Presentation for K-8 educators about how to match readers and books.

1. Matching Readers
and Books
Presented by Cathy Potter- School Librarian
Falmouth Elementary School

2. Read like a wolf eats.
~Gary Paulsen
• We want our students to read
voraciously, to read for pleasure,
to read to learn, to understand
the world, and to understand
themselves.
• Prizes, stickers, and extrinsic
awards will never take the place
of finding the right book at the
right time.

3. Young Readers Must Be Explicitly Taught
How to Select Books
• Choice is key!
• Does the book interest the
student?
• Is this book a “good fit?” from
The Daily 5
• Shoe Store analogy
• Will this book be a better fit
next year?

4. Reading Levels
• Children need to learn to identify just right
books.
• Lexiles & GR levels are useful tools for
planning instruction, but they can also be
misused.
• In the read world, readers do not use Lexile
#s or Guided Reading letters to select books.
• When you walk into the public library or
bookstore, there are no Lexiles listed.

5. How to Browse a Book
• C
• A
• T
• B
• I
• R
• D
• D

6. • Cover
• Author
• Title
• Back or blurb
• Illustrations
• Read a page or two
• Does this book seem like a
good fit?

7. Browsing Tips for Middle Grade Readers
• C
• A
• N
• I
• T
• B
• E
• F
• O
• R
• M
Adapted from Dr. Peggy Sharp
• E
• ?

8. Cover
Author
Number of Pages
Illustrations
Title
Back or Blurb
Excerpt
First Page
Open It Up
Reverse of title
My friends
Entirety
?

9. Interest Surveys
• Find out what students are interested in
learning about.
• What are their pastimes and hobbies?
• What are their current reading habits?
• What are their attitudes toward
reading?

10. Set Reading Goals
• Count books read instead of minutes or pages.
• Give permission to abandon books.
• Read from different genres
• Foster a community of readers. Encourage
students to carry books everywhere.
• (from Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer)

11. Individual Book Conferences
• Make appointment for
student to have a book
interview with the
school librarian.
• This model works
well for ELL students,
dormant readers, and
students reading
below grade level.

12. Read, Read, Read!
• As an educator, the best way to
help match your students to
books is to read.
• Read outside your comfort
zone
• Read one book from the series.
• Listen to student suggestions.
• Show your students what
you’re reading.

13. Graphic Novels
“Engaging graphics make the text more accessible and support
readers in the act of making meaning.”
~ Terry Thompson author of Adventures in Graphica.

14. Nonfiction
•Students should have
access to high-interest,
high-quality nonfiction
texts.
•These texts should be
given equal weight to
fiction in the classroom.
•Nonfiction & fiction texts
can be paired.

15. Picture Books for Older Readers
Picture books are not just for young children.
Many picture books contain complex plots, sophisticated vocabulary,advanced
literary elements, and themes older readers will understand.

16. Audio Books
Audio books allow students to
experience more complex texts
that may be challenging for
them to read independently.

17. Book Buffets
• Choose an author,
theme or genre.
• Gather a range of
books.
• Provide students
time to browse.
• While music is
playing, students
must browse
silently.

18. Booktalks
• Brief advertisement of
a book. Goal is to hook
readers.
• Teachers, librarians http://www.schooltube.com/video/a8e88132d7ee2cef8971
and students may give
booktalks.
• Be sure to have copies http://www.schooltube.com/video/86bf85e5e012868c7f80/
of the book on hand.
• Be prepared to start a
waiting list.

19. Book Trailers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtPdqV2crQ0
• Similar to movie
previews.
• Book trailers
provide visual
cues about what
the book is about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKgG3b0XDD0
• Great way to hook
readers.

20. Develop a Strong Classroom Library
• Scholastic Warehouse Sale
• Grants
• Books in lieu of teachers gifts
• Make friends with your school
librarian.

21. Resources for Teachers
• NoveList- free book database through
MARVEL (Maine’s Virtual Library)
• Good Reads
• Falmouth Elementary School Library
• Maine Student Book Awards

22. Blogs to Follow
• Children’s Book-a-Day Almanac
• Guys Read
• Kids Reads
• Kid Lit Frenzy
• Great Kid Books
• The Nerdy Book Club
• The Nonfiction Detectives

23. Professional Books
• Adventures in Graphica by
Terry Thompson
• The Book Whisperer by
Donalyn Miller
• The Daily 5 by Gail Boushey
and Joan Moser
• Igniting a Passion for
Reading by Steven L. Layne
• Pam Allyn’s Best Books for
Boys by Pam Allyn