As described by the America's Battle of the Books organization, Battle of the Books is a reading incentive program for students in 3rd thru 12th grades. Students read books and come together usually in groups to demonstrate their abilities and to test their knowledge of the books they have read. The student competitions are usually similar to the TV series Family Feud.

The structure, format, and rules of the competitions may vary depending on the educational goals, student needs, local resources, and personal preferences at various school sites, school districts, county libraries, or offices of education.