Team members from the Marilla Free Library took the Gold Medal at the Battle of the Books competition on Saturday. The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System sponsored the 14th annual Battle of the Books event which brought 500 spectators rooting for their library teams to the South Campus of Erie Community College.
In total 33 teams, representing 17 different Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries, showed their quick wit by answering challenging trivia questions from five pre-selected books they read. Teams comprised of kids entering grades six through nine spent many months in study sessions to prepare for the Battle competition.
Marilla Free Library’s Team # 1 took first place and Clarence Public Library Team #1 took second place. Marilla’s team members were: Kirsti Aylor, Katie Blair, Kimberly Buehlmann, Julia Hartloff, Christian Huels, David Owczarczak, Karson Reumann and Kayla Reumann. Coaches were Cathryn Urquhart and Marilla Library Director Shannon Jakubowski. Assistant coaches were Kaiti Aylor, Brett Christensen, Michael Green and Marina Huel.
Second place finishers from Clarence Team #1 were coached by librarian David Fairlie and his wife Donna. Members were: Russel Bassarath, Abigail Buckley, Sarah Cahlstadt, Emma Cremean, Emily Ford, Erin Gregoire and Jarod Yap.
This year’s books were: Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham- the kids choice selection, Peeled by Joan Bauer, No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko, Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood and Death Cloud by Andrew Lane.
Participating teams represented the following Libraries:
Amherst Public Libraries
Aurora Town Public Library
Boston Free Library
Cheektowaga Public Libraries
City of Tonawanda Public Library
Clarence Public Library
Concord Public Library
Eden Library
Elma Public Library
Grand Island Memorial Library
Hamburg Public Library
Lackawanna Public Library
Lancaster Public Library
Marilla Free Library
Newstead Public Library
North Collins Public Library
Orchard Park Public Library
Town of Tonawanda Public Libraries
West Seneca Public Library
Battle of the Books is just one of the many Summer Reading initiatives for the entire community. For more information about all of the free library services, materials, programs and events, visit your neighborhood Buffalo & Erie County Public Library or our website at: www.BuffaloLib.org, Follow us on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/buffalolibrary.central#! .