21st Century Book Talks

Book Trailers



I created this Hunger Games Book Trailer a year ago on Jan 23, 2011. I was excited about this book last year and so were millions of others. Book trailers are exciting, plain and simple. We live in an age of blockbuster movies and blockbuster books, so to excite audiences about upcoming movies, production companies spend a lot of money promoting their new movie. So, as librarians, why shouldn't we do the same about our up and coming exciting books?

Book Trailers can really get students excited about a new book. But, many librarians struggle with trying to get one out for their students. I love creating book trailers, in fact, when our ELA leads Michael Gragert and Carrie Sauceda asked for me to make book trailers for our summer program, I jumped on it.

I have found that creating book trailers is a process like everything else. Here are some tips that help me when I make them:

1. I think about what pictures or video footage might create a mood to help give insight about what a book might be about. Then I scour the internet for book covers and characters that can convey part of the message of the book, and sometimes even create my own footage.

2. Once I begin downloading these items, I place them all in a folder. That way I can upload them all at once if need be.

3. Next, I write anywhere from 5 to 7 slides of information that will help give an idea about what the book might be about.

4. Then, I use one of two programs to create a trailer: iMovie (I have a MAC) and Animoto. I have had to recreate most of my book trailers with Animoto since it gives me a link to the video and I can avoid YouTube since my school district blocks it.

5. After creating the order and video, I can upload the video to YOUTUBE or if I use Animoto, I can embed it in my Blogs. I really like that Animoto provides options to get a link, embed or download your video.

Does creating a book trailer take time, yes, it does. But, the end result is an introduction to books for a generation of kids that a production. I mean, don't we all? Here is to some great summer reading!