The team must work together
'Speed-reading our books'
I found the IRIS Book Bowl rather exhilarating, with the adrenaline rushing in my veins when the time of the competition was nearing. An hour before we departed from school to leave for Rotterdam, we were filled with excitement. We were practicing the mock questions, speed-reading our books, doing everything to perfect our knowledge. As the clock ticked, so did the blood in everyone’s arteries. The time had arrived.
When we reached the venue – which was an international school in Rotterdam – we were led to the library, which was huge. We played some icebreaker games (Pictionary) and then we had a snack. My team was nervous, and some of my team members were even laughing because they were so immensely stressed.
Meeting some of the authors
During the lunchbreak, we had the honour of virtually meeting two of the twelve authors of the books. Ritu Hemnani, author ‘Lion of the Sky,’ animatedly explained how she wrote the book and gave us a miniature English lesson. Later, a second author, Jenny Valentine who wrote ‘Us in the Before and After’ visited and students had the opportunity to ask her questions.
Then, the competition began. Once the questions were presented, I suddenly found that all the knowledge I had accumulated surfacing in my brain. In that moment, the only things moving in my body were my mind and my hands.
After the competition was over, the adrenaline left my body, and I was sitting there feeling absolutely proud of myself. I was even more proud when I saw that we, as ISU, placed seventh amongst twenty-six schools.
'A taste of true competition'
The IRIS Book Bowl was a wonderful and thrilling experience which gave me a taste of true competition. It improved teamwork, leadership skills, and levelheadedness along with my mental sharpness and accuracy.
Next year’s selection of books for the 2027 competition will be published this summer. Look for announcements in the Secondary Library so you can join next year’s ISU Battle of the Books to qualify for the international competition.