—Richard McKenna Reading is what I do now, especially when I’m bored. I know I will do it. I just know. —Brandon STANDING AT THE FRONT of my classroom, marker in hand, chart paper at the ready, I am leading a discussion with my new students about how readers choose books for themselves. In spite of our book frenzy the day before, my students have not yet accepted that this class will be different, that their reading choices and honesty will drive everything that we do. Students raise their hands to give me the answers they think I want to hear:“I look at the cover and the title.” “I read the summary on the back of the book.” We stop and discuss the differences between a summary, which describes the plot of a book in detail, including the resolution; a teaser, which gives you a taste of the book without revealing the entire plot; and a blurb, which is a reviewer’s reaction to the book. After exploring this tangent, students continue to tell me how they choose their books:“I look for an author who I have read before.”
What do You think about The Book Whisperer (2010)?
