Book Tasting in the Elementary Library
Hosting a Book Tasting in the Elementary Library
Each Year I host a book tasting in my school library in the fall for my 3rd through 5th grade students. I try to schedule the book tasting around the 4th or 5th week of school AFTER the students know my library rules and procedures. I want the book tasting event to be early in the year to introduce my students to new books and some oldies they may not have ever paid attention to. This year I am very excited to try something new. I recently hosted my fall book tasting and focused on different genres of fiction. This year I plan to host another book tasting in the spring focusing only on non-fiction. This year the book tasting was a big success and the students loved it! I like to decorate my library to look like a real restaurant complete with white tablecloths, placemats, flameless candles, and a silver tray of books. If I am wanting a more fancy restaurant vibe I will put on this youtube scene of a fancy restaurant and music. If I am going for more of a cafe style vibe I will put on this youtube scene of a fall cafe with music.
Setting Up For The Book Tasting
I have five tables set up for the book tasting. Each table is a different genre- realistic fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, mystery, and adventure fiction.
Each student will get a book tasting menu to take to the tables with them as they travel around to each table at the book tasting. The menu is sectioned into each genre represented at the book tasting. As the students visit each table genre, the students write down the title and author of the books they are interested in checking out in the future. As a fun little bonus, I also let them use special ink pens on book tasting day!
The students are so excited when they walk in and see the decorations and the total transformation of library to restaurant. I start out the discussion by letting students tell me a nice or fancy restaurant they like to go to. I love to hear what they consider a fancy restaurant! We discuss manners in a restaurant and how we will also practice these same manners at our library restaurant for the book tasting.
We discuss expectations and how a book tasting works. I model looking at the cover of the book and reading the book summary on the back of the book or inside the front flap. Flipping through the pages and looking at how many chapters there are and the length of each chapter. I model looking at special text features and illustrations if there are any.
Rotating Through The Tables
The students spend 5 minutes at each table. After 5 minutes I ring a bell to indicate that the students are to stack the books back neatly on the tray and straighten the tablecloth. I ring the bell twice to indicate students are to move to the next table.
As students are browsing the books I walk around with my apron on and act as their server. I like to do mini-book talks at each table.
The students usually leave the book tasting with a menu full of books they want to check out in the future. The menus stay in the library for students to reference when they come in. This is a wonderful way to kick off a great year of reading!
