Book Love: Developing Depth, Stamina, and Passion in Adolescent Readers

Abstract

ook Love: Developing Depth, Stamina, and Passion in Adolescent Readers, written by Penny Kittle, provides literacy educators with an overview of strategies and techniques that have been proven to increase the desire to read, and to encourage students to become readers for life. One of the reoccurring themes throughout the book is the power of choice. Kittle (2013) argues for allowing students to choose their own books, as opposed to reading traditional classic literature, in order to increase reader engagement and stamina: “Reading classics rarely develops commitment, stamina and pleasure in reading that will last” (p. 19). She repeatedly argues the need for extensive classroom libraries where students can have current, young adult fiction and non-fiction readily available. Kittle argues that the age-old novel study should be abolished, and that these types of reading, often accompanied by quizzes, “often breed resentment, even from compliant readers” (2013, p. 21). In the next portion of the book, Kittle sets out to provide strategies that will enhance stamina, fluency, and students’ connection to books. There are several examples given on how to build a classroom library, how to conduct a reading / writing workshop, how to deliver a powerful book talk, why reading conferences are beneficial, how to create powerful reader response questions, and how to increase the literacy community at both the classroom and school levels. Most of these examples come straight from Penny Kittle’s own personal classroom teaching experience. She provides copied pages from her own notebook, as well as student examples to illustrate her points. Kittle’s work in Book Love (2013) can easily be placed alongside other publications on similar themes such as Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What you Can do About It (2009) written by Kelly Gallagher and Richard Allington. Kittle, Gallagher and Allington B

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