This is reading promotion idea that’s inexpensive, low-tech, includes student voice, and I totally nabbed it from the amazing Librarian Tiff five years ago and I still love it! It’s kind of what you can call an oldie but a goodie.

I don’t put this display out at the beginning of the school year. I’ve found that it’s good to bring it out mid-year or connected to a reading promotion lesson activity like Speed Dating with Books to generate interest. Shockingly, it seems that my middle schoolers respond to “new” things, so I bring this out in the lull between Winter and Spring break. But this can work at any time in a school library or ELA classroom.

I was inspired by Librarian tiff because she also does this in her school library and created this amazing graphic below, made it Creative Commons, and gave it out to the world! I love beautiful signage that I don’t have to make myself! Because I’m kinda (occasionally) lazy.

Easy How To:

I bought some colorful mini clipboards from Amazon & lined sticky notes. I already had the mini galvanized buckets of golf pencils – stole those from my PAC computer bank. This way kids don’t write ON THE books. Don’t judge me for being a little OCD and not wanting the pencil impression onto the front of a Library book!

Student Voice:

The kiddo can write anything. “I loved this book because…” and sign it their fist name or just “an 8th grader” etc. My kids love seeing what other kids have read. Same idea, but in a low tech way, as my #BookDropLife &  Instagram posts.

This way kids can recommend books to other kids and be heard.  Simple. Easy. Effective.  I think it’s really important to allow kids to feel like they have a voice in the Library Media Center and in our school. Participatory Librarianship.

Save the Stickies!

At the end of the year, when I put this display away, I always take the sticky note off the front of the book and paste it inside the front cover. So the next kid can open the cover, read the book blurb, AND the student recommendation.

I was inspired to create a NEW Speed Dating notation sheet for kiddos. Feel free to make a copy & use it!

Another reading promotion idea that I like to bring out around this time of year is my VIP Key Readers. You can read more about that here….

Reading is the Key! – The Daring Librarian

Your Turn!

What easy & inexpensive ways do you promote reading in your School Library or Classroom? Please share in the comments, Twitter, or Instagram ways you reach out to kiddos to get them to read?

Thanks for Visiting!

Cheers dears!

Twitter: @GwynethJones – IG: The Daring Librarian. Future Ready Teacher Librarian & Tech Leader. Mover, Shaker, Blogger, International Ed Tech Keynote Speaker, Blogger, & Google Certified. Author of the award winning Daring Librarian blog. ISTE Board of Directors PK-12 Representative 2010-2014 – Creator of Content. Meme & Trope Archivist. Coastal Cottage owner. Geek. Ridiculously Humble.

Speed Dating to Find Your {Book} Match