65 Book Videos to Build Excitement for Summer Reading
Join Us for Summer Challenge LIVE!
Live from Scholastic Headquarters in New York, NY
A Game-Show Webcast Hosted by Jon Scieszka
April 30, 2009 1 p.m. EST
www.scholastic.com/summerreading
Live from Scholastic Headquarters in New York, NY
A Game-Show Webcast Hosted by Jon Scieszka
April 30, 2009 1 p.m. EST
www.scholastic.com/summerreading
Books will fly off the shelf and straight into your students’ hands when they watch these quick video booktalks and book trailers.
The videos listed below are in the form of video booktalks, similar to an in-class booktalk, and video book trailers, similar to a movie trailer but about a book. They are a fun, visual way for students to preview the books that may interest them.
Grades PreK-K
The Hello Goodbye Window by Norton Juster In this sunny portrait of familial love, a little girl tells us about her everyday experiences visiting her grandparents house.
Book trailer for The Hello Goodbye Window 
Lily Brown's Paintings by Angela Johnson When Lily Brown paints, her world starts to change . . . trees wear hats and drink tea, people walk upside down, and apples sing all the way home from the store.
Book trailer for Lily Brown's Paintings 
Pinkalicious by Elizabeth Kann Pink, pink, pink. More than anything, Pinkalicious loves pink, especially pink cupcakes. Her parents warn her not to eat too many of them, but when Pinkalicious does... she turns pink! What to do?
Book trailer for Pinkalicious 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle A hungry caterpillar eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep.
Book trailer for The Very Hungry Caterpillar Grades K-2
Amazing Snakes! by Sarah L. Thomson A snake can sleep all winter, grow as long as a school bus, swallow its food whole and crawl out of its skin!
Book trailer for Amazing Snakes! 
Deep in the Swamp by Elizabeth Kann Learn about the special relationships between the baby and mom mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects that make their home in the Okenfenokee Swamp
Book trailer for Deep in the Swamp 
Fancy Nancy and the Boy From Paris by Jane O'Connor Paris, France is the fanciest city in the world. When Ms. Glass tells the class that the new student is from Paris, Nancy cannot believe her luck.
Book trailer for Fancy Nancy and the Boy From Paris 
Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont Rover is snuggled safe and dry inside his doghouse until‚ one by one‚ a soggy group of animals shows up looking for a cozy place to sit out the storm. But when one very unwelcome surprise visitor appears‚ the doghouse isn’t quite so crowded after all!
Book trailer for Move Over, Rover! 
Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth Stillwater’s stories have different things to say to different people. What do they say to you?
Booktalk for Zen Shorts Grades 3-5
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban When Zoe Elias enters the annual Perform-O-Rama organ competition, Zoe discovers that life is full of surprises — and that maybe a little lopsidedness will help her find what she's "really" hoping for.
Book trailer for A Crooked Kind of Perfect 
A Friendship for Today by Patricia C. McKissack The Supreme Court said there can't be any more segregation and the colored school is going to close.
Booktalk for A Friendship for Today 
Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Book One: Moving Day by Meg Cabot Rule 5-Never let your family move into a haunted house.
Booktalk for Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Book One: Moving Day Read-Aloud with Miranda Cosgrove
Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Book Two: The New Girl by Meg Cabot Allie has rules for everything, until she meets Rosemary, the biggest and meanest girl in fourth grade.
Booktalk for Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Book Two: The New Girl 
Amulet #1: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi The old house had been in the family for generations, and it began revealing its mysterious and sinister secrets just hours after Emily, Navin, and their mother moved in.
Booktalk for Amulet #1: The Stonekeeper Book trailer for Amulet #1: The Stonekeeper
The Calder Game by Blue Balliett Can a sculpture move? If it's a Alexander Calder mobile, it can.
Booktalk for The Calder Game Read-Aloud with Blue Balliett
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett What happens when there are too many coincidences, too many puzzle pieces that fit together? Do you ignore them and pretend nothing’s happening? Or do you try to figure out what’s really going on?
Booktalk for Chasing Vermeer 
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. Blume Eleven-year-old Cornelia Englehart, who prefers to hide herself away behind long words, learns the importance of having friends from a most unexpected source - her new, elderly neighbor, Virginia Somerset.
