Free section Battle of the books

All over the world, the Battle of the books is an event held at a growing number of schools and universities. At the end of the school year, you can have one, too - maybe even together with other schools in your town or area.

What is the “battle”?

You take part in the competition by reading from the book list given to you by your teacher at the beginning of the school year. In the batde, you answer questions about the books you have read. Because the battle is held during the last two weeks of the school year, you have lots of time to read the books. The reading list may include books you have read before. It is a good idea to summarize each book which you can then reread before the battle.

How does the competition work?

In some countries, the day begins with a meeting in the cafeteria, a morning snack and what the teams must do that day. Then students become team members and are sent to their first round of the “Battle.” They play several rounds, each against a different team. One teacher (or group of teachers) gives the points. At the end of the morning, points are added up and the two teams with the most points are invited to a “Grand batde” after lunch, with the other teams as their audience. Other versions of the competition are played in the afternoon only, with teams from one class or from different classes playing each other. In the version presented here, there are three different sections. Each section features tasks that look at different aspects of the books. Here are some example questions about the novel Silver fin by Charlie Higson, a great book about the childhood days of James Bond.

Section one: Questions In this section, you will be asked specific questions about the contents of a book. For example: ? How did James's parents die? ? Describe Randolph Hellebore. ? Who is Red Kelly? Section two: Interpretation In this section, you have to do more than just repeat facts: You have to show your understanding of the characters, of their motives, and talk about the book itself. For example: ? Name some of James's special talents. What does he learn as a boy that he can use later in the three adult novels? ? Describe parts of the novel that are very exciting. ? At the end of the novel, George decides to help James. Do you find this believable?

Section three: Creative writing In this final section, you will have to write your own texts.This can be in writing, but sometimes you might also be asked to do a role play with the characters in one of the books you've read. For example: ? Write the plot for another Young James

Bond novel, based on a James Bond movie. ? Write the plot for a similar novel based on another fictitious (female?) character. ? Imagine James meets George during the competition. What could happen between them? What could they say to each other?

Act out their dialogue.

Here are some of the books you have seen in Joy o f English. You have only read parts of these books. Your teacher might like to add or take away some of the tides, depending on what kind of books you (and your teacher) are interested in:

Lockhart, Sally T h e R u b y in t h e S m o k e ( in Y e a r 8 ) Colfer, Eoin B e n n y a n d O m a r (in Y e a r 8 ) Stevenson, Robert Louis T r e a s u r e I s l a n d ( in Y e a r 8 ) White, Terence Hanbury T h e L e g e n d o f K i n g A r t h u r ( in Y e a r 7) Wilde, Oscar T h e C a n t e r v i l l e G h o s t ( in Y e a r 7)

FAQS Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs): 1. Do I have to read all the books on the list?

No, you don't. Most students read only about half of the books.

The more you read, the easier it is to win the competition. In your team, there will be other students who have read only some of the books, too. 2. Do we need to have prizes for the w inning teams?

Absolutely! But keep them to a minimum. The idea is to read a lot, not to win big prizes. 3. Do we need other schools to have a battle or can we have one only at my school?

It is best to start small. The first time you fight a battle, it is best to do it alone at your school. It is always good, however, to have other schools in your area "fight" their own battle. In the second year, plan on having an area-wide battle. Enjoy reading the books, have a good "battle" and good luck!