they will receive credit on their Reading Bingo cards, which go toward their reading goals each nine weeks. Additionally, the students who read and pass the most tests will also be eligible to be on our own Battle Teams that will compete against other classes.

Below, please find a description of each of the 15 titles for this year's Battle of the Books.

Battle of the Books 2010 - 2011 Titles

Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program
Master List of Titles
2010 - 2011
Grades 3- 5


Avi. The Seer of Shadows. HarperCollins, ©2008.
In New York City in 1872, fourteen-year-old Horace, a photographer's apprentice, becomes involved in a plot to create fake spirit photographs in order to swindle a wealthy client who is grieving for her dead daughter. Unfortunately, Horace accidentally frees the ghost of a dead girl bent on revenge. Horace feels honor bound to try and stop her from seeking revenge. Intrigue and suspense will pull readers into this ghostly tale. (Grades 3-6) (AR 5.2)

Beaty, Andrea. Cicada Summer. Amulet Books, ©2008.
Two very different girls, each hiding deep secrets, meet in a small, rural community. The summer has been quiet for 12-year-old Lily until a new girl, Tinny, comes to town to spend some time with her aunt. Lily has been living in a self- imposed silence for two years, causing great concern for her father and neighbors, even fears that she has serious brain damage. However, Lily observes everything going on around her and smells trouble brewing from the odd behavior of Tinny. But why does Lily read her favorite mysteries, the Nancy Drew stories, only in secret? Try unraveling the clues in this realistic fiction story that shifts between past and present.
(Grades 3-6) (AR 4.7)

Broach, Elise. Masterpiece. Henry Holt and Co., ©2008.
Eleven-year-old James is disappointed when he receives a pen and ink drawing set from his father for his birthday, but it brings him a true friendship. Marvin the beetle, who lives with his family in the kitchen of the Pompaday apartment, senses James’ depressed mood and uses the art supplies to create a drawing for him. The miniature artwork delights the boy, but his mother mistakenly assumes it is James’ work. A friendship grows between the boy and the beetle when they visit a museum and somehow get involved in the world of art forgery and theft. The two reluctantly forge the artwork of Albrecht Dürer to help the Metropolitan Museum of Art stage a heist to recover the artist’s other stolen work. Readers will willingly enter this fantasy world of human and arthropods which is filled with joy and humor. (Grades 4-8) (AR 4.8)

Delaney, M. C. Obi, Gerbil on the Loose. Dutton Children’s Books, ©2008.
Rachel is crazy about her pet gerbil Obi, and the feeling is entirely mutual. When the family goes on vacation and the neighbor boy neglects to feed Obi she must channel her “inner- Jedi knight” and become a brilliant problem solver in order to survive. Obi’s adventures include encounters with a tarantula, boa constrictor, and sneaky cats. (Grades 3-6) (AR 4.8)

DiTerlizzi, Tony. Kenny & the Dragon. Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, ©2008.
The villagers in Roundbrook hear that a dragon is running loose across the countryside and the folks get the wrong idea. Now, in the typical dragon story style, it is time for a fight to the death. But wait a minute! This dragon is special and the friend of Kenny Rabbit. What should Kenny do? How will he save the day and give the villagers front-row seats to the famous battle between St. George and the dragon? Does Kenny succeed? Join other readers in the front-row seats to watch this enticing tale unfold. (Grades 3-6) (AR 5.4)

Feldman, Jody. The Gollywhopper Games. Greenwillow Books, ©2008.
Join the fun of these promotional games to solve puzzles and win physical challenges with Gil, who enters the games to improve life for his family. Since his father lost his job in a complex series of events, 12-year-old Gil has experienced difficulties at home and school. Now these games offer a chance to turn things around if he can beat out the other contestants in a series of brainteasers. The plot invites readers to work out answers to puzzles as they follow the fast-paced action of this suspenseful story. (Grades 4-7) (AR 3.9)

Forester, Victoria. The Girl Who Could Fly. Feiwel & Friends, ©2008.
Piper McCloud is not your ordinary girl. From the time she was a baby, she is aware that she has a special talent. Piper is able to fly! Unfortunately, her ordinary family and the folks of Lowland County are not able to cope with Piper’s special talents. Piper jumps at the opportunity to enroll at Dr. Hellion’s top secret school, I.N.S.A.N.E. There she meets other children with extraordinary talents like telekinesis, X-Ray vision, and the ability to create their own weather. Will the special school be a safe haven for students with unique talents, or possibly the most dangerous place in which they can find themselves? Read The Girl Who Could Fly to find the answer to that question. (Grades 3-6) (AR 6.0)

