5 Titles I Plan to Book Talk in the First Weeks of School

In addition to a classroom scavenger hunt, a fun and quirky writing assignment, and some student surveys, I always like to begin the year with lots and lots of book talks. I do this for a couple of reasons. 

1. Right off the bat, I want to demonstrate my sincere (and usually embarrassing) enthusiasm for reading. Book talks are my love language in the classroom, and by doing them often, students get to know me and my passion for stories. Book talking early on also conveys to students that reading is a priority in our classroom. And I work hard to maintain that message all year long.

2. Book talking early and often also gives students “permission” to check out the library. It gives them several different engaging titles to choose from and demonstrates that I am a book expert and can recommend quality titles. Book talking helps students select a title they’re interested in, rather than just being told to “find an independent reading book” as an afterthought. Why wait to get kids excited about reading? Start the first week of school!

I am highly selective about the books I begin the year with because I know that I am earning students’ trust as readers with every recommendation. So, I aim to recommend a variety of titles that I am sure will appeal to a variety of readers. I am careful in selecting only the most engaging stories so that reluctant readers don’t immediately become discouraged and give up, but I am also mindful of choosing books that aren’t too mature or “inappropriate” because I don’t feel that the first week of school is the right time to go there. 

Below, you will find the first five titles I will book talk this year. Let’s do it together! 

1. Crush ~ Svetlana Chmakova

2. Genesis Begins Again ~ Alicia D. Williams

3. House Arrest ~ K.A. Holt

4. One for the Murphys ~ Lynda Mullaly hunt

5. Miles Morales Spider-Man ~ Jason Reynolds

If you’d like book talk guides so that you don’t have to plan a thing, you can find all the book talks for these titles here and here.

Happy Book Talking!