Tantalizing Tidbits for Middle Schoolers: Quick Booktalks for the Busy Middle School and Junior High Library Media Specialist » (New Edition)

This professional booktalking tool for the busy middle and junior high school library media specialist includes booktalks that can be used to support the curriculum, encourage student leisure reading, and provide ideas for educator-media specialist collaboration. Each entry includes an annotation, a booktalk, and a curriculum connection activity as well as a list of five similar titles. Types of books included in this volume are fiction, short story collections, poetry collections, informational books, and biographies.

Lynne Hawkins - VOYA

It is risky business launching into a booktalk without having read at least a good part of a book. This collection, however, offers far more than merely seventy-five booktalks on generally recent books from 2000 to 2005. There are several exceptions for significant books by authors who are not prolific. Starting with explanations of the information included for every book, there is also a brief section for the beginning booktalker about various formats for presenting the book to a young audience. At the very end is an evaluation form for student-librarian communication. Each entry includes complete publication information not only for the book but also for an audio edition if available. If the author or book has a Web site, it is there with the caveat that sites are not constant. Subject areas and genres are given, but there is no attempt at balance across the titles. If the book won a major award or was included on a best books list, that fact is noted. Grade and age level appropriateness are taken (with attribution) from various publications such as Publisher's Weekly and School Library Journal. Curriculum connections are mentioned with brief suggestions that might include further library exploration. In addition to the booktalks, there is an invaluable inclusion of pages from which to read aloud. If the booktalker is not a great actor, the read-aloud can be the best way to pull students into the book. And, boon to every librarian, there is a what-do-I-read-next list of books (with available audio editions). Many students are hooked on books, and libraries need to keep them that way by feeding their appetite, while pulling in newly caught readers. Here is a good tool. 2005, Linworth,152p.; Index. Appendix., pb. Ages adult professional.