The Gruffalo versus Fluffy McWhiskers. Pete the Cat versus Mo Willems’ Pigeon. I Need A Hug versus Ruby Finds A Worry. Things are really heating up in Canterbury Elementary kindergarten classrooms.The Battle of the Books, launched by teachers Andrea Briggs and Lisa Stewart during March Madness, was designed to capture the joy of reading with friendly competition. Students and their families were asked to recommend some of their favorite books from home, which were then paired off into categories, such as animal books, silly books, books about magical creatures, books about physical appearance, or books about feelings.

Each teacher would then read two books to their classes, who would vote for their favorite using a secret ballot. The winning book of each pair moved forward to the next round, just like in March Madness basketball games. As the classes moved through to the next round, they summarized each winner and continued to pick their favorite until there was one book remaining.

To add more fun and excitement to the project, parents and family members were invited as Mystery Readers. Before arriving, they answered questions about themselves, such as their favorite color, food, and how many children they have. Parents were always asked to include something that would reveal to their child who they were. “I loved seeing the kids’ faces light up when they realized their parent was the Mystery Reader,” said Ms. Briggs.As the children returned home and shared the fun of their day, more and more parents reached out to participate. The project will now last at least through the end of April.

In an interesting twist, Ms. Briggs’ class and Ms. Stewart’s class frequently chose the opposite books during the first round. Their favorites have lined up more closely as they moved through to the final rounds. Both teachers would love to be able to provide each child with a copy of the winning book before they go home for summer vacation should such an opportunity arise.

In addition to enjoying new stories, the students have learned multiple lessons, from tallying votes, dealing with a tie, and handling disappointment. “Sometimes someone is disappointed if the book they brought in doesn’t win, but we’ve had good conversations about how everyone has different opinions and there is no right or wrong answer,” said Ms. Briggs.

Perhaps the best lesson is how many great books there are out there.