BOOK TALKS AT THE BOOK FAIR

by

Tricia Grady

Custer Baker  Middle School, Franklins

 

     Book Talks at the Book Fair brought much excitement to the annual Scholastic Book Fair at Custer Baker Middle School. In fact, it was such a success that we can hardly wait to do it again next year. 

      What motivated students a great deal was the opportunity to preview the book fair a week early if they signed up to report to the library during lunch to do a book talk.  Twenty-five students from each grade level eagerly signed up each day to join their friends in lively discussion about the books.

        We kicked off the event by modeling a few book talks to demonstrate our expectations and then left it to the students to recommend their favorite books.  Students volunteered at first to do the talks, knowing that they would receive a free book from the fair in trade.  However, after watching their peers and realizing how easy it was, other students lined up to have the opportunity to participate.

      The book talks were presented in many different formats.  Some students read an excerpt from a book that would leave us all on the edge of our seats begging for more. Others simply provided a synopsis and an opinion about a book.   Our main goals were to generate conversation about books students love and to provide an opportunity to share with their peers in a relaxing, comfortable setting.

      The commotion and chaos every morning when the students clamored for a spot provided clear evidence of the fair’s enormous success.  Some students even tried to sign up for book talks the following week even after the event was over!  In all, it was a rewarding experience for both students and staff.