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Book Trailer Project Step-by-step Guide Project & Activity Ideas Ed Tech Reading Book Trailer Project Step-by-step Guide Ed Tech , Project & Activity Ideas , Reading Book Trailer Project Step-by-step Guide

• by EN101 Author

Book Trailer Project is a digital storytelling activity for middle school or high school students after they finish reading a book. Students need to take the key idea from the book to create a short video that persuades people to check out a book they have read.

The book trailer project requires students to summarize, synthesize and analyze the book and put that analysis in their trailer. Furthermore, having students create book trailers is a great way to incorporate technology in the classroom and encourage reading. Thus, book trailer project is a great alternative to boring book report assignments, and can easily be done individually or in groups.

Book Trailer Resource Pack! GET IT HERE

Read on for the complete book trailer project step by step guide., common core standards for english, reading standards.

2 . Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

7 . Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media , including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

Writing Standards

11 . Develop personal, cultural, textual and thematic connections within and across genres as they respond to text through written, oral or digital presentations, employing a variety of media and genres.

Book Trailer Project: Lesson Guide

The secret to a successful book trailer project is scaffolding! Teachers should walk students through the whole process from analyzing the book to creating their videos!

Introduction

• Using  simple PowerPoint presentation , start by discussing the kind of trailers that students are most familiar with: movie trailers! Ask students to describe the last movie trailers they watched. Ask the main reasons why people create movie trailers and what are the qualities of a good trailer, e.g no spoilers, great music, etc.
• Tell the class that they will be creating book trailers of the books that they have read before. Explain that a book trailer is a short video advertisement for a book which employs techniques similar to those used in a movie trailer. A book trailer’s main goal is to promote a book and entice readers to have a read.
• Show several book trailers to the class. If possible, show professionally made (those found in author’s website) and student-made book trailers found on YouTube. While students are watching, ask them to take notes of what makes a great book trailer from these examples.

Professionally made sample video

Student made sample video

• Distribute the Steps to Completing the Project handout and go over each step quickly, and set deadlines.
• If students are going do the project in pairs or in groups, allow them to find their partner or group members. Give them time to shortlist the books they have read and agree on one title that they want to use for the project. If students have not read any book before, allow ample time for students to complete their novels before the next session. An alternative way is to write on a strip of paper all the book titles the class read this year and put them in a bowl. Allow each group to select one book that they have to develop a trailer for.
• Hand out the printout  Book Review Template  and explain to students that this will help them flesh out the book and will become the basis for their script and storyboard. Have students work on completing the book review and help those who need extra assistance.
• Next, ask students to plan their video by completing the Storyboard Template . Have students write their scripts and consider what types of pictures they want to use to illustrate their script.  Tell them to plan on at least one image per sentence. The pictures can be more of setting, of objects important to the story, or anything else the writer can imagine. It’s a chance to be creative and make a trailer rich with symbolism.
• Students only need to describe the images and don’t have to draw on the template, but if they can make a sketch or stick figures, the better! Students also need to consider the background music to be used for the trailer. Remind them to consider the theme, mood and pace of the story in choosing the right music. Give support to those who need additional help to finish.
• Once students are done with the storyboard, model for how to search for images online. Explain that they need to click on the photo to see its actual size. Bigger image size will be clearer in the trailer; otherwise, it will look pixelated or blurry.

Here are some suggested image websites that students can use:

Pics4Learning  – teachers and students can use the copyright-friendly photos and illustrations for classroom projects, web sites, videos, portfolios, or any other projects in an educational setting.

Pixabay  – is a vibrant community of creatives, sharing copyright free images and videos.

Flickr: Creative Commons  – is a non-profit that offers an alternative to full copyright.

Pexels  – provides high quality and completely free stock photos licensed under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license.

Google Images  – is the easiest way to search for images. When giving attribution, explain to students that Google Images is just a mere search engine and not exactly the source. They need to click on the photo to see where it came from.

And here are some suggested websites for downloading songs and background music:

My Free MP3  – is a huge media library, covering music of different genres and time range.

MP3 Juices  – is a popular and free mp3 search engine and tool.

MP3 Skull  – this platform allows its users to search for mp3 files around the web.

• Hand out rubric for the project . Explain the instructions and expectations for the project clearly. Discuss the different options and tools available for them to create their trailer. Review how to use the software and media tools . Present PowerPoint on how to create video with the chosen video editing software, for example: How to Create First Video on Animoto  + Handout.
• Answer any questions they have about producing the video and have students work on the project and give assistance as needed.
• Students must be able to convert and download their videos in mp4 file. They can upload their trailers into their own YouTube channel or your chosen file sharing location such as Google Classroom where students can upload their completed videos.

Peer Review and Reflection

• Provide opportunities for peer review using the Peer Review printout where students will rate their classmates’ book trailers during class presentation/showing. You can also ask peers to share orally their feedback and constructive criticism after watching a particular trailer.
• After watching all the videos, allow students to analyze their own strengths and weaknesses and revise their thinking by answering the Project Reflection Questions .

Evaluation and Assessment

• Using the Book Trailer Rubric , evaluate students’ videos and offer students feedback. Add the average Peer Review score to their final grade. Since the purpose of a book trailer is to invite people to read a book, you can also give bonus points for x number of likes, views or shares on YouTube or other social media sites.