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Eleven. Wendy Lamb Books, ©2008.
In his grandfather’s attic, eleven-year-old Sam MacKenzie finds a mysterious newspaper clipping that appears to be about him. Unfortunately, Sam cannot read. However, he recognizes his name and manages to decode the word “missing.” Sam’s curiosity about his identity leads him to an unlikely friendship with Caroline, a new girl in his class. Sam is talented with wood and Caroline can read and write. Together, they build a wooden castle for a school assignment. During this collaborative project, Sam eventually finds out where he belongs and Caroline, whose family moves around a lot, gains a friend—something she never expected to happen. Readers will eagerly join the duo in this fast-paced mystery. (Grades 3-6) (AR 4.1)

Henkes, Kevin. Bird Lake Moon. Greenwillow Books, ©2008.
Mitch, 12-years-old, and his mother are spending the summer with his grandparents in their lake house. Since his parents are divorcing, Mitch has a secret plan for the empty house next door. When ten-year-old Spence and his family move into the vacant house, Mitch is motivated to stage some ghostly events in an effort to scare away the family. Fortunately, Mitch’s plan doesn’t work. He and Spence become friends who help each other begin to cope with their own family problems. With chapters written from the alternating point of view of the two boys, Henkes delivers a story about the power of friendship that you will not want to miss. (Grades 5-8) (AR 4.9)

Holt, Kimberly Willis. Piper Reed: Navy Brat. Henry Holt and Co., ©2007.
Piper is sad about leaving her home and friends behind when her father, a Navy aircraft mechanic, is transferred yet again. With help from her often-annoying sisters and a surprise from their parents, she finds happiness in their new home in Pensacola, Florida. Readers will quickly join the family’s journey in this engaging, heartwarming story. (Grades 3-6) (AR 3.5

Lupica, Mark. Safe at Home. Philomel, ©2008.
Nick is a star catcher in junior varsity baseball at his school, but has trouble handling the pressure when he is called up to varsity. Nick’s 8th grade teammates resent having a 7th grader on the team and his new adoptive parents don’t understand his love of sports. Pressure mounts as Nick’s baseball skills, as well as his schoolwork decline. In this heartwarming story, readers will be rooting for Nick to get his life together both at home and on the field. (Grades 3-6) (AR 5.6)

Mass, Wendy. 11 Birthdays. Scholastic Press, ©2009.
Amanda and Leo share the same exact date of birth and happily celebrate their birthdays together for the first nine years of their lives. During the tenth party, Amanda overhears Leo making an unkind remark about her to another classmate. After avoiding Leo for a year, the two plan separate parties for their 11th birthdays. However, they find themselves in a weird time loop which forces them to relive their 11th birthdays over and over. Amanda discovers that by teaming up with Leo again, she can adjust her attitude and actions to achieve much better results. Read all about it in this witty story of friendship. (Grades 3-5) (AR 4.1)

Napoli, Donna Jo. Mogo, the Third Warthog. Hyperion Books, ©2008.
Like the third little pig in the folktale, Mogo is practical and smart. But this warthog also has a heart, and one day he feels as if his heart will break. His beloved mother tells him and his two brothers that they must leave the family and find their own solitary way in the world. It is the way of all boars. Now alone, Mogo must face the constant dangers of the African savanna. He uses cunning and intuition to evade Monster, a nasty wild dog who has made it a point to hunt him down. Through it all, Mogo manages to delight in the world around him and even make friends. And as he tries to survive, Mogo decides there’s more: “It’s not enough just to stay alive. Life is meant to be lived to the fullest, and enjoyed.” Readers will thoroughly enjoy this delightful, heartwarming story. (Grades 3-6) (AR 3.6)

Wolf, Joan M. Someone Named Eva. Clarion, ©2007.
The night after her 11th birthday celebration in 1942, blond and blue-eyed Milada and her family are taken from their home in Lidice, Czechoslovakia, by Hitler’s Nazis soldiers. Though not Jewish, they are caught up in Hitler’s plan for world dominance. Milada and her family members are separated and she is sent with other blond, blue-eyed children to Lebensborn, a training camp, to be immersed in the German language and Aryan culture. Milada is given a new name, Eva, and schooled to be a proper German girl. She is adopted by a wealthy German family and adapts to her new life with a loving mother and sister, though she never forgets her real identity and the family she left behind. This dramatic historical fiction story of World War II is based on a true account of events in Czechoslovakia. (Grades 5-8) (AR 4.1)

Yep, Laurence. The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. HarperCollins, ©2006.
Eight-year-old Henry Travis is living in San Francisco in the spring of 1906. His friend Chin, nine, helps in the Travis household where his father, Ah Sing, is cook and houseboy. Nothing could prepare the boys for the fateful events of April 17, when the Great Earthquake and Fire hit the city, consuming houses and lives and practically destroying San Francisco. The friends, each with his family, try to make their way to safety amid the chaos and devastation. As they do, they learn to face dangers, make life-saving decisions, and understand the true meaning of courage. (Grades 3-6) (AR 4.7)