Growing Readers: The Power of Appeal Terms and book hooks

Growing Readers: The Power of Appeal Terms and book hooks O. Nesi NYCSLA Workshop– November 20, 2010

To Start … let’s read • But Excuse Me That is My Book by Lauren Child • Write a brief annotation for the book and share out

Now Let’s Go Back • Let’s revisit the last activity using the language of appeal • Describe the story elements for the book we read using the appeal terms provided • What’s different? How? Why?

The Story of Cavallaro’s Students…but really – this might be the story of all of our students • Helping students find the books they like … with their help vs. without their help (“Nah…”) • “It’s about a boy…” • “It’s interesting.” What does that mean, anyway? • Or – we can teach them to use a common intelligent vocabulary to describe what they like (and dislike)

Modifications anyone? • Story Element: PACE • Story Element: TONE • Story Element: STORY LINE • Story Element: CHARACTERS / CHARACTERIZATION

Let’s Read … …and assign appeal terms to more picture books (then, lunch)

Summaries vs. book hooks “If you’re like me, you tend to regard plot summaries as a necessary boredom at best … revealing almost nothing about the way a book actually works, almost nothing about why it succeeds or fails. If plot were the crucial measure, there’d be no difference between a story about the fish that got away and Moby Dick.” Will Blythe – NY Times Book Review – July 11, 2010

What is a book hook exactly? • Neither a summary, nor a review • A 2-3 paragraph distillation of the reading experience provided by a book • It starts from the reader’s personal point of engagement • Should capture the elements of a story in such a way as to entice someone to want to read it • Gives readers an “in” to the story by revealing its hook • Same book – different readers – different hooks

…and how do I write one? • Begin by referring to the lists of appeal terms as you read • Jot down the adjectives you think best describe the “feel” of the book you are reading • Include as little as possible about the plot • Determine which of the story elements to feature in your Book Hook, then work them in • Practice, practice, practice (and it helps if you like the book)

Let’s read & discuss hooks • Winston the Book Wolf by Marni McGee and Ian Beck • The Winston Book Hooks • Which ones “work?” Why? • What doesn’t work? Why?

Time to write some book hooks • First: a story - Visit by Walter Dean Myers • Then, Book Hooks and share out

A book Hook possibility for visit • In this grim and impossibly hopeless story, a father visits his estranged son on death row. What minutes are left to them are spent in palpable discomfort, confession, regret and inescapable resignation. • Pace: measured • *Tone: Heavy, quiet, sad • Story line: thought provoking • *Characters: introspective

One more book hook • Another story - Snowbound by Lois Lowry • Now Book Hooks and share out

A book hook possibility for snowbound • In this light, humorous story, a young girl and her odd and obnoxious boyfriend visit with her family during a snow storm. Well drawn characters and a tightly focused story line draw readers fully into the episode. • Pace: relaxed • Tone: humorous and engaging • *Story line: layered • *Characters: well developed and vivid

What comes first? • Set up a Book Hook binder in your library • Read as much as you humanly can out of your collection • Write Book Hooks for everything you read out of your collection • Teach your kids to refer to the binder any time they are looking for reading suggestions.

Then… • Appeal terms and Book Hook writing PDs for ELA teachers • Book Hook binders in every ELA classroom • Generate lists of read alikes using your Book Hooks. Sort these by appeal • Get kids hooked on reading!

Growing Readers: The Power of Appeal Terms and book hooks