Arrive 10 to 15
minutes early to setup your books and relax a bit before talking. If possible,
present in groups of at least two. That way one person can be preparing for
his/her next booktalk while the other is giving a talk. Pay attention to the
teens you are talking to and adjust your presentation as you judge necessary to
appeal to the individual group. The amount of time you have for the booktalks
often affects which books you talk and whether you give a longer or
shorter booktalk.
Interactive
booktalks, where you ask questions of the teens, are often helpful to draw the
students into active participation. Timing and spacing are also important. Try not
to rush through every booktalk. While some character booktalks require a
quick pace, others are more effective when given at a more leisurely pace.
Don't be afraid to use pauses, or sometimes complete silence. In our
fast-paced world, silence and pauses can be riveting and create
attention-grabbing curiosity . . . even if it is only in anticipation that you have
messed up.
Move around as you talk, act out specific actions, and use props where
appropriate.
End each booktalk
with a "hook," hold up and display the book, and announce the title and author.
In general,
booktalks should be no longer than 3-5 minutes, and it is a good idea to vary
the length of booktalks throughout the session. Make sure that you have at
least one booktalk that you can give in 1-2 minutes or can adjust in length at
the end of the session if needed.
HAVE FUN!
