The annual Atchison County Mark Twain Battle of the Books is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. Friday, March 24, 2023, at the Tarkio Resource Center. This fun event is for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in Atchison County who attend one of the area schools or are home-schooled.

The event is based on the Missouri School Librarians’ 12 Mark Twain book selections of 2023. The teams are comprised of three or four students each and there are usually between nine and 12 teams participating. Most students read at least four of the books although many read all 12. The students pick their teammates and decide on a team name. Extra copies of the Mark Twain book selections are in the school libraries and the three Atchison County branch libraries in Rock Port, Tarkio, and Fairfax.

Pizza is served to the students at the event before the competition begins. Prizes and awards are handed out at the end of the event. Parents and grandparents are invited to attend. For more information, contact your school library or call Betsy at 816-244-7558.

This year’s books are: A Wish in the Dark, City Spies, Coop Knows the Scoop, Millionaires of the Month, Raising Lumi, The Blackbird Girls, The Elephant’s Girl, The Incredible Dead Pets of Rex Dexter, War Stories, When Stars are Scattered, Wink, and Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor.