Giving an Effective Booktalk
Jane Crouse
Purpose: Students will learn the elements that make up a good Booktalk and how to covey these elements effectively to their audience.
Objectives: Sixth
Grade
Competency Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
5.02 Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
NCTE Standards:
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions, media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.�
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Materials needed:
Self Selected Reading book, previously read
5 x 8 Index Cards
File Box
Overhead Transparency
Overhead Projector
Approximate time required:� 20 minutes
Script:� How many of you have read a good book lately?� [Give the students time to name some of the books they have read.]� Would anyone like to tell us what made they book they read a �good� book?� [Allow time for discussion.]� If you want to convince someone to read a book that you have read and enjoyed, you must be able to tell them about the book without giving the story away.� In a good Booktalk you tell your audience the book�s author and give an overview of� the context of the book.� You might want to use a dramatic reading, just a few lines or a short paragraph to convey the emotion of the characters or strong feelings surrounding a certain situation in the story.� Be sure to use a �silencer� as often as possible when giving a Booktalk.� A �silencer� is a passage that will leave the story hanging and the audience guessing how things turn out.� A Booktalk does not have to be long.� As a matter of fact, shorter is better. Let me tell you about a book I have just read. [At this time, share a Booktalk with your students. Be sure to talk about the book�s author, cover the context of the story, read a short passage from the book, and close with a �silencer.�]�� Let�s review the elements of a good Booktalk.� First you tell your audience about the� [book�s author and the context of the book].� Then you use� [a dramatic reading] to convey the emotion of the book.� You can end the Booktalk with �[a �silencer�].� Now you know the elements of a good Booktalk.� We are starting a Booktalk file for our classroom today.� You will write a short Booktalk for each book you read for the rest of the year and place it in the file.� The cards will be a good resource for you to use when you are looking for a good book to read.�
Activity: The students will write a short Booktalk on a 5 x 8 note card and share it with the students in their group.� The cards will be filed alphabetically by the author�s last name.� The students will be able search the file, review all their classmates Booktalks, and find a book that they would like to read.�
Check out Nancy Keane�s website for more information on
Booktalks.
http://nancykeane.com/booktalks
Book review
sources
Amazon.com A good source of book
reviews.
The ALAN Reviews
Retailer
of books. Offers book reviews.
Book
Review Corner, The Reviews of fiction and non-fiction books. Book Review Index Reviews of Star Trek, Star Wars, Tom
Clancy, John Grisham, and Michael Crichton books.
Book Review Quicklist Listing designed to help you find a
good book. Readers are requested to add their opinions to the page.
Book of the Week A new book is on the spotlight each week.
Old books or new books- most can be found.
BookBytes - by Marylaine Block.
Includes lists of books too good to put down and advice on how to obtain
out-of-print books.
Booklist
on-line
BookNews
- reviews of the latest books in science, technology, and medicine.
BookPage
- monthly book review with a mix of author interviews and reviews focusing on
the month's noteworthy new releases.
BookRadio
- interviews with top authors and reviews of the latest books every week, in
RealAudio.
Booklist Magazine - selection of reviews from Booklist, the
selection tool for librarians. Reviews of books for adults and children.
Book Nook: book reports by kids
Bookwire
Boston Book Review
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site: an e-zine.
Chicago Sun-Times Books - reviews by book editor and author Henry
Kisor.
Chicago Tribune Books
The Children's Corner in Boston Book Reviews:
Many reviews of new and old titles.
Choice:
Current Reviews for Academic Libraries - reviews significant current
books and electronic media of interest to persons in higher education.
Chris' Reviews
Curled up with a Good Book - reviews, recommendations and
ratings of mainstream/literary fiction from a bookseller's private library.
HarperCollins
Children's Books
Lazy Literate, The - Steve Berry, a.k.a The Lazy Literate,
reviews audiobooks weekly for The Columbus (
Midwest Book Review - in the form of library newsletters
available as well as many other book resources.
Frederick
Muller's Book Reviews.
New
York Times Books - includes the complete Sunday Book Review, daily
book related news and reviews, a searchable archive of over 50,000 New York
Times Book Reviews, bestseller lists, and more.
Notes from the Windowsill: An Electronic Journal of Book
Reviews: reviews by volunteers and edited by Wendy E. Betts
Quill Pen - dedicated to the pursuit
of excellent books. This site includes book reviews, book recommendation, a
book survey, and other features.
Read Ireland Book News - free weekly newsletter and a
bookstore as well.
Student Reviews of Young Adult Literature
�
Times Literary Supplement - weekly reviews of fiction,
poetry, history, politics, philosophy, the arts and every other subject under
the sun.