Booktalking

Booktalking

The Why

&The How

Why Booktalk?

To give kids a sense of what is available

Why Booktalk?

To motivate kids to read

and to read more

and to read more widely

Why Booktalk?

To promote yourself as someone who knows where the

good books are

Where are the good books?

Displays are nice but…Have some boxes or carts marked “good

books”Do shelf markers and shelf talkersSpine labels for favorite genres (mystery)TAB choicesTeens Top Ten

Teens Top Ten

1. Girls In Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares

2. The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen

3. Looking For Alaska by John Green

4. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

5. Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

Teens Top Ten

6. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

7. The Gangsta Rap by Benjamin Zephaniah

8. Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

9. The Garden by Elise Aidinoff

10. How I Paid for College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship & Musical Theater by

Marc Acito

Teens Top Ten from the Past

Eragon Inkheart Trickster’s Choice Abhorsen The Earth, my Butt,

and other Big Round Things

Thief Lord Once upon a

Marigold After First Part Last Second Summer of

the Sisterhood

Which need booktalking?

Christian and Ed

Booktalking

The HOW

Some Guidelines

Only talk about books you have read It’s also nice if you liked the book but

sometimes a negative booktalk will work If you have not read it you cannot do an

adequate job in terms of identifying the appeal and audience

You cannot rely on reviews or publisher’s age recommendations

YA

4.9 RL

Guidelines

Use themes but make them broadMakes it easier to include multiple genresWidens the appeal potential

Themes could include:Dealing with adversityFinding your wayLife sucks…

Dealing with adversity

Dealing with Adversity

Finding your Way

Finding your Way

Life Sucks

Life Sucks

Guidelines

Include a variety of books considering:Genre

Gender

Audience age and interest levels

Easy reading to books for GT readers

Genre

NonfictionSee Quick Picks lists especially

Poetry

Blurred lines

Nitty Gritty Rules

Booktalks need to be short and sweetDo not tell too much of the plotPerhaps do a read and teaseTry for 10 books in 30 minutes

You must SELL the bookWhat is the most exciting thing to tell?How can you leave them wanting more?

More of the Nit and the Grit

Capture the essence of the bookRomance—the pair of loversMystery—the crime or mystery

Sci-fi and fantasyDo not try to explain it allHook on the real problem at the center

Finally

Practice, practice, practiceStart with colleagues

Use post it notes if need be but do not write them out

Begin with a core and extend each time adding 2-3 new titles