Article
65 Book Videos to Build Excitement for Summer Reading
- Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12
Books will fly off the shelf and straight into your students’ hands when they watch these quick video booktalks and book trailers. The videos listed below are in the form of video booktalks, similar to an in-class booktalk, and video book trailers, similar to a movie trailer but about a book. They are a fun, visual way for students to preview the books that may interest them.
Grades PreK-K
The Hello Goodbye Window by Norton JusterIn this sunny portrait of familial love, a little girl tells us about her everyday experiences visiting her grandparents house.
Lily Brown's Paintings by Angela JohnsonWhen Lily Brown paints, her world starts to change...trees wear hats and drink tea, people walk upside down, and apples sing all the way home from the store.
Pinkalicious by Elizabeth KannPink, pink, pink. More than anything, Pinkalicious loves pink, especially pink cupcakes. Her parents warn her not to eat too many of them, but when Pinkalicious does...she turns pink! What to do?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric CarleA hungry caterpillar eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep.
Grades K-2
Amazing Snakes! by Sarah L. ThomsonA snake can sleep all winter, grow as long as a school bus, swallow its food whole and crawl out of its skin!
Deep in the Swamp by Elizabeth KannLearn about the special relationships between the baby and mom mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects that make their home in the Okenfenokee Swamp
Fancy Nancy and the Boy From Paris by Jane O'ConnorParis, France is the fanciest city in the world. When Ms. Glass tells the class that the new student is from Paris, Nancy cannot believe her luck.
Move Over, Rover! by Karen BeaumontRover is snuggled safe and dry inside his doghouse until‚ one by one‚ a soggy group of animals shows up looking for a cozy place to sit out the storm. But when one very unwelcome surprise visitor appears‚ the doghouse isn’t quite so crowded after all!
Zen Shorts by Jon J. MuthStillwater’s stories have different things to say to different people. What do they say to you?
Grades 3-5
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda UrbanWhen Zoe Elias enters the annual Perform-O-Rama organ competition, Zoe discovers that life is full of surprises — and that maybe a little lopsidedness will help her find what she's "really" hoping for.
A Friendship for Today by Patricia C. McKissackThe Supreme Court said there can't be any more segregation and the colored school is going to close.
Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Book One: Moving Day by Meg CabotRule 5: Never let your family move into a haunted house.
Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Book Two: The New Girl by Meg CabotAllie has rules for everything, until she meets Rosemary, the biggest and meanest girl in fourth grade.
Amulet #1: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi The old house had been in the family for generations, and it began revealing its mysterious and sinister secrets just hours after Emily, Navin, and their mother moved in.
The Calder Game by Blue BalliettCan a sculpture move? If it's a Alexander Calder mobile, it can.
Chasing Vermeer by Blue BalliettWhat happens when there are too many coincidences, too many puzzle pieces that fit together? Do you ignore them and pretend nothing’s happening? Or do you try to figure out what’s really going on?
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. BlumeEleven-year-old Cornelia Englehart, who prefers to hide herself away behind long words, learns the importance of having friends from a most unexpected source - her new, elderly neighbor, Virginia Somerset.
Cyberia by Chris LynchWhere are you when you’re watched 24/7, no matter what you’re doing? In a cage.
Dinosour Cove Attack of the Tyranasourus by Rex StoneTom and Jamie can't believe their luck when they find a secret entrance to a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs. The first dinosaur they meet is friendly, but soon, they meet a much less friendly dino: a T-Rex that would like to eat them.
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul CurtisElijah was the first free baby born in Buxton, the first person there who had never been owned by a slave master.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz RyanEsperanza means hope, and hope is what Esperanza needs, to help her rise above the wreckage of her life in Mexico, and learn to survive in the hardscrabble fields of California.
Fire Star by Chris d'LaceyA research trip to the Arctic, an old enemy, and a new story all combine in an adventure unlike anything David and Zanna have ever imagined.
Gully's Travels by Tor SeidlerIt's a long way from Manhattan to Queens, from premium canned food to cheap dry pellets, from a life of luxury and refinement to one of screaming kids and apartments with no air conditioning.
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'ConnorEver since Georgina’s father left‚ her family has been living in their car. Desperate to improve their situation‚ she devises a plan to steal a dog and claim the reward. What happens next is the last thing Georgina expected.
Inkheart by Cornelia FunkeWhat would you do if every time you read a book out loud, it came to life, whether you wanted it to or not?
Julian Rodriguez by Alexander StadlerJulian Rodriguez is far from the eight-year-old boy he appears to be. He's actually an Officer of the Federation, who is trapped in a child's body while he spies on Earth.
The Land of Elyon, Book 1: The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick CarmanThere is an enemy in the land of Elyon that threatens the peace and prosperity of the people who live in its four walled cities.
