2. How it Works
• Read as many of the
18 books as you can
before May 3, 2011
• Take an RC test on
each book you read.
• I would also
encourage you to fill
out the journal page
on each book
• The more details in
your journals, the
more you will
remember.
3. Battle Test
• In April you should study your summary
sheets and/or reread some of the battle
books. Then each of you will take a
Qualifying Test that shows how well you
know the books and the authors.
• The top 3 students from each class will make
the Battle Team, plus an alternate.
• On May 10, 2012, we will have the school-
wide Battle and then on May 17th, 2012 we
will Battle other schools in the district at
Encino Park Elementary
4. The Strange Case of the Origami
Yoda
by Tom Angleberger
Tommy comes right out with his dilemma on page
one. “The big question: Is Origami Yoda real? . . .
It’s REALLY important for me to figure out if he’s
real. Because I’ve got to decide whether to take his
advice or not, and if I make the wrong choice, I’m
doomed!” It’s strange to think that Tommy would be
this torn up over an origami finger puppet belonging
to the school’s biggest dork. But then he starts
recounting for us the wonders of Origami Yoda’s
advice. It may not always be spot on, but it’s
certainly heads and tales more intelligent than
Dwight, the boy who created the puppet and who
voices him (poorly).
SLJ Fusenews (June 16th, 2010 )
5. The Case of the Case of the Mistaken
Identity
by Mac Barnett
If there’s one thing Steve Brixton knows about it’s
detective work. And why wouldn’t he? A fan of the great
Bailey Brothers book series, Steve is pretty confident
that in the event of a crime he’d definitely be the one to
solve it in the end. So all things considered, he’s
probably the perfect fellow to be mistaken for an evil
spy. That’s just what happens when Steve goes into his
local library to check out a book on quilting for a school
project. Next thing he knows, Steve’s discovered that all
librarians belong to a highly specialized force of
undercover agents and he has, unwittingly, pitted
himself against them. Now he has to clear his name and
find out the true villains before the librarians get their
hands on him once and for all.
SLJ Fusenews (Sept. 26, 2009)
6. Cicada Summer
by Andrea Beaty
Lily, who hasn’t spoken since the accident that killed
her brother two years ago, does nothing to contradict
the general notion that she is now brain damaged.
She finds comfort in the openhearted affection of an
elderly neighbor and in reading Nancy Drew
mysteries on the sly. After Tinny, a troubled new girl
in their small Illinois town, discovers that Lily is hiding
the fact that she can still read, Lily finds it increasingly
difficult to maintain the facade that has been her
emotional shield.
Booklist (Carolyn Phelan )
7. Masterpiece
by Elise Broach
James lives an invisible existence in a grand
apartment on the Upper East Side. His
mother, busy with her new husband and baby and
her climb up the Manhattan social ladder, has little
time for him. By contrast, Marvin, a beetle whose
overprotective, extended family resides
behind James’ mother’s kitchen, gets more
attention than he wants. The two find friendship
when James’ artist father gives him a pen-and-ink
set, and Marvin discovers his talent for “drawing,”
crafting delicate, museum-quality miniatures with
his legs. When Marvin and James find themselves
embroiled in a plot to steal a Dürer drawing from
the Metropolitan Museum, they must find creative
ways to communicate to foil the thieves and
protect the masterpiece.
Booklist (Thom Barthelmess )
8. Obi, Gerbil on the Loose
by Michael Delaney
Obi is content with her simple life in a cage—or
apartment, as she likes to think of it—cared for by her
human owner, Rachel. Then one day, Rachel's family
leaves for vacation. Tad, a neighbor, comes to feed their
many pets, but he seems to have forgotten that the
gerbil exists. Obi doesn't know how long the Armstrongs
will be gone, and she's starving. Thus begins her quest
for freedom, food, and to find out if Rachel really cared
enough to leave Tad a note to feed her. Along the way,
Obi hilariously confronts three sadistic cats, a
harebrained parrot, a menacing tarantula and snake, and
a paranoid squirrel who thinks Obi is a jailed criminal.
SLJ (November 1, 2008)
9. The Buddy Files: The Case of the Lost Boy
by Dori Hillestad Butler
This first installment in a new trilogy for early
readers introduces a dog whose first family went
away and never returned. Buddy ended up in the
pound, where he was adopted by a boy, Connor,
and his mom, who coincidently live in his old
neighborhood. Buddy, who enjoyed sleuthing with
his original owner, is now trying to solve the
mystery of his missing family, a mission he will
pursue throughout the series. First, though, he
has an immediate problem to solve: Connor has
disappeared. Buddy tries to find him, relying on
methodical reasoning and unexpected assistance
from a cat who can read.
