How to Give a Book Talk

Say, “Students, the number one place I find books to read that I actually enjoy is through recommendations from family, friends and students!” Allow students to talk about a time they read a book someone recommended to them. Ask them if they’ve ever recommended a book to someone. What kinds of things did they do to try to get that person to read the book? Some may have had experiences recommending books, others may not, and that is okay!

Say, “I heard some of you say you’ve never had someone recommend a book to you or you’ve never recommended a book to someone else! I’d like to change that! Today, I’ll give you a step by step process for recommending a book to a friend, family member or even teacher!”

Reveal the chart below. Model following each step using one of your favorite books. Have students try it out with partners too. Allow time each day for students to recommend books to each other. Have them keep a running list of books they want to read.