Grade 5 and 6 students from Estevan’s six elementary schools gathered at Westview School Friday morning for the Battle of the Books, hosted by the Estevan Area Literacy Group.
Nineteen teams were entered. They had to read a selection of books prior to the competition, and then they were asked questions from those novels by literacy group co-ordinator Regina Barz. They were awarded points for correct answers.
The Home Run Readers from Pleasantdale School were the winners, as they collected 43 of a possible 50 points. Team members were Sadie Aspinall, Rowyn Siever, Lily Salamon and Miley Granberg.
Westview’s Reading Zombies, with Jordy Colemen, Khzir Syed, CC McCaskill and Alexis Patron, finished second with 40 points. Another Pleasantdale team, the Cozy Readers, were third with 39 points. Members were Jade Bedore, Gaby Gedak, Graidan Irwin and Skylynn Macaskill.
The best team name was Spruce Ridge School’s Ghost Bookers, with Mya Brandon, Madison Holtz, Emily Sauder and Kara Groshong. Another Spruce Ridge team, the Book Bakers, won for best banner. Members were Bailey Elliott, Camryn Johnson, Kerison Burnett and Wynter Michel.

The best outfit award went to the Reading Pineapples, with Kora Dowhanuik, Rachel Duncan, Mykenna Driedger and Abigail Fowler. They are from Pleasantdale School.
Barz said the students dedicated a lot of time to reading the books in advance, and they also had some great costumes.
The event had funding from the United Way Estevan and Saskatchewan Lotteries.
Next week’s edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.