7kviewsThis video is part of the teacher tip series, “How to Create Book Hype.” In this video, I’m discussing how to increase the love around… Read More »Classroom Library Organization: How to Help Students Do More Choice Reading via Access
8.5kviewsFlirt, woo, and start a relationship with a book! This video is part of the teacher tip series, “How to Create Book Hype,” wherein I… Read More »Book Speed Dating: How to Get Kids to Do More Choice Reading via Quick Exposure
3.7kviewsWhile the amazingness of choice reading is well-known, some teachers are still hesitant because of–what they assume to be–students’ reluctance towards reading. We know better… Read More »Book Waterfall: How to Get Kids to Do More Choice Reading via Peer Reviews
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I wrote the following post for The Nerdy Book Club blog. It was originally published April 7, 2012.
Like many lucky teachers, I was fortunate to experience the opening day of The Hunger Games film adaptation in a theater full of geeked out fifteen- and sixteen-year-olds, sporting Katniss braids and Mockingjay pins. On the bus ride back to school, my students could not stop buzzing about how the movie matched (or in some cases didn’t match) their expectations of the book. And now, since returning from their second and sometimes third movie showings, I know that I have to be even more mindful about preserving the book hype we had during our days of countdown frenzy.
As members of the Nerdy Book Club, we know that books like The Hunger Games fuel our classroom climate; however, that blaze of energy doesn’t come from just teacher book talks. It starts with the sparks of suggestion we make based on overhearing bits of student conversation. Since coming back from our field trip, I made note of some of the post-movie banter I was a part of or—via eavesdropping—I made myself a part of in order to recommend new books.
1. “Hey man, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t read the first one. Duh. Just jump in with the second one.”
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
Kids want to read what everyone else is reading, even if it’s just to join the trend. Peer influence has a positive effect especially on the choices of my developing readers. In that regard, I see no problem with kids starting with the second book in the trilogy, especially if I know those students will have the strong support of our community of readers.
2. “It was cool how Katniss volunteered for her sister. I can’t stand my lil’ brother, but I’d kill somebody to protect him.”
Homeboyz, by Alan Lawerence Sitomer
Similar to The Hunger Games, thugs rule the streets in this California gangsta book; however, instead of volunteering to take his sister’s place in the beginning of the book, Teddy Anderson mourns the loss of his baby sister after a she gets “iced” in wrong-place, wrong time drive-by shooting. Although an intelligent and expert computer hacker, Teddy must pay for his elaborate yet failed plans of revenge by tutoring a wanna-be gangbanger through community service.Read More »Book Review: No Better than a Jabberjay: 10 Recommendations Based on Hunger Games Eavesdropping
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1.7kviewsIn the winter of 2012, my sophomore Humanities students participated in the #NerdyBookClub’s video photo montage, celebrating our To-Be-Read (TBR) Book Stacks.