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January 4, 2011 by Travis Jonker

Update: Using ‘Unshelved’ in Your Library

January 4, 2011 by Travis Jonker   8 comments

It’s a new year – why not try a new reading promotion idea?

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Or, like me, you can lazily take an old idea and “update it” for 2011 (I believe I’m supposed to mention something about the insanity of “re-inventing the wheel” here).

Back in the glory days of 2009, I wrote about how I used the superbly library-centric webcomic Unshelved to promote books in my school libraries, with impressive results. Each week they create an Unshelved Book Club strip, which is a booktalk in cartoon form. For example:

Well, lovers of lamination aroma rejoice! A year or so has passed and there’s an entirely new batch of Book Club strips for protecting under plastic. I’m beginning to think they are writing them specifically for me, as a ton of my favorites have shown up. Here’s a list of all the strips that generally work for my 5-6th grade school (if you’re looking for something different, click here to see every book they’ve featured):

The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

Tower of Treasure by Scott Chantler

Bill Peet: An Autobiography

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier

Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires

Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo

Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm & Matt Holm

Foiled by Jane Yolen

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Cat Burglar Black by Richard Sala

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park

Mischief Makers Manual by Sir John Hargrave

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

The following strips were featured in my last Unshelved post:

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Snow Spider by Jenny Nimmo

Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Magic Pickle by Scott Morse

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Peterson

Owly by Andy Runton

Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller

Kampung Boy by Lat

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Bucking the Sarge by Christopher Paul Curtis

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Using them is simple and it really works:

Step 1: Print ’em

Step 2: Laminate ’em

Step 3: Fan them out in a satisfying manner

Step 4: Stick ’em next to a stack of the books (I usually order extra paperback copies in advance)

Step 5: Finished product

I’m very interested to see if the increase in interest I call the “Unshelved bump” works on older books as well, so I’m including From the Mixed Up Files and Bill Peet: An Autobiography among the highlighted titles.

A wholeheartedly approved method of book promotion.

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About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

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Comments

  1. elizabeth dulemba says

    January 4, 2011 at 8:48 am

    What a GREAT idea! 🙂 e

  2. Shelf-employed says

    January 4, 2011 at 12:34 pm

    I have done this in the past whenever I happened to read the strip on a day that a good book for kids was featured, but now that you’ve organized all the available titles, I’ll use them more often! Thanks! 🙂
    Lisa

  3. Julie says

    January 4, 2011 at 1:00 pm

    When I was a teen librarian, I did something similar; I actually just made the flyers myself and put them next to the book on a display shelf. I thought of it as a passive booktalk. Striking image, a one or two sentence summary/hook about the book…and those books moved. It was awesome.

    • Travis says

      January 4, 2011 at 1:32 pm

      Nice! It’s amazing what a little signage can do.

  4. Amanda (A Bookshelf Monstrosity) says

    January 4, 2011 at 7:14 pm

    Thanks so much for posting this!!! I’m in a PreK-8 school, and my 7th and 8th graders especially need some motivation right now. Thanks for this tip. I’ll be utilizing it ASAP.

  5. Amy says

    January 9, 2011 at 5:31 am

    Travis,
    As a new librarian, I am SO grateful for all the ideas you share regarding cool things you are doing in the library. They are so valuable to me! I implement almost every one you include on your blog. You mentor me over the miles. Just wanted to “plead” with you to keep them coming. It matters.

  6. Katie says

    January 14, 2011 at 6:53 pm

    Wow, this is such a neat idea. I can already see my students asking me if they can make their own! Thanks!

Trackbacks

  1. Posts I’m Loving Today | Inquiry Live in the Classroom says:
    January 14, 2011 at 7:44 pm

    […] Unshelved cartoons from 100 Scope Notes. Not only do I love this idea but I can already see my students creating their own using comic life. Even better, they could use this format to share their finding from their beyond the book inquiries. […]

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