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Battle of the Books 2025

Are you ready to read 4th and 5th graders? Here are the 16 extraordinary books chosen for our 44th annual BOB competition!

Glenview Public Library

16 items

  • Follow Resilience, a Mars rover who develops human-like emotions as he prepares for his mission to the Red Planet. Through Resilience's adventures and challenges on Mars, as well as letters from a young girl on Earth, readers explore…
    BookNew York : Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022. — jFICTION WARGA, J.
  • In this exciting mystery, three middle schoolers compete for a big scholarship by solving clues around Chicago. While working together, they uncover a surprising twist and learn that the competition is not what it seems.
    BookLos Angeles : Disney/Hyperion, 2018. — jFICTION ECTON, E.
  • Fourth-grader Amy Anne starts a secret library of banned books in her school locker when her favorite story is removed from the library shelves. As Amy Anne fights against censorship, she discovers her own voice and the power of standing…
    BookNew York : Starscape, 2017. — jPBK GRATZ, A.
  • Ben Yokoyama takes a fortune cookie's advice to "live each day as if it were your last" very seriously. Thinking he only has one day left to live, the eight-year-old creates a bucket list and goes on a hilarious adventure trying to…
    BookNew York : Alfred A. Knopf, [2021] — jFICTION SWANSON, M.
  • Three-legged Chance is the perfect narrator and guide to Dogtown, a shelter that houses both warm-blooded and robot dogs waiting to be adopted. When a new arrival, a misfit dog with a mysterious past, joins them, they head out on a…
    BookNew York : Feiwel and Friends, 2023. — jFICTION APPLEGATE, K.
  • A hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother, and growing up.
    BookSomerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2024. — jFICTION DICAMILLO, K.
  • Enjoy the adventure as P.T. Wilkie and his friend Gloria come up with inventive schemes to save his family's struggling motel (the world's wackiest) from financial ruin. Their efforts lead to hilarious situations and uncover a surprising…
    BookNew York : Random House, [2016] — jFICTION GRABENSTEIN, C.
  • Follow Judi Wilson and her high school teammates as they form their school's first girls' basketball team in 1975, facing numerous challenges and inequalities compared to the boys' team. Inspired by true events!
    Graphic NovelSomerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2023. — jGRAPHIC TAVARES, M.
  • Five middle school students from different Latin American backgrounds are forced to work together on a community service project. As they help a homeless family, they learn to look past stereotypes and discover they have more in common…
    Graphic NovelNew York, NY : Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022. — jGRAPHIC GONZALEZ, C.
  • Just a Girl

    a True Story of World War II

    Levi, Lia, 1931-
    A true story about a Jewish girl growing up in Italy during World War II. Lia faces many changes and challenges as her family moves from place to place, but she remains brave and hopeful throughout her experiences.
    BookNew York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022. — j 940.5318 LEV
  • A true story, told in verse, about a boy named Ken who escapes the bombings in London during World War II by boarding a ship to Canada. When the ship is hit by a torpedo, Ken and others must survive in a lifeboat with little food and…
    BookNew York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, [2018] — jPBK HOOD, S.
  • Portico Reeves, a young boy with a secret identity as Stuntboy, navigates the challenges of his parents' separation and bullying at school. Using his alter ego to protect those around him, Portico discovers the true meaning of bravery and…
    BookNew York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, [2021] — jFICTION REYNOLDS, J.
  • Follow Johannes, a free-spirited dog who serves as the "Eyes" of an urban park, observing and reporting to the park's elders. When human developments threaten the park's balance, Johannes embarks on a heroic adventure with his animal…
    BookNew York : Alfred A. Knopf, [2023] — jBKD EGGERS, D.
  • This exciting graphic novel tells the story of two kids trying to escape the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Through colorful illustrations and an action-packed plot, readers will learn important facts about this historical disaster while…
    Graphic NovelNew York : First Second, 2020. — j 977.311 HAN
  • Join in on the excitement as a brother and sister compete to see who can sell the most lemonade before school starts! As Evan and Jessie try to outsell each other, they learn important lessons about business, math, and getting along with…
    BookBoston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007. — jFICTION DAVIES, J.
  • Embark on a fantastical journey with twins Alex and Connor as they tumble into a magical book and find themselves in a realm where fairy tales come to life. Join them on their thrilling adventure to gather special items needed for a spell…
    BookNew York : Little, Brown and Company, 2012. — jPBK COLFER, C.