Earlier this month, the auditorium at Rocky Mountain High School was buzzing, not with applause for a concert or cheers for a sports game, but with excitement for books.
Students, staff and families from across Poudre School District gathered to celebrate the 19th annual district-wide Battle of the Books competition, a fast-paced and fun event that makes reading exciting for third through fifth-grade students.
Battle of the Books is like a competitive book club, where teams of students read six books and prepare for weeks to answer detailed questions about them. It is a nationwide reading incentive program to boost reading comprehension and recall.
After holding school-level competitions, the top teams advanced to the district championship. The district competition in early April was packed with energy and support as teams from Bauder, Dunn, Eyestone, Linton, Lopez, Kruse, O'Dea, Tavelli and Werner elementary schools put their literary knowledge to the test.
For some, the competition is a chance to dive deeper into their love of books. For others, it is a way to build confidence and reading skills in a team-based environment. Either way, the result is a growing enthusiasm for reading.
Lilian Moore, a fifth grader at Lopez Elementary School, is an avid reader and enjoyed reading new books this year and working with an incredible team.
"This is my third year going to the District Battle of the Books Championship and also my third year winning it," said Moore. "I definitely get the nerves, but we also get the excitement. I spent a lot of time training."
Fellow Lopez teammate Burke Schuetz said one of the best parts was hanging out with his friends at practice and making it to the district competition.
"I feel like it opens the opportunity of reading in general. It helps us work up to this moment and read more often," said Schuetz.
On the Bauder Elementary School fifth-grade team, Kelten Kristiansen brought a competitive spirit and a love of reading. However, this competition made him slow down and notice things he might have missed.
"I read a lot, but I feel like this made me look at the books in a different way, and search for even the smallest details," Kristiansen said.
He added that Battle of the Books is a lot of fun and good competition, and his favorite book from the reading list this year was "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston.
The 2024-25 winning teams were:
- Third grade: Tavelli Elementary School’s team the Book Burglars
- Fourth grade: O'Dea Elementary School's team Kirby
- Fifth grade: Lopez Elementary School's team The Reading Tacos
Whether teams left with a trophy or lasting memories, every student who participated walked away with something valuable. This competition shows students a love of books, teamwork skills, and a sense that reading really is something to celebrate.
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O'Dea Elementary Battle of the Books fourth grade team. -
Tavelli Elementary Battle of the Books third grade team. -
Lopez Elementary Battle of the Books fifth grade team.