The
2008 Battle of the Books is a program designed to encourage
reading and to give recognition to those who like to read. It is organized
by the Young Adult Department of the Farmington Community Library
and sponsored by the Farmington Friends of the Library.
Team members read from a selected list of books and then participate
in a battle where they compete with other teams by answering questions
based on the books. Although there will be one team that eventually
wins first place, we believe that everyone who takes part is a winner.
This
program covers a wide age range, approximately eleven to fourteen years
of age. Therefore, books with a variety of reading and maturity levels
will be chosen, representing different genres and authors. Books are
chosen based upon the materials selection policy. While books chosen
will be of high quality, the ultimate decision to participate in this
program rests with the parent/guardian of the child. This program is
completely independent of school curriculum, though some schools use
it to complement their curriculum.
The
Battle has grown enormously, and to accommodate all the interested students,
a semi-final competition will take place in each of the middle schools
on Thursday, April 3, 2008, during school. All teams
across the district will compete using the same set of questions. Then,
the sixty (60) top-scoring teams will be contacted and invited to participate
in a final competition on Monday, April 21, 7 p.m.,
at the William Costick Activities Center.
Who
May Participate?
All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders attending school in Farmington
or Farmington Hills are eligible to participate in the Battle
of the Books by organizing teams at their school. Each team
must consist of four to six members and an adult team manager, and have
a team name. A student may only be on one team. Students unable to get
a complete team should contact their teacher or school media specialist.
What
Does a Team Manager Do?
The Team Manager may be a parent, teacher, relative,
or anyone over 18 who will serve as the contact person between the team
and the Farmington Community Library. The Team Manager is responsible
for filling out and returning the registration form to your school media
specialist and keeping the team members motivated. If your team qualifies
for the final competition, the manager should help the team plan a team
costume (nothing expensive—be creative), and arrange team transportation
to and from Dublin Hall—William Costick Activities Center on the
night of the Battle Final Round. The Team Manager will monitor another
team during the actual Battle final on Monday, April 21, 2008, 7:00pm.
In addition, the Team Manager encourages the kids to have FUN with the
program.
How
Does a Team Register?
Registration forms are available at the Adult
Reference Desk at both libraries. The forms should be completed,
returned to your school media center. The books on the list will be
available for checkout on or after Friday, January 25, 2008.
A set of Battle Books will be kept behind the Information Desk at each
branch for your reference.
What
is the Procedure for the Battle?
The procedure for the Semi-Final Round and Final Round
will be similar. After the moderator reads the question, each team will
have time to confer and decide on an answer to the question. The team
captain will write the answer on a pad furnished for each team. Answers
must be complete and specific. Points are given for correct answers
(4 points for a correct answer, plus one point for the correct last
name of the author.) The sixty (60) top-scoring teams will participate
in the final Battle in Dublin Hall—William Costick Activities
Center at 7:00pm. Each team will be seated at a table.
The winning team members will receive a prize and will also have their
names engraved on a plaque to be placed in the Library. A small prize
will be awarded to the team with the best costumes.
For
more information, call 248.553.0300.
Sponsored by the Farmington Friends of the Library
