Book Talks

"It would be great if bringing in the right book at the right time were enough to connect kids to reading. The reality is, that’s not enough. Instead, we’ve got to sell the book.”

Kylene Beers, When Kids Can't Read--What Teachers Can Do p. 290

• Struggling to get students interested in independent reading?

• Have students who just finished a book and don’t know what to read next?

• During independent reading time, are students spending the entire period wandering your shelves?

• Want to build excitement for books and create a culture of reading in your classroom?

Book talks might just be your solution! Most students aren’t willing to spend time creating booklists—so do the hard work for them! Start your class with a quick, five-minute book talk that sparks their interest in something new. Encourage students to keep a running list of books that catch their eye, so they never run out of ideas for what to read next.

What is a Book Talk?

Think of a book talk as a movie trailer for a book. It teases the audience with the best parts, making them eager to dive into the full story. It’s a simple but powerful way to market books and help readers of all levels find something they’ll love.

Why use Book Talks?

If it’s hard for you to keep up with new YA releases, imagine how overwhelming it is for your students! That’s where regular book talks come in. They’re an easy, fun way to give kids a taste of fresh titles, new authors, and different genres without overwhelming them. Even better? It keeps you in the loop too. Double win!

And let’s be real: it’s fun! Think about how excited kids get when Netflix announces the next season of their favorite show. What if they felt that same energy about books? You can help build that kind of culture in your classroom. Weekly book talks can become something your students genuinely look forward to—and they only take five minutes!

How to Give a Good Book Talk (watch my how to video here)

• Keep it short and sweet. A book talk should only take about five minutes.

• Start with a hook. Ask a thought-provoking question, share an interesting statistic, take a class poll, or show a video/image that relates to the book to grab their attention.

• Show off the book. Let students see the cover, length, and page style. Is it written in verse? A graphic novel? Does it have illustrations? (If you don’t have a physical copy, my reviews always include cover images and any unique book features you can reference!)

• Make connections. Link the book to other titles or authors your students already love. Even better, compare it to popular movies or TV shows—Netflix references work wonders!

• Mention the genre, topics, and key plot points. Give just enough detail to spark interest. Share character names and a bit of background to help students connect.

• Highlight what makes it special. What stood out when you read it? (If you haven’t read it, check out my Star Qualities section under each review for standout elements!)

• Include a read-aloud passage. Reading a short excerpt aloud brings the book to life! Choose an engaging passage—maybe the first few pages or a particularly intriguing scene—to help students get a feel for the writing style and characters. No matter their age, students love being read to!

• Gauge class interest. If you have a physical copy, leave it out with a sign-up list. If multiple students want to read it, the sense of demand can make others more eager to check it out! It also might be helpful to keep a running list of books you've given book talks on posted somewhere in your classroom where students can see it, and look to later for inspiration. Or have them keep a running list in their writer's notebook!

  
  

How can YA Lit Sidekick help me use this in my classroom?

For every Sidekick book review, I’ll select a read-aloud passage that would work perfectly for a book talk. My reviews practically write the book talk for you! Simply:

1. Read my plot summary

2. Show your students any pictures I've included of the book

3. Share a few Star Qualities.

4. Read aloud the passage I’ve provided.

It’s that easy—minimal prep, maximum impact!

Book talks are all about getting your students pumped about reading! There’s seriously no better way to kick off the week than with a quick, fun rundown of a new YA book. The more you do it, the more they’ll start looking forward to it—and the longer their reading lists will get. It’s a super simple way to build excitement around books and help students find stories they actually want to read.

Examples

Check out my book talk video example for Darkly by Marisha Pessl! Watch it here!

Here are some other video examples. Most of these don't hit all of the elements listed above but they are really great variations!

• Books for High School Seniors: This one features three books--all about characters going through senior year. I love how it’s themed, quick (around 6 minutes), and super relatable for older students. Watch here

• Short & Skinny: It's the name of the book she's talking about, but also hints at the length of this video. A quick and fun book talk format! Watch here

• Librarian's Favorites Over the Summer: Great roundup of top picks from a librarian—geared towards high school students. It's a longer video but she talks about three books. Watch here

• 30-Second Book Talks Short, snappy, and super effective—even without hitting every book talk element. A great way to show that quick can still be powerful! Watch here

• Middle Grade Graphic Novel Enthusiasm! This guy is SO excited about the book he's sharing—and it’s contagious! He’s talking about a middle grade graphic novel, and he has tons of other book talks on his channel if you want more examples. Watch here.