Booktalking: Crowdsourcing Your Reading

Ultimately my goal is always to create a culture of reading and this is another idea that I used to try to facilitate and grow this idea.  This booktalk idea, “Crowdsourcing Your Reading,” came to me during the pandemic when we were back in school but masked.  I wanted students to connect even if they had to stay apart.  Creating opportunities for connection is so paramount for building community. It stemmed from my desire to have students share their reading experiences and introduce them to Goodreads. Goodreads is like social media for readers, where users can track their reading and review books. The reviews on Goodreads are generally more authentic than those on Amazon and other platforms. This activity is best suited for students older than thirteen. Alternatively, you could pair this with a database like Novelist to promote that product, but I chose the free route with Goodreads.

Why Goodreads?

1. Authentic reviews: Goodreads offers more genuine book reviews compared to commercial platforms like Amazon.
2. Long-term benefit: Students can continue using their accounts beyond school, fostering a lifelong reading habit.
3. Age-appropriate: This activity is designed for students 13 and older, in compliance with Goodreads’ terms of service.

Alternative: If Goodreads isn’t an option, consider using a library database like Novelist to promote resource familiarity.

Materials Needed:

• Copy of the Slidedeck
• Collaborative platform (Jamboard, FigJam, Padlet, or Google Slides)
  • The goal is not to have a complicated medium to share.  It should be quick and familiar to students
• Whitelisted access to Goodreads.com or Novelist
• Computer for each student (preferred)

Activity Breakdown:

1. Goodreads Introduction:
   • Demonstrate Goodreads features
   • Discuss the benefits of tracking personal reading
   • Encourage (but don’t require) account creation using personal email addresses
2. Traditional Booktalks:
   • Prepare 5 diverse genre titles per class period
   • Booktalk these titles before or after the activity
3. Student Book Selection:
   • Ask students to brainstorm a book they have read in the last year that they would recommend to their peers.
   • Encourage them to exclude class reads to promote a diverse range of books.
4. Goodreads Research:
   • Students search for their chosen book on Goodreads
   • Download the book cover image
   • Read the synopsis and a few reviews for inspiration
5. Book Endorsement Creation:
   • Students write a short recommendation on the collaborative platform
   • Rate the book using a 1-5 star system
   • Add provided images or emojis to enhance their endorsement
6. Sharing and Commenting:
   • Students share their endorsements on the collaborative platform.
   • Encourage students to add comments to each other’s endorsements using digital post-it notes.
   • Highlight the importance of constructive and positive feedback
7. Wrap up and Discussion
   • Facilitate a discussion on the activity, asking students what they enjoyed and what they learned about their peers’ reading preferences.
   • Discuss any new books students are interested in reading based on their peers’ endorsements.

This activity not only promotes reading engagement but also develops critical thinking and digital literacy skills. By crowdsourcing recommendations, students discover new books through trusted peer suggestions, creating a collaborative and exciting reading environment. Pro Tip: Provide clear guidelines for respectful commenting and constructive feedback.