Literature Circles

If you want to see kids get excited about reading, let them choose their own books and talk about them in groups. That's the basic idea behind Literature Circles, or Book Clubs. If you are new to Literature Circles, start by reading through the various models and printables to find something that meets your needs. Then check out the book recommendations on Shelfari, our community bookshelf described below.

• Literature Circle Models
• Literature Circle Management Ideas
• Literature Circle Printables

Great Classroom Books on Shelfari

Need ideas for great literature circle books, read alouds, or novels for whole class study? Check out the Teaching Resources Shelfari page, a collection of books and recommendations by teachers. Click on the shelf link to see what others have recommended. What books do you enjoy sharing with your students? Please add your titles and recommendations to the Shelfari website. Click the Shelfari link and log in with the information below. Then search for your favorite book and click the Add link to add the book to the shelf.

User Name: teachingresources@hotmail.com

Password: greatbooks

Note: This community bookshelf is for educators only. Please do not allow your students to add books and recommendations. If you would like to use Shelfari with your students, sign up for a free account.

Professional Resources

Over the years, I have read many wonderful resources to help me get started with Literature Circles, and I would like to share my four favorite books with you. The material on my website is helpful, but if you are serious about implementing Literature Circles, I would suggest purchasing at least one of the books below. To help you decide which books might best meet your needs, I've written a short recommendation for each. Enjoy!

Moving Forward with Literature Circles - Inspiring book, easy to read, great for upper elementary
Mini-Lessons for Literature Circles - Outstanding resource, especially for middle and high school teachers
Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs - An updated version of the Harvey Daniels classic
Getting Started with Literature Circles - Excellent resource for all teachers - great section for K-2 teachers