Book trailer for Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters 
Cyberia by Chris Lynch Where are you when you’re watched 24/7, no matter what you’re doing? In a cage.
Booktalk for Cyberia Book trailer for Cyberia 
Dinosour Cove Attack of the Tyranasourus by Rex Stone Tom and Jamie can't believe their luck when they find a secret entrance to a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs. The first dinosaur they meet is friendly, but soon, they meet a much less friendly dino: a T-Rex that would like to eat them.
Book trailer for Dinosour Cove Attack of the Tyranasourus 
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis Elijah was the first free baby born in Buxton, the first person there who had never been owned by a slave master.
Booktalk for Elijah of Buxton Book trailer for Elijah of Buxton 
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan Esperanza means hope, and hope is what Esperanza needs, to help her rise above the wreckage of her life in Mexico, and learn to survive in the hardscrabble fields of California.
Booktalk for Esperanza Rising 
Fire Star by Chris d'Lacey A research trip to the Arctic, an old enemy, and a new story all combine in an adventure unlike anything David and Zanna have ever imagined.
Booktalk for Fire Star 
Gully's Travels by Tor Seidler It's a long way from Manhattan to Queens, from premium canned food to cheap dry pellets, from a life of luxury and refinement to one of screaming kids and unairconditioned apartments.
Booktalk for Gully's Travels 
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor Ever since Georgina’s father left‚ her family has been living in their car. Desperate to improve their situation‚ she devises a plan to steal a dog and claim the reward. What happens next is the last thing Georgina expected.
Book trailer for How to Steal a Dog 
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke What would you do if every time you read a book out loud, it came to life, whether you wanted it to or not?
Booktalk for Inkheart 
Julian Rodriguez by Alexander Stadler Julian Rodriguez is far from the eight-year-old boy he appears to be. He's actually an Officer of the Federation, who is trapped in a child's body while he spies on Earth.
Booktalk for Julian Rodriguez 
The Land of Elyon, Book 1: The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman There is an enemy in the land of Elyon that threatens the peace and prosperity of the people who live in its four walled cities.
Booktalk for The Land of Elyon, Book 1: The Dark Hills Divide 
Main Street #1: Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. Martin Flora and Ruby had no idea how many adventures awaited them in the little town of Camden Falls.
Booktalk for Main Street #1: Welcome to Camden Falls Book trailer for Main Street #1: Welcome to Camden Falls 
Millicent Min: Girl Genius by Lisa Yee What would it be like to be eleven- years old and about to become a senior in high school?
Booktalk for Millicent Min: Girl Genius 
Sassy – Little Sister is NOT My Name! by Sharon Draper Magical things happen when Sassy Sanford opens her sparkly, purple, patchwork Sassy Sack!
Book trailer for Sassy – Little Sister is NOT My Name! 
Swindle by Gordon Korman Griffin Bing was the Man with the Plan. No matter how complex, no matter how dangerous, no matter how risky, Griffin could do it. Stealing a baseball card was no problem.
Book trailer for Swindle 
Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth Violet is looking forward to spending lazy summer days with her best friend‚ Lottie. But when sophisticated Melissa moves to town‚ Violet’s world gets turned upside down.
Book trailer for Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning 
The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett Miss Hussey’s class has been challenged to save Frank Lloyd Wright’s favorite building from destruction.
Booktalk for The Wright 3 Grades 6-8
Birdwing by Rafe Martin Once upon a time, a girl rescued her seven brothers from a spell that had turned them into swans.
Book trailer for Birdwing 
Charlie Bone and the Beast by Jenny Nimmo There's a new student at Bloor Academy, and he seems determined to make trouble for Charlie in every way possible.
Booktalk for Charlie Bone and the Beast 
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter All Cammie Morgan wants is a peaceful semester at Gallagher Academy‚ but despite her best intentions‚ danger seems to follow.
Book trailer for Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy 
Flush by Carl Hiaasen You know it's going to be a rough summer when you spend Father's Day visiting your dad in the local lockup.
