The 20th Annual Battle of the Books online included 140 competitors in grades four to six from 33 schools in Santa Barbara County.
Co-champions — the Masters of the Books and the Lightning Readers — received Battle of the Books t-shirts and a book to read for next year’s competition. Third-place team The Dragon Readers fought hard, forcing the contest into overtime
Camila Muñoz Cervantes, a student at Miller School in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, was one of several competitors who received special recognition for reading all 28 of the books on the Battle List. Cervantes, who has a visual impairment, read all of the books in Braille or via audiobook.
The 2021 contest included six rounds in which the students answered multiple-choice questions and identified book quotes. Guest author Alexis O’Neill read the questions in the final round.
Throughout the year, students, with the support of coaches and parents, read as many of the titles as possible, preparing to answer questions in competitions. Students from different schools are assigned to a team during the event, allowing each participant to make new friends, collaborate under pressure, and practice teamwork.
“We would like to commend our participants for their perseverance and preparation for this exciting competition,” said Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido. “The students demonstrated exceptional teamwork and collaboration during this literary battle.
“We’re grateful for access to technology to continue the rich history of this literary competition online.”