It's that time again: high school book talks! As I've probably mentioned before, these are my favorite outreaches, since I get to hit so many teens at once. Not only that, but I get to promote our collection and events, and then the kids always come back to the library and say they remember me talking to their class. It's a great connection moment, and it doesn't try too hard.
This time, I ditched the powerpoint method of book talking and instead used Prezi (on the recommendation of Jackie). It was a lot of fun to put together and I think the teens will appreciate something a little more interactive. My only complaints about this method are that I can't link the video to the image, and I couldn't grab a good screen shot for a handout. The first I remedied by creating a playlist on YouTube and the second I decided to forgo completely. I can save the paper and direct the teens to our website, where I've posted the presentation, and my short-term plans for the teen services department is a book list of all the titles I've talked this year.
I've got a huge number of books this time, since I am going to continue the new method of talking different books to different classes. The fun part has been having the kids see a cover and beg me to talk about it, even if I planned to skip it.
Showing posts with label book talks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book talks. Show all posts
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Book talking: Middle School
My favorite part of the job, no doubt, is getting the books into the hands of kids. For me, there's no better way than through book talking.
I've been book talking all day to the 7th grade at our local middle school. In 6 hours, I reach 200 kids by doing nothing but talking about a cool mix of books and showing off book trailers.
This time, I mixed things up. I usually only talk 7 or 8 titles all day. Today, though, I decided to put up 20 titles and play it by ear. I'm just talking and showing what I feel like, and I an gauging it on the kids, too.
Top picks so far? The kids LOVE the trailer for The True Meaning of Smekday. My most requested titles so far are Trapped, The Chosen One, and Dirty Little Secrets. They're also feeling Meanwhile.
Favorite moment so far, though, has been hearing the kids share their own 6-word memoirs, as well as letting one kid do the book talk for Chasing Lincoln's Killer for me. If you don't let your kids do the talking once in a while, well, you're missing out. Sometimes, they sell the books to their peers even better than you.
Here are today's books. Ever talked these? I'd be happy to share my tips and suggestions if you want to get started.
I've been book talking all day to the 7th grade at our local middle school. In 6 hours, I reach 200 kids by doing nothing but talking about a cool mix of books and showing off book trailers.
This time, I mixed things up. I usually only talk 7 or 8 titles all day. Today, though, I decided to put up 20 titles and play it by ear. I'm just talking and showing what I feel like, and I an gauging it on the kids, too.
Top picks so far? The kids LOVE the trailer for The True Meaning of Smekday. My most requested titles so far are Trapped, The Chosen One, and Dirty Little Secrets. They're also feeling Meanwhile.
Favorite moment so far, though, has been hearing the kids share their own 6-word memoirs, as well as letting one kid do the book talk for Chasing Lincoln's Killer for me. If you don't let your kids do the talking once in a while, well, you're missing out. Sometimes, they sell the books to their peers even better than you.
Here are today's books. Ever talked these? I'd be happy to share my tips and suggestions if you want to get started.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Middle school book talk
I haven't forgotten about this -- it's just been busy. A handful of good stories times mixed with a couple of real bummers. I'll tell you about those soon.
But today I'm spending the entire day in 7th grade again, talking books. Lots of books. I've talked a few of these titles before at my prior job, and they're all natural sells. I try hard for this age to mix fiction and non-fiction, though this talk seems heavier on fiction.
Besides these books, I'm bringing a bag of new titles I won't be talking but that either haven't moved much on the shelf or look appealing. I have the honor to give a number of these students their first library cards today, so I'm offering them the chance to browse a small sampling of what all our library has to offer them.
Have you talked any of these titles? Have you had success? Check back to see what these kids loved most!
But today I'm spending the entire day in 7th grade again, talking books. Lots of books. I've talked a few of these titles before at my prior job, and they're all natural sells. I try hard for this age to mix fiction and non-fiction, though this talk seems heavier on fiction.
Besides these books, I'm bringing a bag of new titles I won't be talking but that either haven't moved much on the shelf or look appealing. I have the honor to give a number of these students their first library cards today, so I'm offering them the chance to browse a small sampling of what all our library has to offer them.
Have you talked any of these titles? Have you had success? Check back to see what these kids loved most!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Books Talk: Say Something
If you are a teen librarian, and you aren't book talking, you are missing out on the single most impressionable thing you can do for your patrons: showing them people read.
I've been making the rounds in our local 9th grade classrooms and talking books. The kids have loved these titles, begging to take them from me. Because of tricky card issues, it hasn't happened as much as I'd like yet, but you better believe I'm planning a way for all the kids interested -- even those without cards -- to take what they want to home.
Here's my powerpoint and my titles. Each has had a wide appeal, but top picks have been Love Drugged, Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters, and Half Brother. We start each presentation talking covers, too, so I can guide the kids through making selections.
Most appealing cover for the teens? Not That Kind of Girl. The girls say audible that it looks like an awesome book.
Don't be afraid to not talk, too. As you'll see, a title here has nothing but the cover. I pull up the best trailer on youtube -- usually the publisher's own -- and play it. I emphasize using this sparingly and only with exceptionally enticing trailers.
I won't talk too much more about my methods of book talking because (drum roll) you can read it in the December 2010 issue of VOYA.
I've been making the rounds in our local 9th grade classrooms and talking books. The kids have loved these titles, begging to take them from me. Because of tricky card issues, it hasn't happened as much as I'd like yet, but you better believe I'm planning a way for all the kids interested -- even those without cards -- to take what they want to home.
Here's my powerpoint and my titles. Each has had a wide appeal, but top picks have been Love Drugged, Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters, and Half Brother. We start each presentation talking covers, too, so I can guide the kids through making selections.
Nov2010 booktalk
View more presentations from aramteens.
Most appealing cover for the teens? Not That Kind of Girl. The girls say audible that it looks like an awesome book.
Don't be afraid to not talk, too. As you'll see, a title here has nothing but the cover. I pull up the best trailer on youtube -- usually the publisher's own -- and play it. I emphasize using this sparingly and only with exceptionally enticing trailers.
I won't talk too much more about my methods of book talking because (drum roll) you can read it in the December 2010 issue of VOYA.
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