Library Shelf Talker Book Report Forms

A few months ago, I pulled a print-off form from the Library Sparks website for a "shelf talker" that I used with the kids to do beginning of the year book reports.

It was such a great idea, because I could use the shelf talker on the library shelves directly under a particular book or series.  Then, as the kids were browsing during class, they were getting direct recommendations from other kids on what books were awesome.

These books became highly sought after for several weeks, and several of the kids told me they never would have given a book a second glance but for the nudge from another kid's shelf talker.

Since then, I have been scouring the internet trying to find some new forms to use...but have had no luck.

Today, I finally gave up trying to find something I liked and, instead, came up with my own forms that I'll be using with the kids this week.

Basically, it works like this:

I select some clip art in a black and white line drawing format -- a smaller coloring page version, if you will, that allows the kids to personalize their own page after they do the written book report part.  I'm using some Dr. Seuss clip art this week because next month is Dr. Seuss' birthday, but I've also mocked some up using various pictures of fantasy characters reading books for later in the year as well.

They are adorable.


Here's what I have at the bottom below the clip art -- this is the book report section for the kids to fill in for me.  Here's what a mock up version would look like:

Name: _________________________
Grade:_________________________
Title: __________________________
______________________________
Author: ________________________
Why this book is awesome:
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________


I don't know why I never thought to mock up my own form before now, but there you are.  I left enough spacing between each line for the kids to be able to write legibly, and I set them up using a landscape page orientation to make them easy to cut out.

I'll copy them on thicker, cardstock paper and then cut them out with a paper cutter this evening to use in class tomorrow.

(Photo by Christy Hardin Smith.)