The “Battle of the Books” is a reading incentive program in Kent’s elementary and middle schools. Students are introduced to selected books by librarians and teachers and then begin to read. Books chosen to read are from the current year’s Young Reader’s Choice and Sasquatch Award nominated book lists, ensuring students are reading quality literature.

Students in grades 4-6 comprise the elementary teams, as the reading level of books ranges from third grade through eighth. Teams are created within individual classrooms so that students can meet, touch base, and discuss the books other team members have read. Teams are encouraged to read as many of the selected books as possible. The teams then answer questions, competing to see which team best recalls information from the books.

This year every elementary school in the Kent School District took part in this reading competition. Kent’s middle schools hosted their own competitions.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WINNERS

First Place: Soos Creek: (The Book Warriors) Michael Hong, Braiden Beckman, Katelyn Weber, Sydney Qualls, Nathan Anderson

Second Place: Neely-O’Brien: (Neely-O’Brien Red Hawks) Shego Scego, Artur Nalivayko, Makoto Take, Jonah Miller, Danielle Matusalem

Third Place: Cedar Valley: (“The Looney Tunes”) Jorge Aguirre, Kayla Dawson, Alice John, Connor Maletich, Avery Parker

Tied for Fourth: (Lake Youngs and Covington Elementaries)

Lake Youngs: (Pistachios) Armin Agnish, Jarrett Areggar, Alex Betz, Nathan Shine

Covington: (The ASTs) Tiffany Brunet, Alyssa Coriell, Athena Frey, Savannah LeBlanc, Alex Sisley

Fifth Place: Ridgewood: (The Reading Ravens) Madeline Gordon, Emily Ngonevolalath, Tara Denney, Hannah Lin

MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS

First place – Meeker: Chrissi Nhan, Emily Sanford, Candace Willmore.

Second place – Mill Creek: Wailana Chan, Katie Hopper, Rania Kaur

Third place (tie) – Cedar Heights & Northwood

Cedar Heights: Devyn Honbo, Sarah Lanway, Sarah Oliphant

Northwood: Isabelle Ayers, Linda Jensen, Lesley Newcome

Fourth place – Meridian Middle School: Stein Christensen, Nick Vitalis, Brian Wright