Battle of the Books2015-2016

What is Battle of the Books?

● Participants get into teams of three and read the list of 25 books, so they can answer trivia questions about the books.

● Everyone is welcome.● Top three teams win books and go on to

compete against teams from other middle schools.

When and where is this Battle?

● The NMS Battle will be on Feb. 11 during periods 1, 2, and 3.

● Students are excused from those classes that day but still responsible for missed work.

● The District Battle with the top three teams from each middle school will be on Feb. 23 at Coon Rapids Middle School.

25 Books? Who can read 25 Books?

You and your team can!● There may be books you’ve already read.● Divide up the list among the team

members.● Not everyone needs to have read all of

them, but it sure does help!

When does this whole thing start?

● You can start now by forming a team and begin reading!

● The first meeting will take place during Viking Huddle Monday Oct 5. Listen for announcements.

Ok, what are the books?

Get a list from your teacher, the library, or go see Ms. Canto in room 111.

The books are also highlighted here. Let’s take a look!

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Libraryby Chris Grabenstein

Willy Wonka meets A Night in the Museum in this exciting mystery in which kids have to escape from a library the likes you’ve never seen!

Double Dog Dare by Lisa Graff● Would you lick a lizzard?● Would you wear a tutu

to school?● Would you dye your hair

green?How far would you go to be the school news anchor?

Elvis and the Underdogs: 1 by Jenny Lee

When Benji has to get a therapy dog, he chooses a 200 pound Newfoundland named Elvis. The really surprising thing is that he can talk!

Calli Be Gold by Michele Weber Hurwitz

Calli's brother is a basketball star and her sister ice skates, but 11-year old Calli thinks she's a failure because she's flopped at everything she's tried.

When Life Gives You O.J. by Erica S Perl

Zelly Fried has always wanted a dog. Her eccentric grandfather hatches a plan to get her a “practice” dog named O.J., but will this be enough to get a dog of her own?

Summer of the Wolves by Polly Carlson-Voiles

Julie of the Wolves meets Hatchet in this novel that follows Nika and her brother, Randall, as they spend a summer with their long-lost uncle. Nika finds an orphaned wolf pup in a cave, whose mother has been shot.

Rump: the True Story of Rumpelstilskin by Liesl Shurtliff

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

The Fourth Stall by Chris RylanderDo you need something? Mac and Vince can get it for you. Their methods might run afoul of the school code of conduct, but if you have a problem, if you can pay him, Mac is on your side. His office is located in the East Wing boy's bathroom, fourth stall from the high window. And business is booming. Or at least it was…

Perfect Game by Fred BowenIsaac is a serious pitcher who’s determined to pitch a perfect game. Soon, Isaac loses his cool and he can’t get his head back in the game. Then Isaac learns about a Special Olympics Unified Sports team and meets an athlete who shows him a new way to think about being perfect.

Lions of Little Rock by Kristin LevineAs twelve-year-old Marlee starts middle school in 1958 Little Rock, she meets Liz who is everything Marlee wishes she could be. When Liz leaves school without even a good-bye, Marlee just wants her friend back. Marlee and Liz are willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.

Camo Girl by Kekla MagoonOutsiders Ella and Z have been friends forever. Ella, the only black girl at her school, gets teased for the mottled colors of her face. Z is the classic “weird kid”. When the new boy, Bailey, arrives at their school, he wants to befriend Ella—but to join the cool crowd, Ella would have to ditch Z. Does she stay loyal to the boy who has been her best and only friend for years, or jump at the chance to be popular?

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

After a violent night with her mom and stepfather, Carley becomes a foster child and moves in with the Murphys. This loving family shows Carley a stable life she never thought existed. Despite her resistance, the Murphys show her what it feels like to belong--until her mother wants her back.

Zombie Baseball Beatdown by Paolo Bacigalupi

The zombie apocalypse begins on the day Rabi, Miguel, and Joe are practicing baseball near the town's meatpacking plant and nearly get knocked out by a really big stink. Little do they know the plant's toxic cattle feed is turning cows into flesh-craving monsters! With no one they can trust, Rabi and his friends will have to grab their bats to protect themselves if they want to stay alive...and maybe even save the world.

Fourmile by Key WattTwelve-year-old Foster knows in his gut that Dax, the man dating his widowed mother, is bad. Then a stranger arrives at their Alabama farm, a former Army Ranger rambling across the country, and Foster has found an ally. Dax soon has reason to resent not just him and Foster but also Foster's mother.

One Came Home by Amy TimberlakeIn the town of Placid, Wisconsin, in 1871, Georgie’s older sister Agatha runs off with a pack of "pigeoners" trailing the passenger pigeon migration. The sheriff returns to town with an unidentifiable body—wearing Agatha's blue-green ball gown—everyone assumes the worst except Georgie, who sets out on a journey to find her sister. She will track every last clue and shred of evidence to bring Agatha home.

Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg SloanWillow Chance is a genius, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a happy life until her world is changed when her parents both die in a car crash. However, this book is not a tragedy. This extraordinary girl manages to push through her grief and find a surrogate family.

Buddy by M.H.HerlongTyrone "Li'l T" Roberts meets Buddy when his family's car accidentally hits the stray dog on their way to church. Buddy turns out to be the dog Li'l T's always wished for--until Hurricane Katrina comes to New Orleans and he must leave Buddy behind. After the storm, Li'l T and his father return home to find a community struggling to rebuild their lives--and Buddy gone.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. But things start to unravel. Sal suddenly shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then she finds the first of four mysterious notes:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds NaylorWhen Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight—and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?

The Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue ParkThis book contains two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya makes two trips to the pond for water every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. By the end, the two stories intersect in an amazing way.

City of Ember by Jeanne DuprauThe city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever!

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth and the result is catastrophic. How can her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis are wiping out the coasts, earthquakes are rocking the continents, and volcanic ash is blocking out the sun?

Code Talker by Joseph BruchacThroughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war and saved countless American lives. In this fictional tale Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy, becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring.

Savvy by Ingrid LawMibs Beaumont’s savvy hits at 13—and with one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, Mibs Beaumont is eager to see what she gets. But just before the big day, Poppa is in a terrible accident. Mibs is so sure she’ll get a powerful savvy so she can save him that she sneaks a ride to the hospital on a rickety bus. After this extraordinary adventure—full of talking tattoos and a kidnapping—not a soul on board will ever be the same.

Countdown by Deborah WilesFranny Chapman just wants some peace. But that's hard to get when her best friend is feuding with her, her sister has disappeared, and her uncle is fighting an old war in his head. Her saintly younger brother is no help, and the cute boy across the street only complicates things. Worst of all, everyone is walking around just waiting for a bomb to fall.