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 Kids reading more. It’s practically the number one reason schools hold Book Fairs – to promote the love of reading. We have an idea that should help you reach that goal – and surpass it. All across the country, children are standing up in front of their peers and sharing brief, passionate statements about books they’ve just read and loved. What are these brief, passionate statements called? Booktalks! What's a Booktalk? A booktalk is a short, engaging, and enthusiastic presentation designed to inspire others to read the same book. A great booktalk uses every one of the language arts – reading, writing, and speaking. And there’s no better way to develop critical thinking skills than to work through the steps required to present a great talk. Booktalks are not just isolated events – one-offs, delivered from time to time. At their best, each talk is part of a continuum, one in a steady stream presented by children for children (with the support and direction of their teachers, of course) day after day. One booktalk after another builds a solid, supportive, and energized community of readers, eager to dive into books peers recommend. Use these free booktalk resources to get your students started. Why Does it Work? Research indicates kids don’t read as much as they might because of lack of access to recommendations, especially those from peers. Through booktalks students will learn about – at least! – 100 new books each school year. And that’s important. Leading educators remind us that children become better readers by reading, and a booktalk a day will lead children to the books they most want to read – the ones recommended by classmates. We are certain implementing this program will explode reading for pleasure at your school. After all, we’ve seen it work. We Tried it Ourselves! For over a year here at Scholastic Book Fairs, we have asked a different employee to give a booktalk at the start of every single company meeting. When our Principals Advisory Board visited recently, they were wowed by the power of the booktalk. Would it work in a classroom, they wondered? Absolutely. Would it help make your Book Fair even more successful? Sure! Would it extend the excitement of reading long after the fair is over? Definitely! So, join us! We hope you’ll have as much fun and success with booktalks as we have. |
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Family Discover the different stages of reading, plus tips for how to choose books with your child at the Book Fair. |
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Librarians Instill a love of reading while raising funds! Learn how a Book Fair benefits your students and your school. |
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Principals Put more books into students' hands while earning essential funding for your school. |
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Teachers Find lesson plans and student activities, prepare a Book Fair Wish List, and build your classroom library. |
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