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Do
your own thing…create your own individual style.
Don’t try to be someone else. Everyone on our entire Teen staff has her/his own
individual styles. We always go out in pairs so teens can hear different
voices, styles and types of books. Exception – sometimes what someone
else has written is just too good, you might want to use it verbatim.
Don’t talk a book you haven’t read.
Read the whole book, even if you write the booktalk halfway through. Be sure
it’s a book you want to recommend. Exception - there is one booktalk of
20 nonfiction books with a super short flashtalk for each book
that students love. The booktalker did not read ALL of every book.
Don’t tell the ending.
Remember, we want to encourage the audience to the read the book.
Exceptions - Sometimes the ending is already known such as The Sword in
the Stone. For a series of books, one may sometimes tell the ending of the
first book, especially if the author leaves a cliffhanger ending to encourage
readers to continue to read the series. Sometimes a good way to tell about a
book of short stories is to tell one of the stories completely, including the
ending.
Don’t talk a book you don’t like or are uncomfortable with.
Exception
- One of our staff had a book that she didn't particularly care for. But, she
has a great booktalk, and when she gives it, you would never know that she
wasn't fond of the book unless she told you.
Show the Book.
At the end of the
booktalk, show the book and announce the title and author.
PRACTICE!
PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
Practice
alone, in front of your co-workers or significant other. Practice movements as
well as the words. Know the material.
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