Book trailer for Flush 
The Haunting of Derek Stone – Volumes 1 & 2 by Tony Abbott Derek never imagined that the dead could be anything but dead. But when his train crashes into a gorge and Derek survives‚ the dead start to return and‚ for some reason‚ they’re after him.
Book trailer for The Haunting of Derek Stone – Volumes 1 & 2 
Into the Volcano by Don Wood A mysterious journey, a dangerous job to do, and adventures far beyond what Duffy and Sumo had ever imagined.
Booktalk for Into the Volcano 
May Bird Among the Stars by Jodi Lynn Anderson May Bird continues her adventure in the afterlife where she and her friends encounter a whole new array of terrifying and hilarious places and ghosts.
Book trailer for May Bird Among the Stars 
Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix The true princess Cecilia is forced into hiding until the evil forces that killed her parents are vanquished. But a bizarre twist of fate throws the truth into chaos and turns her world upside–down. Is she really who she thinks she is?
Book trailer for Palace of Mirrors 
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan Percy and his friends are escorting two new half-bloods safely to camp when they are intercepted by a manticore and learn that the goddess Artemis has been kidnapped.
Book trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Titan's Curse 
Rules by Cynthia Lord This summer, Catherine's life will be turned upside down, as she struggles to figure out what "normal" really means.
Booktalk for Rules 
Seekers #1 by Erin Hunter Three young bears from different species--black, polar, and grizzly — are separated from their families when they are just young cubs. They find themselves brought together on a perilous journey.
Book trailer for Seekers #1 
Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams Will loves to dig. So when his father suddenly disappears down one of the tunnels he's dug, Will knows he's got to go after him. But he has no idea how many surprises wait for him underground.
Booktalk for Tunnels Grades 9-12
A Curse as Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce The stranger could spin straw into gold. Could he be the answer to all of Charlotte's problems?
Booktalk for A Curse as Dark as Gold 
Airhead by Meg Cabot After a bizarre accident, Em wakes up to find she's no longer herself, and there's no way to fix it.
Booktalk for Airhead 
Bluford High: Blood Is Thicker by Paul Langan Sixteen-year-old Hakeem's life is turned upside down after his father is diagnosed with cancer and his family must move to Detroit.
Book trailer for Bluford High: Blood Is Thicker 
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod – Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer In this thrilling sequel to Eighth Grade Bites‚ Vlad must confront secrets from the past and battle forces that once again threaten his life. Can he identify the slayer in time?
Book trailer for The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod – Ninth Grade Slays 
Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah When she decides to wear the hijab full time, Amal's life changes in ways she never expected.
Booktalk for Does My Head Look Big in This? 
How I Saved My Father’s Life (and Ruined Everything Else) by Ann Hood Asking miracles isn't always a good thing. Take Madeline, for instance. She saved her father's life by praying harder than she'd ever prayed in her whole life. Her father was alive and safe, but everything else in her life was ruined.
Booktalk for How I Saved My Father’s Life (and Ruined Everything Else) 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games-ritual, punishment, death. Only one can survive.
Booktalk for The Hunger Games 
Kendra by Coe Booth When the "wrong" thing feels so right, it's hard to know what's the right decision.
Booktalk for Kendra 
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi When Balsa saw the prince fall from the bridge, her destiny took an unexpected turn.
Booktalk for Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit 
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson The Hopewell Hotel and its owners finally found something to hope for when Mrs. A moved into the Empire Suite.
Booktalk for Suite Scarlett 
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers Vietnam. Iraq. Different generations. Different wars. But the experiences of the soldiers who fought in them are all too similar.
Booktalk for Sunrise Over Fallujah 
Tyrell by Coe Booth Tyrell is 14. Broke, homeless, with a mom who refuses to take care of his little brother and acts like the world owes her a living, Tyrell is under so much pressure, sometimes he feels like he's gonna break for sure.
Booktalk for Tyrell 
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell Wanting something so much can lead you to a place that has no way out.
Booktalk for What I Saw and How I Lied 
The Year My Sister Got Lucky by Aimee Friedman Can two New York City ballerinas survive a move to a tiny farming town named Fir Lake?
Booktalk for The Year My Sister Got Lucky 
