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How do you prepare
the booktalk? First, read the book, the whole book, even if you write the
booktalk halfway through. Be sure it’s a book you want to recommend.
Some people take
notes as they read, especially when they find a page that is particularly
engaging and only write the booktalk after they have read the book. Some stop &
write the booktalk in the middle of reading when an idea for how to present the
booktalk hits them. Experiment. Try it several ways and use whatever is best
for you. As you read, be thinking about potential “hooks” – the hook is the key
dramatic device of your booktalk. There may be more than one possible hook, find
one that works for you and your style. We all do them
differently.
Most booktalks begin
with a hook. You want the listener to be interested from the start. A hook can
also be nonverbal. You can mimic an action. Sometimes silence can be a great
hook. In our modern day and age, teens are used to being entertained and having
noise around them all the time. Silence, especially with an accompanying
action, can rivet their attention.
Then, you have to
keep them interested. Middle hooks can also be effective. If possible, plant
hooks throughout the booktalk. An effective booktalk leaves at least one
hook at the end.
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