Local Kids to Compete for Top Spot at KCLS Global Reading Challenge

Two groups of local kids have made it to the final round of King County Library System's Global Reading Challenge, to be held tomorrow in Issaquah.

A team of fourth and fifth graders from Lake Washington School District's  in Sammamish won the title of North Regional Champions. Meanwhile, the "Lightning Readers," a team of fourth graders from the Issaquah School District's Grand Ridge Elementary, in Issaquah, answered more questions correctly than the other two Bellevue and Mercer Island teams to win their Regional Challenge.

The two schools will face each other and two other regional teams in the Grand Challenge.

According to KCLS, teams advanced to this round of the challenge after participating in a quiz bowl based on ten books given to the school by the youth librarians from the King County Library System. The Grand Challenge takes place tomorrow, Friday, March 23, at 10 a.m. at the KCLS Service Center, 960 Newport Way NW in Issaquah.

Grand Challenge winners will take back to their school a trophy and a gold medal neck drape for each team member. David Patneaude, author of Thin Wood Walls will be the featured author at the Grand Challenge. 

The Global Reading Challenge program is modeled after the popular “Battle of the Books”. In 2001, the first Global Challenge in King County was initiated with two schools and 42 students. This year the program includes 53 schools and over 1900 students, and has generated enormous enthusiasm among participants as well as their parents, peers, and teachers, by creating an opportunity to foster and express a love of books and reading across all reading levels.

The event is sponsored by the King County Library System and the King County Library System Foundation with funding by the Stocker Foundation.