Judging a Book by Its Cover – Previewing and Selecting Fiction for Independent Reading

Posted on by

Independent reading and inquiry is an important part of the English curriculum at my school, particularly the 9th and 10th grades. This activity invites students to think about their thinking process for interacting with an unfamiliar novel for the first time.  

Note: I use this lesson in my Grade 9 class, but it could be completed with any age group.  

Judging a Book by its Cover (Slides)

Process 

  1. Select a variety of novels from your class or school library and spread them out amongst your students’ desks. If you have small literature circle sets, you can of course use those too; not every novel needs to be unique.  
  2. Explain the intention of the lesson to the students, which is to have them think about how they approach an unfamiliar novel and, ultimately, to find them a novel which they will read for enjoyment during independent reading. Emphasize the enjoyment!  
  3. Ask the students to pick up one of the novels at their tables. In a journal or somewhere, have them write responses to these questions as they appear on the screen: 
    • How does the title of this novel create a first impression? (Based on the title, what do you think the story will be about?) 
    • How does the ART on the cover create a first impression? (What symbols, emotions, color schemes, etc. are being introduced?) 
    • To what extent does the blurb at the back of the book reveal information to us? Are you intrigued, or not? What works well to invite you into this novel? 
    • How do additions like endorsements and reviews contribute to your expectations of this novel?   
  4. Repeat these questions with a new novel. You can even do it a third time if you have time.  
  5. Have students turn to a partner and reflect: How are we “reading” a book before we actually begin reading it? 
  6. Have them return to one of the novels they’ve already looked at the front cover of. Now they get to crack them open and read the first page or paragraph of the novel. In their journals, have them respond to these questions: How do you respond to this first page? Does the book seem intriguing, difficult, easy, unusual? What makes you feel that way?  (Are you immediately thrown into a situation? Is setting established? Do we learn who the narrator is right away? Etc.) 
  7. Repeat this one more time with a new novel. 
  8. In small groups, have the students take some time to share their impressions of the novels they picked. Students may end up being more intrigued by the novels that their classmates looked at – that’s okay! They can swap books and do some more investigating, using the “first impression” tools they’ve just been given.   
  9. Conclude with them officially choosing a novel to read for the next few weeks as independent reading, whether that means checking it out of the library or signing it out of your classroom.  
      

Image by 200 Degrees from Pixabay