BATTLE OF THE GENRES! 
Calling all students, 4th through 8th grade!
Get ready for some friendly competition─ Book Madness is coming back to our library! Just like a sports bracket, books will face off round by round, and students get to vote for their favorites. It's a fun way to boost excitement for reading, spark book talks, and build classroom engagement.
A video explaining the rules and introducing the books will be released on the Library’s YouTube channel “The MPLD” on February 1, 2026. Brackets will be available on the library’s website and at the Questions Desk starting February 1, 2026. All brackets must be turned in to the Questions Desk by Sunday, February 15, before 4 pm! Brackets turned in after the deadline will not be eligible for prizes.
Students can vote online here: https://forms.gle/ZosZtXeByiQZMGSf7
Voting will be opened on first day of each round of voting.
Voting Dates:
Sweet 16: Feb 17 - 23
Elite Eight: Feb 25 - Mar 3
Final Four: Mar 5 - 11
Championship: Mar 13 - 19
The winning book will be announced on Friday, March 20.
Winning students will be announced by the end of April.
Tiebreakers: If there is a tie, a raffle held by the Youth Services Staff at McHenry Public Library will determine the winners.
Prizes: Those with the most points after the Championship Round will win the following prizes:
1st place: Amazon Kindle and a $25 gift card
2nd place: Amazon Kindle and a $20 gift card
3rd place: Amazon Kindle and a $15 gift card
