The purpose of the Battle of the Books program is to encourage reading for students. Students are exposed to quality literature representing a variety of literary styles and viewpoints by prominent authors in the area of children's literature. The game format creates interest and excitement in reading. Through the fun and excitement of the competition, students improve reading skills, mature in their choices of reading materials, and acquire a broader knowledge base.

Battle of the Books is a competition where students read 15 fiction novels and then work together to answer questions on specific details relating to the plot, settings, characters, and events in these titles. Members of a chosen team compete at the local level competition. Teams may have up to twelve members. Students sign up in early fall to be on the team. Each student is given a list with the books in the competition and the author's name for each book. The students will read all 15 books before the event and attend practice sessions. If a student falls behind on the reading of these books, the student may be disqualified from the team.