Best Books

Edmonds District Battle Champions from Sherwood: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012

Most best books are available in the library.  The online quiz is active.  Complete 2 quizzes to have a mini-poster of your best book accomplishments hanging in the library!


Best Book FAQs

What is Best Books?
Best Books is program developed each year by Librarians throughout the Edmonds School District. The list of books is a combination of the Pacific Northwest Young Reader’s Choice, Junior Division (YRC) list and the WLMA Sasquatch Award list. It contains about 20 books, of varied genre, for students in grades 4-6. The district librarians develop lessons (taught as stations) like: reader’s theater, setting, character development, listening, bookmarks, letter writing, author web research, and more. They also write questions for testing students on these books, and produce a district-wide “Battle of the Best Books” competition. Students are challenged to read as many best books as possible during the year. The program ends in early June. A list of the current best books is listed below.
What happens when a student completes a book?
Students come to the library, during recess, for a short 3-4-question discussion/quiz (I just check to see if they read the book). They also have the option of completing a summary online (link toward top of the page).  Students who read 15 or more books are invited to a pizza lunch in the library in June.
Is there a class competition?
Yes, all the books read by a class are added together. Standings are posted in the Library and below on this page. The class with the most books read gets an extra recess.
What is the Battle of the Best Books?
The battle is a yearly district-wide competition. Each participating school sends two – 4 member teams to compete. Teams are given several rounds of questions about the Best Books. The team with the most points at the end of the competition wins.
How are teams formed?
Teams consist of up to 4 students. They can be in grades 4-6 and in any classroom. Students have learned that the better teams include a diversity of members. All of the past Sherwood teams have included boys and girls. Students develop teams on their own.
How are the Sherwood team’s selected to compete at the District level?
There is a school competition held a few weeks prior to the district event during the lunch hour in the library. The top 2 teams advance to the district competition.

2018 Best Book Challenge Leader Board 

Mindt
 57
Hanson
 52
Alderson
 45
Wildenhaus
 44
Chase
 42
Gibson
 38
Hopper
 35
updated 5/18/2018, 1 pm
2017 Winner: Gibson ( 137 books) / 2017 School Total: ### books
2016 Winner: Mindt (153 books) / 2016 School Total: 448 books
2015 Winner: Alderson (132 books) / 2015 School Total: 533 books
2014 Winner: Morgan (257 books) / 2014 School Total: 1079 books
2013 Winner: Mindt (256 books) / 2013 School Total: 910 books
2012 Winner: Bogert (92 books) / 2012 School Total: 299 books
2011 Winner: Alderson (257 books)  / 2011 School Total: 880 books

2018 Nominees
2018 Best Book Bookmark <LINK> (3 per page, print at home, cut in fourths, share with friends!)
Title
Author
Awkward (Video 1) (Video 2) (Video 3)
Blackthorn Key, The (Video 1) (Video 2)
Book Scavenger, The (Video 1) (Video 2)
Roller Girl (Video 1) (Video 2) (Video 3)
Shadows of Sherwood (Video 1) (Video 2)
Took (Video 1) (Video 2) (Video 3)
Mary Hahn (Author Bio)
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer (Video)
War That Saved My Life, The (Video 1)(Video 2)
Way Home Looks Now, The
NOTE:  Most linked videos are on YouTube and may not accessible at school due to filtering. Please use caution when accessing from home.


2017 Nominees
2017 Best Book Bookmark (4 per page, print at home, cut in fourths, share with friends!)
Title
Author
NOTE:  Most linked videos are on YouTube and may not accessible at school due to filtering. Please use caution when accessing from home.

2016 Nominees
2016 Best Book Bookmark (3 per page, print at home, cut in thirds, share with friends!)
Title
Author
Great Trouble, The (A Mystery of London)
Jinx <Video>
Harrell, Rob
NOTE:  Most linked videos are on YouTube and not accessible at school due to filtering. Please use caution when accessing from home.

2015 Nominees

Title
Author
Fake Mustache   (Video)
Berlin, Eric
Adventures of Beanboy (Video)
Wonder (Video)
Palacio, R.J.
Red Thread Sisters (Video)
Peacock, Carol Antionette
Shadow on the Mountain (Video)
Preus, Margi
Deadweather and Sunrise (Video)
Rodkey, Geoff (Video)
Lincoln’s Grave Robbers (Video) (Video 2)
Sheinkin, Steve 
Grave Robber’s Apprentice (Video)
Stratton, Allan (Video)
Three Times Lucky (Video) (Video 2)
Turnage, Sheila
Ungifted (Video) (Video 2)
Korman, Gordon
One and Only Ivan (Video)
Applegate, Katherine
Chomp (Video)
Hiaasen, Carl
Starry River of the Sky (Video)
Lin, Grace (Video)
Who Could That Be at This Hour? (Video)
Snicket, Lemony
Fairest of All (Video) (Video 2)
Mlynowski, Sarah
NOTE:  Many linked videos are on youtube and not accessible at school due to filtering. Please use caution when accessing from home.
2015: Best Book Bookmark (3 per page, print at home, cut in thirds, share with friends!)