By Ashley Bressingham and Deb Gaffey, Trove staff.

Your Westchester librarians are avidly working to pick amazing books for the Battle of the Books trivia competition for the fourth to sixth grade teams! Deb and I have picked some of our favorites from the nominations and these are all available in either audio or eBook format through the Westchester Library System.

Save Me a Seat by Gita Varadarajan and Sarah Weeks
Hoopla: Audio
Overdrive: eBook
Ravi has just moved to America from India and is entering the fifth grade in the town where Joe has lived all of his life. When they first meet, they think they have nothing in common, but soon discover they share a common enemy – the school bully. Joe and Ravi tell the story in alternating chapters as they each try to take control of their lives.

New Kid by Jerry Craft
Hoopla: Audio and eBook
OverDrive: Audio and eBook
This graphic novel won the 2020 Newbery Award. Not only is Jordan Banks the new kid in the seventh grade at a fancy private school, he is also one of the few students of color. Jordan struggles with trying to fit in at his new school, while still trying to keep his neighborhood friends and stay true to himself.

Holes by Louis Sachar
OverDrive: Audio and eBook
Stanley Yelnats is falsely accused of stealing and sent to Camp Green Lake, a boys’ detention center. Why does the warden make the boys spend their days digging holes? Stanley suspects there is something suspicious going on, and is determined to get to the truth.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
OverDrive: Audio and eBook
Ada, a young disabled girl and her brother, Jamie, are evacuated from London to the English countryside during World War II. There they discover a very different life from the difficult one they’ve led with their cruel mother.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
Hoopla: Audio
OverDrive: eBook
Coyote and Rodeo, her father, are travelers that roam the country in their converted school bus. A phone call from Coyote’s grandmother leads them on a road trip back to their home in which they pick up the most colorful of characters. Coyote is amusing and hopeful – there’s so much heart and wisdom in this delightful story.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
OverDrive: Audio and eBook
Meggie and her father Mo’s lives are thrown into turmoil when someone from Mo’s past returns. Mo has a gift but it is also a curse. When he reads aloud from books, the characters come to life in our world. Villains are after him to use his talent for sinister agendas. This exciting adventure and magical tale is perfect for bookworms!

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Hoopla: eBook
OverDrive: Audio and eBook
Criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl is determined to restore his family’s fortune. His plan to achieve that? Kidnap a fairy for a large ransom of gold. Will Artemis be able to pull off that goal? This is a thrilling as well as comical read that is full of action! It was one of my favorites when I was a kid and I can’t stop recommending it to others!

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Hoopla: eBook
OverDrive: Audio and eBook
Sal is a magician starting at a new school for gifted students of the arts. His sleight of hand is pretty impressive due to his ability to pull objects from different universes. When he meets Gabi, things get wonky as they get into hijinks together. This book is so fun – it is the ultimate combination of fantasy, humor, and science fiction and the characters are super vibrant!