Global Reading Challenge

Promoting Reading & World Culture

The Global Reading Challenge is a Battle of the Books program sponsored by the Kalamazoo Public Library. The Challenge promotes the reading of fiction and nonfiction that celebrate the world’s diverse community. The Global Reading Challenge is limited to 4th- and 5th-grade classes within the Kalamazoo Public Library District.

2026 Champions Winchell Bookworms!

Global Reading Challenge Objectives

• To promote the love of reading (and have fun)
• To promote the use of public libraries as neighborhood and community resource centers
• To introduce children to a wide variety of literature and multicultural reading materials (and have fun)
• To provide a recreational outlet for readers
• To encourage children to participate in a group activity (and have fun)
• To encourage children to read for retention
• To provide positive experiences between children, librarians, teachers, and parents (and have fun)
• To form partnership with local schools and businesses, and strengthen community ties
• To build confidence and integrity in young readers (and have fun)
• To participate in a public library activity that promotes reading as a pleasurable lifelong experience.

2026 Challenge

Branch Challenge Schedule

• Monday, March 16 at 6:30 pm: Eastwood Branch Challenge-Parkwood-Upjohn Crazy Clownfish, Spring Valley Jesus Saves, Northeastern The OG’s
• Tuesday, March 17 at 6:30 pm: Oshtemo Branch Challenge-Arcadia King and the Butterflies, Kazoo School The Wild Books, King-Westwood Team Nacho
• Tuesday, March 17 at 6:30 pm: Powell Branch Challenge-Lincoln Reading Raiders, Northglade Reading Racoons, Woodward Minions
• Wednesday, March 18 at 6:30 pm: Washington Square Branch Challenge-Edison The Astro Goats, Milwood Book broz, Washington The Royale Bees
• Thursday, March 19 at 6:30 pm: Central Library Challenge-El Sol Sunny Pageturners, Winchell Bookworms, Woods Lake Woods Lake Readers, Prairie Ridge Reader, Writer, Book Fighters

Final District Challenge

Monday, March 23 at 6:30 pm, Central Library (advancing teams from each Branch Challenge)

Parkwood Upjohn Crazy Clownfish, King-Westwood Team Nacho, Woodward Minions, Milwood Book broz, and Winchell Bookworms

History

In the late 1930s two Chicago school librarians developed a program to test young readers’ knowledge of good literature. The program reached thousands of Chicago school children and was quickly turned into a weekly radio quiz program known as The Battle of the Books. Questions about characters, plots, and settings were answered by teams representing public elementary schools. Answers were usually the titles of well-known fiction books and biographies.

How it Works

Ten books are selected each year by Kalamazoo children’s librarians, especially suited to the reading interests of their young readers. A wide range of reading levels is represented by selected books so all students can participate in the Challenge. Questions are based on specific factual and content information found within the 10 selected books.

2026 GRC Titles (Announced on November 1, 2025):

• Mac Undercover (Mac B., Kid Spy series) by Mac Barnett
• Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
• The Eyes and the Impossible by David Eggers
• Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott
• Gigi Shin is Not a Nerd by Lyla Lee
• Finn and Ezra’s Bar Mitzvah Time Loop by Joshua S. Levy
• Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn
• Gracie Under the Waves by Linda Sue Park
• Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom by Matthew A. Swanson & Robbi Behr
• Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable

See the 2026 Global Reading Challenge Titles in our Collection

Download the Teacher and Coach Guide for the Global Reading Challenge 2026

Learn More

For more information about the Global Reading Challenge at Kalamazoo Public Library, please contact the KPL Youth Literacy Specialist at [email protected] or call (269) 553-7885.