Grade 6 students Dierks Lang (left) and Collyns Lindstrand show off their March Book Madness selections, There’s No Place Like Gnome and Aggie and the Ghost, at Ponoka Elementary School. (Image Credit: Wolf Creek Public Schools)

By Vince Burke, Wolf Creek Public Schools

Education

Ponoka Elementary pits books head-to-head in March Book Madness

Mar 26, 2026 | 4:01 PM

Throughout the month, Ponoka Elementary School (PES) has taken a page out of NCAA March Madness. But instead of competition on the basketball court, students voted for books pitted in a head-to-head tournament bracket.

PES March Reading Madness has been building momentum over the past several years, since starting in 2021. Each year, the tournament begins with a carefully chosen lineup of books. According to Librarian Tim Kaegi, the selection process changes from year to year depending on the theme.

“This year I chose comedy, because there are all kinds of silly books that I think the kids would enjoy,” he said.

Just like the famous basketball tournament it mirrors, March Reading Madness unfolds through a bracket of daily matchups.

“It takes eight days to go through the first round — one book per day,” Kaegi explained.

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Students listen to two books read to them and then vote for their favourite to advance.

“The first eight days are the first round, then the next round is four books,” he said. “Then it narrows down to two and finally the champion.”

In total, the competition runs about fifteen days, and wrapped up this past week at PES.

One of the most engaging parts of the tournament is the way it spills into everyday conversations around the school.

Grade 6 students Dierks Lang and Collyns Lindstrand say the daily readings often spark discussion with friends.

“We just talk about what we think about each book,” said Lang.

Students often compare opinions as they decide which book deserves their vote.

“Sometimes people ask, ‘Who are you going to vote for?’” Lindstrand said. “Some people want one book, and someone else wants another.”

For Lang, part of the excitement is simply watching the bracket unfold.

“It’s kind of cool to see what everybody else thinks,” he said.

Grade 6 students Dierks Lang (left) and Collyns Lindstrand show off their March Book Madness selections, There’s No Place Like Gnome and Aggie and the Ghost, at Ponoka Elementary School. (Image Credit: Wolf Creek Public Schools)

Despite being older elementary students who also read novels, Kaegi says picture books are an intentional choice.

“It’s partly a time constraint and accessibility thing,” he said. “But, these kids in Grade 6 still love to be read picture books,” Kaegi explained. “Sometimes we forget as educators that older kids also love picture books too and love being read to.”

He notes that the stories can still offer meaningful lessons and entertainment.

“It’s a friendly reminder that they’re not too old to enjoy a book that says ages three to six,” he said.

When the final vote is revealed, the reaction is always memorable.

“At the assembly, there are big cheers or sometimes even big groans,” he said.

Beyond the bragging rights, there is also a reward attached to the winning title. One classroom is selected at random to receive a copy of the champion book to add to their classroom library.

The prize is made possible through the support of the Ponoka Elementary School Council, which sponsors the purchase of the book.

The books involved in this years March Book Madness were: Cranky, Crabby Crow, Buffalo Fluffalo and Puffalo, There’s No Place Like Gnome’s, Aggie and the Ghost, Unfunny Bunny, The Future Book, One Chicken Nugget, Pizzasaurus

The winning book was The Future Book, beating Buffalo Fluffalo and Puffalo in the final.