Booklist (Kara Dean)
10. Wild Times at the Bed and Biscuit
by Joan Carris
The wildlife shelter is having some new pens built, so
veterinarian Grandpa Bender is enlisted to take in a
Canada goose with an arrow through its neck, a
muskrat with an infected foot, and a pair of orphaned
fox kits. The narrator and main character is a mini-pig
named Ernest, who tries to watch the other animals that
reside with the vet: a Vietnamese hill mynah, a Maine
coon cat, and a Scottie pup. The animals all
communicate with each other, and the bird actually
speaks to humans as well.
SLJ (January 1, 2010)
11. Eleven
by Patricia Reilly Giff
Sam is almost 11 when he discovers a locked box
in the attic above his grandfather Mack’s room,
and a piece of paper that says he was kidnapped.
There are lots of other words, but Sam has always
had trouble reading. He’s desperate to find out
who he is, and if his beloved Mack is really his
grandfather. At night he’s haunted by dreams of a
big castle and a terrifying escape on a boat. Who
can he trust to help him read the documents that
could unravel the mystery? Then he and the new
girl, Caroline, are paired up to work on a school
project, building a castle in Mack’s woodworking
shop. Caroline loves to read, and she can help.
But she’s moving soon, and the two must hurry to
discover the truth about Sam.
Kirkus reviews
12. Bird Lake Moon
by Kevin Henkes
Temporarily living with his mom at his grandparents'
home on Bird Lake, 12-year-old Mitch Sinclair's plans to
make the seemingly abandoned house next door his
own are shattered when Spencer Stone arrives with his
family. Both the Sinclairs and the Stones are in crisis—
Mitch's parents are divorcing, and Spencer's parents
are returning to the house for the first time since the
death of their son Matty, who drowned there when
Spencer was two. While each boy is deeply affected by
his family's drama, both are powerless to influence its
unfolding. Mitch, indignant at the Stoneses' intrusion,
attempts to scare them off by creating mysterious signs
that suggest a ghostly presence. Spencer observes
these signs but chooses not to share them with his
family. Eventually, the boys meet and connect
immediately, leaving Mitch resolved to set things right.
SLJ (March 1, 2008)
13. Happenstance Found
by P.W. Catanese
Happenstance Found, 12, does not remember who
he is, where he came from, or any details of his
former life. He wakes up in an underground cavern,
accompanied by a mysterious stranger who refuses
to tell him anything about his origins. The stranger
hands Hap over to personable, yet in many ways
equally mysterious, Lord Umber. Acting on the
stranger's advice, Umber invites Hap to join his
company. They immediately meet with adventure
and danger, and Hap learns that Umber is a man of
diverse talents and boundless curiosity. Umber
discovers that Hap can see in total darkness, jump
to extraordinary heights, and sense when
momentous events are about to occur. Hap is also
being pursued by a menacing figure, which he and
his companions dub "the Creep." In the final conflict
with this character, Hap's ingenuity, abilities, and
loyalty are tested.
SLJ (May 1, 2009)
14. Out of My Mind
by Sharon Draper
Born with cerebral palsy, Melody, 10, has never
spoken a word. She is a brilliant fifth grader trapped in
an uncontrollable body. Her world is enhanced by
insight and intellect, but gypped by physical
limitations and misunderstandings. She will never
sing or dance, talk on the phone, or whisper secrets
to her friends. She's not complaining, though; she's
planning and fighting the odds. In her court are family,
good neighbors, and an attentive student teacher.
Pitted against her is the "normal" world: schools with
limited resources, cliquish girls, superficial
assumptions, and her own disability. Melody's life is
tragically complicated. She is mainly placed in the
special-ed classroom where education means being
babysat in a room with replayed cartoons and nursery
tunes. Her supportive family sets her up with a
computer. She learns the strength of thumbs as she
taps on a special keyboard that finally lets her "talk.“
School Library Journal (Alison Follos)
Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
15. Comeback Kid: Safe at Home
by Mike Lupica
Nick Crandall, a seventh grader, is looking
forward to being the star catcher of his
junior varsity baseball team. However, when
the varsity team catcher is injured, Nick
must suit up behind the plate with the eighth
graders. Frustrated by Nick's presence, the
team members go to great lengths to make
the boy feel unwelcome. Nick cracks under
the pressure.
