Spectators are welcome as the Port Moody Public Library hosts its fifth-annual Battle of the Books.

Everyone is invited to drop by and watch School District 43 middle school students compete to see who knows the most about their books. The final competition will take place on Wednesday, March 28, at 2: 45 p.m. at the Inlet Theatre. No registration is required to drop in as a spectator.

During the competition, 12 teams will face off in a tournament-style book trivia contest. Trivia questions are based on six top-notch books chosen by local teacher librarians. This year's titles include Fish, by L.S. Matthews; The Alchemyst, by Michael Scott; Out of my Mind, by Sharon Draper; Wolf Brother, by Michelle Paver; The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer; and Zen and the Art of Faking It, by Jordan Sonnenblick.

In 2012, competing middle schools include Banting, Citadel, Como Lake, Hillcrest, Maillard, Kwayhquitlum, Maple Creek, Minnekhada, Montgomery, Moody, Scott Creek and Summit. Each school fielded multiple teams, and more than 300 students participated in the in-school competitions. The top team from each school will represent their classmates at the final round.

All Battle of the Books participants will receive a medallion to recognize their hard work, but only one school will take home the first prize cup. This coveted trophy will be engraved with the winning school's name, and will become property of the first-place school - at least until next year's battle.