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Sample Questions

 

The following are some examples of questions asked in the battles. All Championship Battle questions will use the ‘In what book” format. (Not all questions will fall into these precise categories.)

 

1. “Name of important character or significant nickname of a minor character”

Name the Battle character who had six toes.

 

2. “In what book” 

In what book did a character walk to a pond twice a day for seven months of the year?

 

3. “Comparison with another book(s) on the list”

In ARLO FINCH IN THE VALLEY OF FIRE, Arlo was curious about the dog he saw near the woods of his uncle’s house. In what other book was a character curious about a cat she saw inside Kew Gardens?

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4. “Important setting or location”

In RUBY LOST AND FOUND, Ruby often visited May’s Bakery located in the Chinatown of what city?

 

5. “Give one out of two or more possibilities”

Name one of the two not-quite-human, but not ghosts, who escorted ghosts to the underworld.

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6. “Short answer – significant title, event, or object”

What animal did Carson set loose on the school as a distraction to his real prank of gluing objects down?

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7. “Quotation directly from the book” 

In what book was a character left a note that read, “Believe in yourself. Continue the hardworking attitude you use to tackle everything. You have a real shot at winning”?

 

8. “Definition of unique terms or important words”

In what book was a character frustrated that their Dad was gone indefinitely, which was a word they learned people use when they mean more or less forever?

 

 

 

ANSWERS

1. Mortimer; Stead                                                        p 7

2. A LONG WALK TO WATER; Park                            p 20

3. Greenwild; Thompson                                              p 14

4. San Francisco; Li                                                      p 1

5. Oxhead OR

6. Horseface; Lai                                                          p 5

7. Goats; Rylander                                                       p 4

8. FINAL WORD; Johnson                                           p 150

9. ARLO FINCH IN THE VALLEY OF FIRE; August    p 14

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Helpful Hints

 

• Listen carefully to the question. Is it asking for the title of the book or the name of a character?  Did the question ask for both a first and a last name?
   

• There are three ways to answer a question about a Battle character:
   

  • If the question asks for the first and last name, both have to be correct.
     

  • If the question asks “Name the Battle character,” you need to give a name such as “Daisy.”  You may provide both the first and last names, but both must be correct.  Saying “Leila’s daughter” rather than a name would not be correct.
     

  • If the question asks “What Battle character?” any identifying name or title would be acceptable. 
     

• When giving a title, use the complete title as listed on our Battle Booklist, such as “ARLO FINCH IN THE VALLEY OF FIRE.” Just saying “Arlo Finch” is not acceptable.

• We will not ask for more information if your answer is incomplete.  However, be careful not to give so much information that part of your answer is wrong.
   

• Multiple-choice and True/False questions may be used during Written Battles.  Many questions can be written in multiple ways. For example, the question “Is the Glowworm a character in JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH”?:
   

  • TRUE OR FALSE:  True or False.
    The Frog is a character in JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH?      Answer: (False)
     

  • MULTIPLE CHOICE: In JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, which of the following is a character? A) Beetle B) Frog C) Snake D) Glowworm       Answer: (D)

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​​TEAM MANAGER OVERVIEW

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Being a Battle of the Books team manager is a very important job.  The team manager helps the team work together by dividing up reading responsibilities, helping the team practice, and making Battle of the Books a fun, positive experience. If you are interested in learning more about what the team manager does, please attend the Team Managers’ Meeting at City Hall on Thursday, October 23 at 6:00pm in the Council Chambers. We will discuss how to form and register your team, how to write questions for your team to practice, how your team will participate in Virtual Battles, the Penultimate Battle format, and our prize money and trophy incentives.

 

As the team manager, it is your responsibility to register your team. Register online by midnight on Monday, December 8. Some schools have additional forms to be filled out, so also check with your principal, media staff, or school Battle Coordinator about what is required at your school.

 

A person can act as a team manager for more than one team if they so choose.

 

When choosing a team name, remember that school names cannot be a part of the team name and that your team name will be listed exactly as it appears on the form. Team names should also be appropriate for a public setting and inoffensive to all people and groups involved. Your team should also select an alternate name since team names are given to the first team to submit the registration form. Note: The Library reserves the right to refuse any team names that are deemed inappropriate. Teams will be asked to choose an alternative option if Library staff find that a name is not appropriate for use during the competition.

 

An important part of Battle of the Books is having fun as a team, and there are many ways to accomplish this regardless of how far your team goes in the Battles. 

 

We also encourage you and your team to watch MCTV's taping of the Championship Battle.

 

The library staff deeply appreciates the hard work and commitment of the team managers who make Battle of the Books possible!
 

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HELPFUL HINTS FOR TEAM MANAGERS

 

The following hints have been suggested by previous team managers.

Please choose the ones you feel comfortable using.

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• Remember that reading should – first and foremost – be enjoyable, so keep your team’s interest up and the pressure off by planning fun activities related to the books.

 

• Let your team members and their parents know what you expect of them in terms of reading and commitment. Have them acknowledge their agreement to these commitments by signing a permission slip.

 

• Encourage each team member to read as many books as possible. Some managers divide the books, making each team member responsible for certain books.

 

• Make a chart with the book titles across the top and your team members’ names down the side. As each member finishes a title, put a star in the appropriate spot.

 

• Keep notes for all of the books with the main characters, the important events, the settings, etc. listed below each title.

 

• As your team members read the books, have them write down questions and share them with other team members.

 

• Quiz the members periodically for authors’ last names.

 

• Read some of the books yourself and discuss them with team members.

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• Emphasize the fact that every participant is a winner. It is important for your team members to learn to win and lose graciously.