DC Battle of the Books

2026 DCLA Battle of the Books Interest Form - Sign up to receive notifications about this year's event!

Hello DC Librarians! To help us plan a successful event, please fill out this form if your school plans on participating in this year's Battle of the Books Competition. This will also ensure you continue to receive communications about the event. 

NEW: Interest Form (Google Forms)

The BOB (Battle of the Books) is a district-wide reading motivation program based upon the current Three Stars nominated titles.  This program is sponsored by DCLA SLS (District of Columbia Library Association School Library Section).  Students in 4th-8th grades participate in this competition by simply reading the Three Stars titles listed on the DCLA SLS website and answering questions.   

DCLA SLS’s BOB mission is to encourage a culture of reading and introduce students to new and exciting titles that they might not normally read. We recognize that the in-person BOB competition is an annual event that staff and students enjoy and look forward to each year.  

Battle of the Books 2025 Winners!

Thank you to all participating students, librarians, and schools that make our DCLA Battle of the Books events possible! We hosted two successful virtual Battles this spring.  We'd like to congratulate the following Battle of the Books champions. To receive details about 2026 events, make sure you remain an active DCLA member. Hope to see you back next year! 

Upper Elementary Battle 

1^st Place: Stoddert

2^nd Place: Shepherd

3^rd Place: School-Within-School

Middle School Battle

1^st Place: Deal

2^nd Place: Eliot-Hine

3^rd Place: Deal

Is your school planning to participate in this year's Battle of the Books? You can get a head start on next year's books from the list of Three Stars Awards Nominees for 2026!

Join DCLA today and don't miss any updates on the 2026 season!

The coach from each participating school MUST be a member of DC Library Association.  If not a member, join today.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Battle of the Books Chair, Carson Everett (dclabotbchair@dcla.org) and the DCLA School Library Chair, Ashleigh Rose (school_lsc@dcla.org)

NEW! Flyers to promote 2026 BOB at your school

Coming soon...

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2026 BOOK LIST

UPPER ELEMENTARY BOOKS 

1. Fresh Start by Gale Galligan. Published: January 7, 2025.
2. Lola by Karla Arenas Valenti. Published: September 10, 2024.
3.  Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller. Published: April 22, 2025.
4. Onyx & Beyond by Amber McBride. Published: October 1, 2024. 
5. A Split Second by Janae Marks. Published: October 1, 2024.
6. A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga. Published: September 10, 2024.
7. Will’s Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Published: January 14, 2025. 
8. Your Pet’s Secret Lives: The Truth Behind Your Pet’s Wildest Behaviors by Eleanor Spicer Rice and Rob Wilson. Published: May 28, 2024. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOKS

1. All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson. Published: February 4, 2025.
2. Black Girl Power: 15 Stories Celebrating Black Girlhood by Leah Johnson. Published: November 12, 2024.
3. Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste. Published: January 27, 2026.
4. A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight over Science in Schools by Debbie Levy. Published: January 14, 2025.
5. Free Period by Ali Terese. Published: March 5, 2024.
6. Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina, Anna Elena Balbusso. Published: July 1, 2025.
7. Halfway to Somewhere by Jose Pimienta. Published: February 18, 2025.
8. Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi. Published: August 26, 2025.
9. Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef. Published: May 7, 2024. 
10. Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar. Published: April 2, 2024. 978-1338775655

Practice with Our Previous Virtual Battle of the Books Questions

DC schools can participate in a Virtual Battle of the Books through Kahoot. In partnership with Junior League of Washington, questions were designed using titles from the Three Stars Book Award nominees from their respective years in the Upper Elementary and Middle School categories. Play at home or stage a virtual or in-person battle with students!

2024 Upper Elementary Battle of the Books (80 Questions)

2024 Middle School Battle of the Books (80 Questions)

2023 Upper ES and Middle School Questions (160 questions)

2022 High School Battle of the Books (100 questions)

2022 Middle School Battle of the Books (80 questions)

2022 Upper Elementary Battle of the Books (80 questions)

2021 Middle School Battle of the Books (100 questions)

2021 Upper Elementary Battle of the Books (80 questions)