Book Talks

Book Talks:

These are short "commercials" about great books in your library that you want to get in the hands of your readers.  Just like a trailer to a movie you want a great book talk as a trailer to the book. Be energetic, be silly, or even act the character.  Get them to want to read the book and to put it on their wish list if there is not enough copies.

Okay..I do not know why book talks have seemed scary to me to implement but I had an AHA moment at a workshop this summer.  The AHA moment came after we had to all prepare and give a book talk at the workshop.  So I gathered the last chapter book I read aloud to my class and prepared a book talk that I think went rather well.

Tips I learned for a great book talk:

• Keep it short - 90 seconds at the most
• Have a prop - I certainly can get into this!  I love being silly with my kids and of course this is my hidden actress coming out.
• Describe the feelings you had when you were reading - be energetic and smile
• Have a great opener for your book talk - "Wow, this character was the funniest..."
• Read a few lines from the book that make them want to pick it up
• Great ending... do not give it away "I couldn't put it down and now you need to rush right out and pick it up!"

Book Talk I prepared for: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

"Was there ever a toy that you thought could be alive; it had feelings but just couldn’t move?  Meet Edward Tulane a china rabbit loved by a little girl named Abilene and given to her by her grandmother. (Show prop of a white rabbit)

 Edward does not feel the same kind of love he cares about himself and his clothes.  

His life begins to change dramatically after he travels by ship with Abilene as he is accidentally thrown overboard and lost in the depths of the sea.  (Read aloud page 47-48 as he is falling deep into the sea).   This sets off a journey that changes his life and possibly his heart forever."

Of course I improvised a little here and there and tone of voice has a lot to do with book talks to make them more exciting, but this was what I prepared and glanced at in case I wasn't sure what to say.



Book Talk: Story Thieves by James Riley


"Have you ever felt bored?  Bored with life, bored with class, bored with homework?  Well that is how Owen in incredible book Story Thieves feels...just bored.  Until one day the unbelievable happens, his classmate has an amazing secret.  Bethany can jump in and out of story books, not just one but all of them.  Wow! What an amazing life she must have! He knew he had caught her eating chocolate that she must have gotten from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, amazing!  Bethany wants to keep Owen hush, hush about her talent so he promises on the condition she take him in his favorite book, an action packed book of robots and magic.  Will he do what she wants or will his need to meet the characters take over?  Will he change the book and the world forever?  Will Bethany ever forgive what he's about to do?  Find out in Story Thieves by James Riley." - Eileen Fox