Library Lovers' Lists

Promote reading while comparing and contrasting favorite books.

• 1.

  List of all the books you've read using Crayola® Colored Pencils. Narrow the list to your top 5 favorite books. Reread all five, taking notes on the themes, settings, characters, and ideas that really stood out. Tell a book sharing group why you recommend the books. Compare and contrast the content of your favorites.

• 2.

  Design a poster--perhaps for Library Lover's Month in February, Library Week in April, or National Library Month in November--to publicize your five recommended books. Use Crayola Markers to write the titles and authors of your books in bold lettering.

• 3.

  Look through recycled magazines to find eyes, ears, a nose, a smile, arms, hands, feet, torso, and legs to make a collage image of a library lover entering a library. Cut out pictures with Crayola Scissors and arrange on your poster. Glue with a Crayola Glue Stick. Add details with markers.

• 4.

  Design the library in the background with colored pencils. If your library lover is entering the front door, include a sign, windows, steps, and landscaping. If your library lover is in the building, include shelves of colorful books, tables and chairs, and computers.

Benefits

• Students identify their five favorite books.
• Children compare and contrast these books with regard to themes, settings, characters and ideas, then present their recommendations to a book sharing group.
• Students create mixed-media artwork to promote reading among peers.

Adaptations

• Display posters in a gallery that changes monthly. Browse the posters to get ideas for new books to read. Librarians review posters to decide which new books to purchase.
• Old book catalogs can stimulate memories of favorite books. Cut out pictures of favorite book covers to glue around the poster for an interesting border.
• Conduct a school-wide poll of favorite books. Write letters to the authors and illustrators explaining why their books are so popular.
• Younger students and those with special needs may need assistance writing book titles and cutting pictures from magazines. Arrange helper partners or classroom volunteers to transcribe students' ideas on posters. Provide precut magazine images to glue onto posters. If possible, do the background drawings in the library, or just visit to get ideas.