LARGO — The ticking clock didn’t faze the four members of the North Shore Elementary Novelist Knights.
Binders open, fourth-graders Mia Auld and Charlotte Johnson and fifth-graders Sylvia Ellis and Evelyn Morales whispered together, building consensus on each answer.
More often than not, they were right.
The Novelist Knights won by a comfortable 25 points, topping nine other elementary schools at the Pinellas County School District’s Battle of the Books on April 30. The other elementary finalists were the Frontier Bolts, Sutherland Wormbooks, Madeira Beach Fundamental Martin’s Mortifiers, Pasadena Fundamental Panthers, Skycrest SOAR Squad, Bauder Bibliophiles, Lakewood Tigers, Eisenhower Book Puzzlers and Northwest ALL-STAR Readers.
Lakewood High’s Literary Legion/Darth Lakewood took the high school title, and Madeira Beach Fundamental’s Novel Bunch won the middle school division.
Other high school finalists were the Gibbs Mighty Gladiatrices, Dunedin Talonted Falcons, Palm Harbor JR JiM and St. Petersburg Green Devils. Middle school finalists were the Fitzgerald Phantoms, Clearwater Fundamental Mane Character Energy, East Lake Rising Readers, Oak Grove Novel Knights, Palm Harbor Middle Big Cats, Dunedin Highlanders, Carwise Apex Readers, Meadowlawn Mayhem and Tarpon Springs We’re Booked!
The key to victory?
“I think the main thing was being the best,” Charlotte said.
“I agree with Charlotte,” Sylvia said.
Mia added: “I think reading the books, paying close attention and finding the evidence.”
The girls had reason to brag. They were the four chosen from 30 students at North Shore to represent the school against 80 others. Earlier rounds were held virtually to narrow the field.
The celebration plan? Ice cream.
The team began reading 15 books in August. When the list was cut to five in January — a mix of sci-fi, adventure and nonfiction — they read those again.
Teacher and sponsor Barbie Paetzold said the girls have different personalities but work well together.
“We would meet as part of the lunch bunch for a half hour every Monday a few weeks ahead of time,” she said. “Each would pick two books they’re experts at, and we’d talk about the books and play games. When we asked questions, they had to come up with evidence. If you think you’re right, now prove it.
“All are really bright and motivated and have different personalities, but they’re all very kind. The girls have to agree on the answer before we push the button. In qualifying, Charlotte was the button pusher, and they had the wrong answer when she pushed it. She was devastated, but Evie and the other girls said, ‘It’s OK, it’s OK, it’s just one question.’”
The Pinellas County School District has held Battle of the Books since 1999, said Bronwyn Slack, program coordinator for library media. She moved the competition to April to coincide with National School Library Month.
“Battle of the Books is enrichment,” Slack said. “We have a variety of genres, and there’s no qualifications other than being in Grades 3 to 12 and having a willingness to read and compete. We want to get them reading the books, then talking about the books.”
Other reading programs include Boys and Guys Read and Girls Advancing Literary Skills. A Literary Fair is held during Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! in January or in April as part of National School Library Month.