SLJ (2010)
.
16. On the Wings of Heroes
by Richard Peck
Davy Bowman learns about sacrifice and war
stamps, scrap collecting and "eight to five
orphans"—children left alone when their mothers
join the war effort by working in factories. His daily
adventures collecting for the war effort with his
best friend Scooter temper his worry over his
brother Bill's safety. Davy's father, a World War I
veteran, keeps up a strong front, but Davy
questions his ability to deal with Bill's insecure
position flying B-17s in Germany.
SLJ (July 1, 2007)
17. A Crooked Kind of Perfect
by Linda Urban
Zoe wants to play the piano more than anything in
the world and, if given a chance, believes she can
be a prodigy. But when her father comes home with
a Perfectone D-60 organ instead of a piano, Zoe
knows that her dreams of becoming a world famous
pianist are slipping away in Linda Urban’s novel
(Harcourt, 2007). The fifth grader takes this in stride
and works hard anyway, perfecting the 1970s tunes
that are in her lesson book, which leads to her
participation in the Perform-O-Rama competition
instead of playing at Carnegie Hall.
SLJ (March 21, 2008)
18. The Earth Dragon Awakes
by Laurence Yep
Chin is a young Chinese immigrant whose father
is a “houseboy” for a prominent banker and his
family. He has become friendly with young Henry
Travis, the banker’s son, through their interest in
low-brow but exciting penny dreadfuls. The stories
depict heroic people doing heroic things and,
while both boys appreciate their fathers, they
certainly do not regard them as heroes. Not, that
is, until the Earth Dragon roars into
consciousness one spring morning, tearing the
city asunder and making heroes out of otherwise
ordinary men. Yep’s research is exhaustive. He
covers all the most significant repercussions of
the event, its aftershocks, and days of devastating
fires, and peppers the story with interesting true-
to-life anecdotes.
SLJ (May 1, 2006)
19. Turtle in Paradise
by Jennifer Holm
In 1935, jobs are hard to come by, and Turtle's
mother is lucky to find work as a live-in
housekeeper. When she learns that her employer
can't stand children, she sends her 11-year-old
daughter from New Jersey to Key West to live
with relatives. Turtle discovers a startlingly
different way of life amid boisterous cousins,
Nana Philly, and buried treasure. This richly
detailed novel was inspired by Holm's great-
grandmother's stories.
SLJ (2010)
20. The Witches Guide to Cooking with Children
by Keith McGowan
A modernized version of Hansel and Gretel, with a
few creepy, cannibalistic references. Sol, 11, and
Connie, 8, move to Schoneberg with the man they
believe is their father (he is their father's twin) and
their stepmother. The children soon discover that
the neighbor's pet dog has a habit of digging up
human bones, and that "Dad" has a great motive for
wanting them gone.
SLJ(2010)
21. The Shadows
by Jacqueline West
Olive, 11, spends much of her summer exploring
her family’s new home. The previous owner of this
crumbling Victorian mansion died and left
everything in the house to the new owners. Olive
discovers a pair of spectacles that allow her to dive
in and out of the mysterious paintings that fill the
old home. Three talking cats seem to be helping
and protecting Olive, but as she begins to put more
puzzle pieces together, she realizes that she may
be in some danger and the eccentric cats are not to
be trusted.
SLJ (October 7, 2010)
.
22. It’s Time to Defend Your Castle
(aka Classroom)
• Only the best knights will
represent their castle during
the Battle of the Books
• Read as many of the Battle
Books as you can by this
spring
• Check out only one Battle
book at a time.
24. Battle of the Books Castle
• Read 5 books to enter
the Battle of the
Books castle (get
your name on the
library Battle bulletin
board).
25.
26. A Page is the First Step Toward
Knighthood
• Read 10 Battle books, pass the RC tests
and you will live in the castle as a Page!
Your knight will be moved on our jousting
field (Battle of the Books bulletin board) in
the hallway.
27. A Page becomes a Squire
• Read a total of 15 Battle books and
you will be promoted to Squire.
You’re almost there. Keep reading –
only 3 more books to go!
28. Sound the Trumpets!
• Read all 18 Battle
books and pass the
RC tests and you will
be dubbed - you are
now officially a knight!
