Interactive Tools for Choosing Books

I always had a hard time choosing books for my learners. It's not that I didn't try to find out what they liked, but that I did not include them in the process of choosing. This mistake is made often by new tutors, but with help from a few simple tools choosing a book can be easy and fun. (You can also use one from the pictures I selected! These books are a few of my favorites!)

If you've used one of the reading surveys I listed in my first post, then you probably already have an idea of what kind of books your learner likes. If not, using the survey may help! Once you've done a survey together, take your learner to the library or to a bookshelf. Let them choose what they might like to read.

For finding books online, try The Bookhive. The site, made for a library, features books daily and has activities for choosing novels. Let your learner try the website on their own and write down a few books of interest. They can even make their own book list online!

Another site I like for finding books (which I've mentioned before) is Read Kiddo Read. Visit this site with your learner for connections to author's sites, lists of books by interests, games and other resources. With so much useful information, this site is definitely worth visiting.

If you still feel like you're going nowhere, find out what your learner likes to watch on television. This not only gives you information about what kind of books they might like, but it will also help you get to know your learner better. Let your learner know that there are many novels similar to the shows they enjoy. Show your learner a few examples. They'll be glad you spent so much time helping them to choose a book they will enjoy.