Battle of the Books

What is Battle of the Books?

Battle of the Books is an annual literacy event hosted by Oakville Public Library among Oakville elementary schools. Through book trivia, children in grades 3-8 challenge each other’s knowledge of reading knowledge for the title of champion. Oakville Public Library has been hosting this event for over 30 years, engaging students, teachers, and parent volunteers in the love of reading.

How does it work?

A Battle Round consist of multiple book trivia questions within a set of categories, such as Award Winners, Classics, Graphic Novels, and more.

This year, OPL will be using a hybrid model. In the initial Classroom Battle, team leaders will be sent a link to a set of trivia questions that can be completed at school. The questions will be timed, and teams will be ranked based on correct answer and speed of answer. The top teams from the Junior & Senior leagues will go on to compete in the Grand Battle at Oakville Public Library. These teams will compete head-to-head for the title of Champion in each age group.

How do I register?

Principals, teachers, and school librarians from Oakville Catholic, public, and independent schools can register a team through our online form.

Each school can register a maximum of two teams, in the age categories: Junior (grades 3-5) and Senior (grades 6-8).

Teams can consist of a maximum 6 students and 1 teacher/librarian.

How do teams prepare?

Read. Read. Read.

Team leaders, watch out for the author list posted to this site in early 2024. All battle round questions will be derived from books written by author on our Author List. Specific book titles are not provided.

When does Battle of the Books happen?

Battle of the Books will run in April 2024, with specific dates confirmed with registered teams. The Classroom Battles will occur in early April, with the Grand Battle occurring in late April.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

I am a parent; can I register a team?
No, registrations from parents or volunteers will not be accepted.

Do other library systems offer Battle of the Books?
Yes! Milton, Burlington, and Halton Hills Public Libraries all offer Battle of the Books. Check your local library for more details.

Why is OPL moving to a hybrid model?
We love Battle of the Books and want the event to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. Holding an in-person Battle of the Books poses a variety of capacity limitations, which restricts how many schools and teams can participate. With a hybrid model, every school in Oakville can participate. In addition, barriers to in-person participation such as transportation and adequate chaperones are eliminated. Plus, Grand Battle is still in-person at the library! It’s the best of both worlds.

Author Lists 

Senior Authors List