Battle of the Books report

Six- and seventh- graders from Rappahannock County Elementary School last month traveled to compete in the annual Battle of the Books, a competition that readers in those grades began competing in last year, trying to read 20 books in a few months and then participate in a challenge against 12 other schools.

In all nine joined: Morgan Flanagan, Virginia Wyatt, Mahlet Yonas-yirgu, Gabriel Hernandez, Bridget Daly, Haley Streigtiff, Tatyana Yates, Cydney Chambers and I. By the time of the competition four people had completed reading all of the books. The team that would be traveling to Floyd T. Binns Middle School consisted of those four with three alternates, who switched in and out to fill out the five required team members.

We left right after school to go and eat before it started. When we arrived, five of us, along with the competitors from the other schools, individually took a 50-question multiplechoice test on all of the books. Then we competed against five other schools separately in five rounds, in which each school had to answer 10 questions as a group. Missing a question would lower your school's score and the other team would have the chance to answer that question for bonus points. After that, we headed towards the gym where we were told 10 quotes and required to identify the book they came from.

When all was finished, the scores were shown, and we came in sixth out of the 12 schools. Considering our school hasn't been involved with this for many years, this is great, and we expect better next year! Keep on reading, Rappahannock!