Read It Forward - by Linda Kay (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

With this practical guide, it's easy to implement the proven fun--and learning--of a read-it-forward program in your middle school library. Teens recommend books to other teens, offering a surefire way to promote books and reading.

Finding the right book for each student is almost impossible if you serve several hundred students, as most school librarians do. Read It Forward offers an innovative way around that problem: a program that lets librarians saturate the school with a title that encourages middle school students to read for pleasure. As an added bonus, Read It Forward (RIF) creates learning opportunities that can be leveraged across the curriculum.

The program presented here is based on the author's experience with a community RIF project that was a collaborative effort among nine middle school librarians from schools with varying needs and socioeconomic levels. This thoroughly practical book takes librarians through the process step by step, offering specific examples of what worked and what didn't, then showing how the process can be extended to almost any book. The author also discusses other aspects of running a successful RIF program--such as getting buy-in from school administrators, the PTA, and department chairs--so that parents and teachers can collaborate in the experience.

Review Quotes

"In its most basic manifestation, Read It Forward (RIF) is a joyous way to get students reading and thinking about books. An energetic and inspired librarian might turn it into the happening of the year." --School Library Journal

"This how-to guide presents practical, no-frills advice. . . . This is a suitable resource for school librarians to use in brainstorming their own RIF experiences." --Booklist Online

"This volume will inspire widespread reading for pleasure programming at any level, both in schools or other community groups." --ARBA

About the Author