Main Street #1: Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. MartinFlora and Ruby had no idea how many adventures awaited them in the little town of Camden Falls.
Millicent Min: Girl Genius by Lisa YeeWhat would it be like to be eleven years old and about to become a senior in high school?
Sassy – Little Sister is NOT My Name! by Sharon DraperMagical things happen when Sassy Sanford opens her sparkly, purple, patchwork Sassy Sack!
Swindle by Gordon KormanGriffin Bing was the Man with the Plan. No matter how complex, no matter how dangerous, no matter how risky, Griffin could do it. Stealing a baseball card was no problem.
Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette HaworthViolet is looking forward to spending lazy summer days with her best friend‚ Lottie. But when sophisticated Melissa moves to town‚ Violet’s world gets turned upside down.
The Wright 3 by Blue BalliettMiss Hussey’s class has been challenged to save Frank Lloyd Wright’s favorite building from destruction.
Grades 6-8
Birdwing by Rafe MartinOnce upon a time, a girl rescued her seven brothers from a spell that had turned them into swans.
Charlie Bone and the Beast by Jenny NimmoThere's a new student at Bloor Academy, and he seems determined to make trouble for Charlie in every way possible.
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally CarterAll Cammie Morgan wants is a peaceful semester at Gallagher Academy‚ but despite her best intentions‚ danger seems to follow.
Flush by Carl HiaasenYou know it's going to be a rough summer when you spend Father's Day visiting your dad in the local lockup.
The Haunting of Derek Stone – Volumes 1 & 2 by Tony AbbottDerek never imagined that the dead could be anything but dead. But when his train crashes into a gorge and Derek survives‚ the dead start to return and‚ for some reason‚ they’re after him.
Into the Volcano by Don WoodA mysterious journey, a dangerous job to do, and adventures far beyond what Duffy and Sumo had ever imagined.
May Bird Among the Stars by Jodi Lynn AndersonMay Bird continues her adventure in the afterlife where she and her friends encounter a whole new array of terrifying and hilarious places and ghosts.
Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson HaddixThe true princess Cecilia is forced into hiding until the evil forces that killed her parents are vanquished. But a bizarre twist of fate throws the truth into chaos and turns her world upside–down. Is she really who she thinks she is?
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Titan's Curse by Rick RiordanPercy and his friends are escorting two new half-bloods safely to camp when they are intercepted by a manticore and learn that the goddess Artemis has been kidnapped.
Rules by Cynthia LordThis summer, Catherine's life will be turned upside down, as she struggles to figure out what "normal" really means.
Seekers #1 by Erin HunterThree young bears from different species — black, polar, and grizzly — are separated from their families when they are just young cubs. They find themselves brought together on a perilous journey.
Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian WilliamsWill loves to dig. So when his father suddenly disappears down one of the tunnels he's dug, Will knows he's got to go after him. But he has no idea how many surprises wait for him underground.
Grades 9-12
A Curse as Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. BunceThe stranger could spin straw into gold. Could he be the answer to all of Charlotte's problems?
Airhead by Meg CabotAfter a bizarre accident, Em wakes up to find she's no longer herself, and there's no way to fix it.
Bluford High: Blood Is Thicker by Paul LanganSixteen-year-old Hakeem's life is turned upside down after his father is diagnosed with cancer and his family must move to Detroit.
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod – Ninth Grade Slays by Heather BrewerIn this thrilling sequel to Eighth Grade Bites‚ Vlad must confront secrets from the past and battle forces that once again threaten his life. Can he identify the slayer in time?
Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-FattahWhen she decides to wear the hijab full time, Amal's life changes in ways she never expected.
How I Saved My Father’s Life (and Ruined Everything Else) by Ann HoodAsking miracles isn't always a good thing. Take Madeline, for instance. She saved her father's life by praying harder than she'd ever prayed in her whole life. Her father was alive and safe, but everything else in her life was ruined.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsThe Hunger Games: ritual, punishment, death. Only one can survive.
Kendra by Coe BoothWhen the "wrong" thing feels so right, it's hard to know what's the right decision.
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko UehashiWhen Balsa saw the prince fall from the bridge, her destiny took an unexpected turn.
Suite Scarlett by Maureen JohnsonThe Hopewell Hotel and its owners finally found something to hope for when Mrs. A moved into the Empire Suite.
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean MyersVietnam. Iraq. Different generations. Different wars. But the experiences of the soldiers who fought in them are all too similar.
Tyrell by Coe BoothTyrell is 14. Broke, homeless, with a mom who refuses to take care of his little brother and acts like the world owes her a living, Tyrell is under so much pressure, sometimes he feels like he's gonna break for sure.
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy BlundellWanting something so much can lead you to a place that has no way out.
The Year My Sister Got Lucky by Aimee FriedmanCan two New York City ballerinas survive a move to a tiny farming town named Fir Lake?
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