Aurora Borealis Charter School, Redoubt Elementary, Homer Connections and Homer High School will represent the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District in the State Battle of the Books Championships later this month. Each took top honors for their respective age group at a districtwide competition last week.

Battle of the Books is an annual celebration of reading and teamwork, the district said in a Monday press release. Each participating student, part of a team of three plus an alternate, is challenged to read 12 books before competing in a quiz-style competition where they’re asked “in which book did … ?” Students have to respond with the correct title and author to succeed.

The book lists, selected each year by the Alaska Association of School Librarians, encompass a wide variety of genres, lengths and styles. The competition, per information on the program’s website, is intended to encourage students who enjoy reading to broaden their interests, increase their comprehension and promote their academic success.

This year, high schoolers read about Alaska civil rights hero Elizabeth Peratrovich and historical fiction about the Iraq War, alongside a supernatural romance novel, Ernest Hemingway’s “Old Man and the Sea” and science fiction novels. Similar eclectic gatherings of notable texts were chosen for younger students.

Schools from across the district competed earlier this month, but it was the third and fourth grade team at Aurora Borealis; the fifth and sixth grade team from Redoubt Elementary; the middle school team from Homer Connections; and the high school team from Homer High School who earned the opportunity to represent the district in the state competition.

“We are immensely proud of all the students who participated in this year’s Battle of the Books,” Julie Gottfried, districtwide librarian, said in the release. “Their hard work, commitment, and love of reading were truly inspiring. The level of competition was exceptional, and it’s a testament to the strong reading programs we have in our schools and the support of our dedicated teachers and librarians.”

State competitions will be held Feb. 24-27, with high school teams battling Monday, middle schools battling Tuesday, fifth and sixth graders battling Wednesday and third and fourth graders battling Thursday.

“We wish these talented readers the very best of luck at the state competition,” Gottfried said. “They have already made our district incredibly proud, and we know they will represent us well. We are excited to see them shine on the state stage.”

For more information, find “Kenai Peninsula Borough School District” on Facebook.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.