Book Tasting with Hallie Friedfeld in 1/2

Upon entering the classroom in the morning, students found their tables adorned in tablecloths, color-your-own place settings, flower centerpieces, and embellished cups. After decorating their place settings, Hallie explained to the class that they were going to get to visit a special restaurant that only served...books! The menu featured three courses, each of which offered books of a different genre: appetizers were nonfiction, main dishes were fiction, and desserts were series. Yonnette Moore, Head of Lower School/Assistant Head of School and head chef of this book tasting, cooked up some excellent options for students to sample from each course. 

Throughout the tasting, students were encouraged to try different types of books to get a ‘taste’ of each different genre. They talked among themselves about the genres they liked, topics they hadn’t read about before, and shared book recommendations with each other. After devouring each course, many students exclaimed at the end that they were “so, so full,” and others declared that they planned to bring their ‘leftovers’ (books they didn’t finish) home. 

Hallie’s Book Tasting activity introduced students to the expansive collection of books in their classroom library, fostered conversations about different book genres, and set the stage for future conversations around Just-Right books, reading strategies, and book groups. This experience was truly a special ‘treat’ for the 1st and 2nd graders!