Language+Arts

=  9th Grade Orientation= = Booktalking Tips =

A booktalk is NOT  a book review, it is more like an advertisement for the book.Think of a booktalk as a glimpse of the book or a short teaser to encourage someone to read the book, like a movie preview or trailer. Sell the book! Never give away the ending of the book. Keep it short -- under 4 minutes is a good time to shoot for.Don’t booktalk a book you haven’t read or one you didn’t like.Repeat the title and author clearly at the beginning and end of the booktalk.Don’t limit your booktalks to fiction titles, nonfiction works very well, too. Different kinds of booktalks -- choose the one that best suits your book.

1. Excerpt – read aloud from the book. Choose a compelling passage, one that leaves the reader wanting to find out what happens. Leave them hanging! Don’t be afraid to be dramatic. 2. Brief summary – make comparisons to other books, describe an event in the author’s life thatinfluenced their writing, or compare events in the book to your listener’s lives. Are theysimilar or different? 3. First person – become one of the characters in the book, not necessarily the main one. Thismethod is very popular with students. 4. Ask a leading question that segues into the book. Like “Have you ever done something reallybad” or a moral dilemma “What if….” or “Imagine if...” Final words of wisdom: Know your audience.Be yourself.Have a script prepared. Don’t wing it!Using appropriate props can be great additions.Have fun and relax!

English 12 Carboni

media type="custom" key="4559884"