Over 800 individuals participated in the Battle of the Books hosted by the partners of the Miami Dade Grade Level Reading Campaign in July. After preparing for more than a month by visiting StayHome.Miami and reading the assigned books, families and children joined the reading competition by logging in from home or summer camps across Miami-Dade County. Children from all across the county then battled it out in the biggest competition of the summer.
Kindergarteners and first graders read Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons while enjoying fun interactive activities. Second and third graders used a digital competition platform to battle over their knowledge of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library and Zoey and Sasafrass: Dragons and Marshmallows. Special guests such as former Miami Heat player and three-time NBA champion James Jones, President and CEO Jim Haj of The Children’s Trust, and other VIPs signed on to cheer the competitors on. The children also enjoyed performances from Young Talent Big Dream competition winners and many took home pizza parties, goody bags and vouchers for a Miami Hurricanes sporting event.
This year’s competition may have ended, but the joys of reading continue on throughout the summer. Visit mdpls.org to see everything the Miami-Dade Public Library System offers both in-person and online and don’t forget to register your youngest “readers” (0-5 years old) for The Children’s Trust Book Club, where they will receive a free book every month through the mail – sign up by texting “READ” to 786.460.CLUB (2582).