Kids compete in summer reading competition

Four teams join Battle of Books, remember trivia
By Maria Herrera South Florida Sun-Sentinel
August 3, 2008

Olivia Lowrey consulted each of her teammates, scribbled the answer on a marker board and flipped it over for the judges to see.

Books Busters — consisting of Lowrey, 12, Khallid Carter, 11, and Vitnelson Saintfleur, 14 — had just scored another point.

The team was one of four to participate in the first Palm Beach County Library Battle of the Books on Saturday at the Main Library west of West Palm Beach.

The program was part of an effort to keep children reading during the summer months, Palm Beach County Library Outreach Services Manager Wendy Rosenfeld said.

"They didn't know each other when the program began," she said. "So it's also a way to create new friends."

More than 35 children participated in the program at library branches throughout the county. In the end, four teams — Book Busters, Purple Pen People, Insert Name Here and Team Southwest County — battled each other in three rounds, answering questions about three books they read in the past eight weeks.

The books were Running Out of Time, The View from Saturday and Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key."

From the titles, you wouldn't think they were interesting books," said Lowrey, of Lake Worth. "But they taught me not to judge a book by its cover."

Lowrey, whose team went on to win the competition, said she and her teammates already have plans to read more books."

Bigger books," added Carter, "with pages in the thousands."

While the children competed, parents watched with T-shirts and banners matching those of the teams. Carter's mother, Debra, watched and rooted for her son.

"They were readers already. You almost have to be a reader to enjoy something like this," Debra Carter said. "But it showed them there are other kids who are readers, too."

Maria Herrera can be reached at meherrera@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6544.