VA Peninsula Battle of the Books Grades 4-5

Battle of the Books is a book-based, Jeopardy-style trivia competition played by local and regional school teams. Librarians select 12 great books each for grades 4–5 and ­6–8. Public and private schools and homeschool groups form teams in the fall or winter to practice for competitions; the winners from each region then compete at WRL for the glory of the regional championship trophy.

The participating regions are Williamsburg/James City County, York County, Newport News, Hampton, and Poquoson.

Updated January 8, 2025
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The forgotten girl
Brown, India Hill
Paper Book
"This ghost story gave me chill after chill. It will haunt you." -- R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps "Do you know what it feels like to be forgotten?" On a cold winter night, Iris and her best friend, Daniel, sneak into a clearing in the woods to play in the freshly...
The wild robot
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
Now a DreamWorks movie available on Prime Video! This #1 New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from a Caldecott Honor winner tells an extraordinary story full of action and thought-provoking questions as a robot learns to survive--and...
The Mona Lisa vanishes : a legendary painter, a shocking heist, and the birth of a global celebrity
Day, Nick
Paper Book
A "witty thriller" (The New York Times) for middle-grade readers about how the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, how the robbery made the portrait the most famous artwork in the world--and how the painting by Leonardo da Vinci should never have existed at all. ...
Lo & behold
Mass, Wendy
Paper Book
Can a virtual reality headset help change the way twelve-year-old Addie looks at things? Introducing an unforgettable graphic novel about connection, friendship, and the wonder all around us from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Mass and debut illustrator Gabi Mendez.<...
Prairie lotus
Park, Linda Sue
Paper Book
Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered novel about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father's shop, and making at least one friend. Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian...
Framed!
Ponti, James
Paper Book
Get to know the only kid on the FBI Director's speed dial and several international criminals' most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All Small Things in this hilarious start to a brand-new middle grade mystery series. So you're only halfway through your homework and the...
Pay attention, Carter Jones
Schmidt, Gary D.
Paper Book
Bestselling author Gary D. Schmidt tells a coming-of-age story with the light touch of The Wednesday Wars, the heart of Okay for Now, and the unique presence of a wise and witty butler. Carter Jones is astonished early one morning when he finds a real English butler,...
Always, Clementine
Sorosiak, Carlie
Paper Book
From the author of I, Cosmo comes a humor-filled, heart-tugging tale of a genius mouse, secretly freed from a lab, who's in search of a real home--and a way to free her old friends. Clementine is different from other mice: she can calculate the speed of light and she...
Roll with it
Sumner, Jamie
Paper Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 "A big-hearted story that's as sweet as it is awesome." --R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder In the tradition of Wonder and Out of My Mind, this big-hearted middle grade debut tells the...
One crazy summer
Williams-Garcia, Rita.
Paper Book
Eleven-year-old Delphine has it together. Even though her mother, Cecile, abandoned her and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, seven years ago. Even though her father and Big Ma will send them from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to stay with Cecile for the summer. And even...

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