Battle of the Books in Burlington Builds More Than Competition

By: Sydney Alexandra, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Burlington Local-News.ca

 

The library was anything but quiet on April 23. Four teams of elementary school students gathered, huddling together between questions, flipping through mental pages as they put their knowledge to the test. They were there for the Battle of the Books, a team-based reading competition where students answer trivia questions drawn from a curated book list. But beyond the competition, educators say the program is designed to do something more lasting: build a genuine love of reading.

 

According to Isabella Longo of St. Anne Catholic Elementary School, the variety of books plays a key role. “They [the students] love the non-fiction novels. It’s great that there is a little bit of every genre — it gives them the opportunity to explore different genres,” she said.

 

That sense of ownership and curiosity is something teachers see firsthand. Kim Madden, teacher of the winning junior team from John W. Boich Public School, emphasized that students drive the experience.

 

    

    Left to right: Competing students on the junior teams from John W. Boich and St. Anne’s deliberate their answers.

 

“There’s a lot of camaraderie,” Madden said. “I love that these kids love to read and that they’re able to retain so much information. We’ve been practising, and the kids are the ones who make up the questions. They are very eager, and we follow their lead.”

 

The program, which has been running since the mid-1980s, continues to draw strong participation from local schools. This year’s competitors included junior teams from John W. Boich and St. Anne, and senior teams from Charles R. Beaudoin Public School and Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Elementary School. While John W. Boich and Charles R. Beaudoin took home top honours, the energy in the room suggested something bigger than winning.

 

“Everyone who reads is a winner,” Burlington Public Library’s Chief Executive Officer Lita Barrie said with a smile, pausing as cheers erupted around her. “To see the collective excitement from the students, teachers, and family members who invested the time, care, and energy to prepare, it’s incredible. I mean, listen to that cheer of enthusiasm.”

 

For Barrie, programs like Battle of the Books offer an important alternative space for students to thrive.

 

“For a child who may not be involved in a sports-based setting and is more interested in creative or academic pursuits, this gives them the opportunity to build teamwork skills in something they already love,” she said.

 

    

    “To hear that cheer of enthusiasm, today was a good reason to shout in the library,” says Lita Barrie, chief executive officer of Burlington Public Library.

 

Beyond literacy, Barrie sees the program as part of a larger mission to build empathy and community through reading.

 

“We want to help people get out of their comfort zones,” she said. “So much of our perspective is shaped by our own interests, and in a digital world, that can sometimes narrow our focus. Reading allows us to explore different lived experiences, and that’s a learned skill. Libraries play a very important role in fostering and developing that.”

 

While only two teams claimed victory, the real success of Battle of the Books lies beyond the scoreboard. In a space where enthusiasm for reading is celebrated, students don’t just compete; they’re also discovering new ideas, new perspectives, and, in many cases, a lasting love of books.

 

The Regional Battle of the Books Championship takes place at the Milton Public Library on Thursday, May 7.