Brier Elementary Tree-Huggers win school district 2025 Battle of the Books

Brier Elementary School’s Battle of the Books team, the Tree-Huggers, triumphed in the district competition on April 24, earning first place. Spruce Elementary’s Fantastic Fifth Graders claimed second place after a tiebreaker against Brier’s second team, the Readalotyls. The event at Mountlake Terrace Elementary School brought together 160 students from 20 elementary schools, competing by answering questions based on 12 assigned books. Librarian David Winkeljohn praised the Tree-Huggers for their flawless performance, stating they had not missed a question. This year, the Edmonds School District could not provide funding for the event, which typically costs about $1,600 for books and shirts.

The funding was raised through the Foundation for Edmonds School District and personal contributions from librarians. The book list included titles such as "Odder" by Katherine Applegate and "The Secret Battle of Evan Pao" by Wendy Wan Long Shang. This community-driven effort highlights the importance of local support for educational programs in the district.