Powerful Book Introductions: Leading with Meaning for Deeper Thinking

Fay, Moritz, and Whaley offer elementary school teachers valuable tools to create book introductions that will support and improve guided reading. They stress that students' preconceptions about books and reading determine whether they'll persevere when encountering reading challenges, as well as their desire to read independently. Carefully crafted book introductions are key because they "work to shape thinking in powerful ways." Prior to introducing a book, teachers should select and analyze the text and then produce a statement, taking into account features such as vocabulary and language structure. Teachers must get to know their students and find texts that not only pique their interests but also meet their needs as readers. The authors believe that matching a child with the right book is the most important factor in cultivating successful readers, but they acknowledge that conducting extensive analysis of each book is impractical. Supplemented with additional resources and references, this is a comprehensive and strategic plan for improving the effectiveness of guided reading.