Kids’ Lit Quiz Canada is a volunteer organization.
Thank you to our prize sponsors:
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International Literacy Competition Seeks Canada’s Best Readers
For two decades, Kids’ Lit Quiz has been inspiring youth to become lifelong readers by channelling knowledge of children’s books into a fun and challenging tournament.
Today, the competition continues to thrive despite distractions like video games, cell phones and computers. In fact, participation rates have continued to rise amongst girls and boys in recent years.
The quiz promotes reading and motivates readers. It builds teamwork and consensus building skills. It provides a meaningful and engaging activity for middle grade students, aged 10 to 13 years. (Team members must be under 14 years of age on the 1st of July.)
In the style of popular learning competitions like the Scripps Spelling Bee, or Reach for the Top, Kids’ Lit Quiz is a highly spirited and intense team event for students around the world.
Kid’s Lit Quiz Canada offers events every year! Upcoming tournaments are announced on our front page.
Are you a KLQ Quiz Whiz?
Who had two nasty aunts called Spiker and Sponge? [1]
Who offered to fetch the princess’s golden ball from the pond? [2]
Backgrounder:
Kids’ Lit QuizTM is an annual literature competition for children aged 10 to 13 (grades 5 to 8). Team members must be under 14 years of age on the 1st of July. Student teams compete in local, regional and National heats in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. The competition celebrates children’s literacy and the love of reading. During the competition, known as “The Sport of Reading”, kids are quizzed on a wide range of topics, in categories ranging from poetry to authors to settings or characters. They learn the quiz categories only minutes before the quiz. Anything published in English, from nursery rhymes to comic books to the Hunger Games, is fair game. Prizes are awarded for each category and top placed teams.
KLQ in Canada
Canada’s first Kids’ Lit Quiz was hosted by Maurice Cody Public School in Toronto in 2011.
Summit Heights Public School in Toronto won the event and went on to win a SILVER medal at the World Finals in Hamilton New Zealand!
We gratefully acknowledge support from individual sponsors and Mabel’s Fables, Curiosity House Books, Scholastic Canada and Kids Can Press for helping make the inaugural Kids’ Lit Quiz Canada a great success in 2011.
Canada has fielded a team at the World Final of the International Kids’ Lit QuizTM every year since 2011.
Team Canada
2011 Summit Heights Public School, Toronto ON
2012 University of Toronto Schools, Toronto ON
2013 University of Toronto Schools, Toronto ON
2014 Royal St. Georges College, Toronto ON
2015 Southridge School, Surrey BC
2016 University of Toronto Schools, Toronto ON
2017 Lee Academy, Hamilton ON
2018 Lee Academy, Hamilton ON
Quiz tournaments took place in Vancouver, Calgary (exhibition), Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto in 2016.
Our Ottawa tournament was graced by His Excellency David Johnston, the Governor General of Canada who served as Guest Quiz Master!
The Toronto tournament was held at Ryerson’s Mattamy Centre at Maple Leaf Gardens. Hundreds of students competed for a chance to move forward to the National Final. A team of authors and/or illustrators are invited to each tournament. It’s a great way for readers to see their favourite authors trying the Quiz and nice for the authors to be with their readers.
In May 2016, an exhibition heat was held in Sudbury in conjunction with the National Reading Campaign’s Reading Town Canada.
Worldwide, over 1000 schools participate in Kids’ Lit Quiz!
Kids’ Lit Quiz Canada is a registered charity and is run entirely by volunteers.
Meet Quiz Master Wayne Mills
Wayne Mills is a former Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland.
As a teacher he was dismayed to see little or no recognition for students who were accomplished readers and not athletes.
He started the Quiz in 1991 as a way to reward his students for reading. It is known as “The Sport of Reading!”
For over 20 years he has been writing questions for Kids’ Lit Quiz! No two quizzes are the same! He is the biggest Kids’ Lit Quiz volunteer! He is Quiz Master extraordinaire!
In 2011 he was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
In 2008 he was awarded the Margaret Mahy Medal for distinguished contribution to children’s literature in New Zealand.
Where in the world is Kids’ Lit Quiz?
Over 1000 schools participate in Kids’ Lit Quiz. New Zealand, England, N. Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Wales, South Africa, China (Hong Kong), Australia, United States and Canada have all hosted Kids’ Lit Quiz competitions. As the quiz grows, we expect more and more international participation.
Are you a KLQ Quiz Whiz? Answers
[1] James (from James and the Giant Peach)
[2] A frog