Book Trailers: An Update and a How-To

Back in January I wrote a post at my Teach with Picture Books site, mentioning Mark Geary's excellent and growing collection of book trailers (aka book previews in video format). Mark recently checked in to give an update, saying:

Thanks for the mention, Keith! We do have an adolescent section here. We are now up over a thousand booktrailers, and growing. For the most part, our trailers are made using photostory 3, as it is quick, easy, and free, all good combinations for busy educators. I also wrote a short article on How to Make Booktrailers.

Some consideration needs to be given as to where the booktrailers should be posted. I do not recommend YouTube, as that is blocked in most schools, so even when you post there, the viewing opportunities are limited. Teachers and authors are welcome to send booktrailers to me, for inclusion on my site, or they may want to consider SchoolTube (like YouTube, only moderated for content). Another choice may be doing a video commentary on the book, and uploading to that books site on Amazon.com.

I went over and checked out Mark's tutorial, and while I am familiar with photostory, I can see that his steps will be easily understood by even a novice user. And as far as the adolescent lit collection, tons of great books are features there including Speak, The Westing Game, The Outsiders, The Face on the Milk Carton, Hatchet, and A Walk to Remember.

So thanks for the tips, Mark! A book trailer is an excellent alternative to the traditional book report, and by increasing the size and breadth of a student's audience, it becomes even more motivating.

For some more ways to use book trailers, plus some additional links, be sure to check out the most recent link on the topic, YA Book Trailers, plus the original article on the topic: The Power of the Preview.