Social Readers: Promoting Reading in the 21st Century » (New Edition)

A compilation of over 50 reading project ideas, including implementation ideas and examples, helping to promote lifelong reading habits while meeting the social and interactive needs of today's youth.

VOYA

Promoting reading among preteens and teenagers involves social interaction, including activities sponsored by the library to encourage students to read, according to Preddy.. The technology that they use (twittering, blogging, text messaging, etc.) to communicate is indicative of this need to keep up-to-the-minute with friends. The book is purposely oversized to allow the librarian to reproduce the many examples of handouts and signs that can be used for the dozens of programs suggested. Some of the most helpful reproducibles are the rubrics to be followed by the student. Each program is accompanied by a time line to successfully implement the activity, from preplanning to day of the event. Some of the programs are "share a book you loved reading," new book club, booktalks, and designing bookmarks, brochures, and posters about favorite books. For new librarians, valuable tips include warm-up activities; incorporating technology, such as creating music videos; and enlisting the support of the PTA and the administration. Automated library systems now support student-written reviews posted online. For many of us, reading is a solitary activity, at times an escape, but not necessarily for the young adult, especially the preteen. This book gives lots of suggestions for promoting reading or, at least, triggering ideas for some other activities that might be better tailored to the school's population. Reviewer: Peggy Fleming