They come into your library or classroom and they challenge you, they don't like reading. What can you do? Where do you look for ideas? What books are recommended by school librarians to turn things around? Ideas and suggestions here.

1. {{
Titles to TemptTitles to Tempt
They come into the library and challenge you.They come into the library and challenge you.
They don't like reading.They don't like reading.
What can you do?What can you do?
What book do you use to try to hook them?What book do you use to try to hook them?
Where can you look for support?Where can you look for support?
What if the problem is ability rather than interest?What if the problem is ability rather than interest?
Tried and true suggestions from New ZealandTried and true suggestions from New Zealand
school librarians.school librarians.
Great ideas on where to findGreat ideas on where to find ‘‘what nextwhat next’’ andand
lists to support you.lists to support you.
New books to tempt and extend their reading experiences.New books to tempt and extend their reading experiences.
Lists compiled by New Zealand school librarians withLists compiled by New Zealand school librarians with suggestionssuggestions
from Primary through tofrom Primary through to
Year 13.Year 13.

2. Tempting readers involves more than goodTempting readers involves more than good
booksbooks
It’s not just about the books!It’s not just about the books!
Does your school have a reading culture?Does your school have a reading culture?
Do you read the books?Do you read the books?
How do you recommend books?How do you recommend books?
Before we get to the lists lets have aBefore we get to the lists lets have a
quick look at what works for successfulquick look at what works for successful
school libraries.school libraries.

3. THEYTHEY
DO!DO!
JUDGEJUDGE
AA
BOOKBOOK
BY IT'SBY IT'S
COVECOVE
R,R,
don'tdon't
you?you?
In the LibraryIn the Library
•Lots of face out shelvingLots of face out shelving
•Request book - you read it firstRequest book - you read it first
•Share online book trailersShare online book trailers
•Exciting displaysExciting displays
•Book talks with visiting classesBook talks with visiting classes
•Lists of new booksLists of new books
•Active excited student library teamActive excited student library team
•Descriptive post-it-notesDescriptive post-it-notes
•So-and-so liked thisSo-and-so liked this
•II’’m not sure if you are old enough for thism not sure if you are old enough for this
yet but...yet but...
Tempting Techniques

4. In the MediaIn the Media
“Never judge a book by its movie.” J.W. Eagan
• Share good book review sites
• Keep the library website up to date
• Share on Librarything / Goodreads sites
• Share on a library Facebook page
• Keep the library blog up to date
• Have a public Livebinder or other curation
tool like Diigo with links to review sites,
trailers, fun author websites. Encourage
them to share at home.

5. Great ideas!Great ideas!
• Loo Reviews
• Speed booking
• Break time library activities
• Book week
• Visiting authors
• Local role models book lists
• 50 Book Challenge (or 10, 20)
• Book clubs
• Competitions with prizes
“A good
library will
never be too
neat, or too
dusty,
because
somebody will
always be in
it, taking
books off the
shelves and
staying up
late reading
them.”
Lemony Snicket

6. How the School can Support theHow the School can Support the
LibraryLibrary
• English classes read once a week in the libraryEnglish classes read once a week in the library
• Newsletter book reviews by teachers and studentsNewsletter book reviews by teachers and students
• Reading role modelsReading role models
• Recognition for lRecognition for libraryibrary pprefectsrefects / s/ studenttudent llibrariansibrarians
• Teacher recommendationsTeacher recommendations
• Teacher andTeacher and llibrarian model readingibrarian model reading, read and enthuse, read and enthuse
about the books the students are reading.about the books the students are reading.
• SSRSSR
• GreatGreat bbudgetudget
• Time for promotion in assemblyTime for promotion in assembly
• Creating a collaborativeCreating a collaborative schoolschool learning environmentlearning environment
where the library is the information centrewhere the library is the information centre

7. What if the problem is ability?
CHERUB
“I think
people who
don’t like
reading
should read
this book
because it’s
about secret
agents who
go on
undercover
missions to
bust criminal
organisations
and when you
read it feels
like it’s
actually
happening.”
- Zane

8. Where can you look for ideas?Where can you look for ideas?
Christchurch YA Librarian -Christchurch YA Librarian - bestfriendsrbooks.com/bestfriendsrbooks.com/
National Library website - join the communities!National Library website - join the communities!
SLANZA reading siteSLANZA reading site reading.slanza.org.nz/reading.slanza.org.nz/
Fendalton School blog -Fendalton School blog - library.fendalton.school.nz/library.fendalton.school.nz/
Julia Smiths blog -Julia Smiths blog - kerikeri-covertocover.blogspot.co.nz/kerikeri-covertocover.blogspot.co.nz/
Bobs books blog -Bobs books blog -bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/
Beattie's book blog -Beattie's book blog - beattiesbookblog.blogspot.co.nz/beattiesbookblog.blogspot.co.nz/
King's High School Library blog -King's High School Library blog -
thekingslibraryblog.blogspot.co.nzthekingslibraryblog.blogspot.co.nz//
NZ Teacher Librarian -NZ Teacher Librarian - skerricks.blogspot.co.nz/skerricks.blogspot.co.nz/
Google Communities – search books or librariesGoogle Communities – search books or libraries
Ruawai Reviews - ruawailibrary.wordpress.com/Ruawai Reviews - ruawailibrary.wordpress.com/
“One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original
dimensions.” Oliver Wendell Holmes

9. Recommended Book Lists
On LibraryThing
Primary and Intermediate
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Booksthathook1
Secondary
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Booksthathook2
Share these with your students either on a computer in the library, in your
school newsletter or website. Let your parents and teachers know about it too.
Try the ‘cover view’ – teens love to shop by cover. Sort by the ‘tags’ to
personalise the lists.“The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can't.”
Mark Twain