Book Trailer Project is an excellent project for the students. My best advice is to think flexibly, be open to new ideas, and let the students drive the learning. You will be amazed by how your students communicate, collaborate, and critically analyze media.

Book Trailer Resource Pack!

If you are interested in doing this project, this resource is for you! This pack includes:

✔ Book Review Template

✔ Storyboard Template

✔ Book Trailer Rubric

✔ Peer Review Template

✔ Project Reflection Template

✔ Step by step guide handout for students

✔ Printable version of this lesson guide

✔ A simple PowerPoint presentation to show to students

✔ How to Create Your First Video on Animoto PowerPoint

✔ How to Create Your First Video on Animoto PDF Handout

GET IT HERE

ALSO READ 5 Free Video Maker Online for Students – English Teaching 101

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Book Trailer Project for ELA: Alternatives to Book Reports

Distance Learning , End of the Year , Literature Circles , Project-Based Learning , Secondary Literacy

At the end of the year, students always welcome alternatives to book reports and final exams. This is especially true for students who have recently completed standardized testing. Thankfully, there are many options for alternatives to book reports for English Language Arts. A student favorite is the book trailer project – this alternative assessment is perfect for both independent novel studies and whole-class novels!

Using book trailer projects is a great way to incorporate differentiation in English Language Arts . It is also a great way to implement project-based learning within your curriculum. Most importantly, it provides the chance to end the school year on a fun note.

In this blog post, I will show you how I use book trailer projects as an alternative assessment in English Language Arts. This end-of-year activity is suitable for middle school and high school students. It can be used as a project for any novel study. Furthermore, it serves as a fantastic summative assessment for literature circles or independent novel studies.

Why Use Book Trailer Projects as an Alternative to Book Reports?

1. book trailer projects create instant buy-in.

There are several benefits to using book trailers as an alternative assessment. The main one: students genuinely enjoy them . There are a lot of project-based assessments that end up being a lot of work for both students and teachers. However, most of your students might already have the skills needed to create a book trailer.

In fact, your students probably use these skills on a daily basis . The majority of them are quite familiar with movie trailers as a medium. This eliminates the need to learn about the medium itself. For inspiration, all students need to do is rewatch a few of their favorite movie trailers. You won’t have a hard time convincing them to do so!

To add to this, video content is viral on social media . The majority of your students probably watch TikTok videos or Instagram Reels. The opportunity to bring video content into the classroom is an instant buy-in for students.

Additionally, students will see this assignment as a chance to entertain their classmates. They will find creative ways to incorporate video trends and editing techniques that they see on social media. This will motivate them to complete this assignment to the best of their ability.

2. Book Trailer Assignments offer Collaboration Opportunities

Project-based assessments are a great opportunity for collaboration. A book trailer assignment is the perfect group project because it requires different skills. Students can decide on who will write the script, film and edit the content, and act in front of the camera. This allows each student to rely on their unique strengths .

In order to create their book trailer, students must collaboratively discuss their novel. This will allow them to learn from their classmates’ insights. As they share their opinions, their understanding of the novel will deepen organically. Because of this, book trailers can be just as beneficial as a standardized exam – if not more!

3. Book Trailer Projects Save Time on Grading

The best part of this alternative assessment is presentation day. Students love sharing their book trailers just as much as they love watching their classmates’ work. You’ll love watching them too. But what you’ll love the most is the ability to grade them on the spot !

To assess this novel study assignment, you can simply print each book trailer rubric before the start of class. As each group presents its trailer, you can fill the rubric out. It is helpful to have classmates share their feedback too. This will give you more time to consolidate and grade on the spot.

4. Movie Trailers are a Great Alternative Assessment for English Language Learners

The best book trailer I’ve seen was by a group of English Language Learners. Book trailers are a great alternative assessment for ELLs . For an ELL student, a written assignment or standardized test may focus more on grammar or syntax than the actual content of the novel.

In contrast, a book trailer allows ELL students to explore characterization and recreate the setting without focusing too much on grammar and mechanics. ELLs can find creative ways that express their understanding of the text.

Another great accommodation for ELLs is extra time . A typical class presentation can place a lot of pressure on an English Language Learner. Pre-recording their book trailer can alleviate some of that performance anxiety. The editing process is also a learning opportunity because ELLs can practice their pronunciation and listen to themselves speak .

What Do You Need to Assign A Book Trailer Project?

When I assigned this alternative assessment for the first time, I did a lot of research on movie editing software . I figured some of my students would need extra support. It turns out that my students were actually the experts!

As mentioned, your students are likely engaging with video content. Some of your students are also likely familiar with video editing. Ask them which programs work best for them. If you have no other factor determining student groups, you could build each group around a student with strong video editing skills .

Here are a few video editing programs for students :

• Windows Video Editor

How to Assign and Assess Book Trailers

Mondays Made Easy’s Book Trailer Project Outline includes everything you need to assign this summative assessment. This resource includes assignment instructions, a task checklist, a book trailer rubric, a peer evaluation form, and a student example.

Assignment Scaffolding and Instructions

You can facilitate this project by providing students with assignment instructions . These instructions explain the purpose of a movie trailer . This is helpful for students because it reminds them to avoid simple plot summaries . Instead, their trailer should capture the conflict, theme, and characterization within their novel.

These instructions also include a book trailer reflection . This written reflection is a short individual assignment . In this assignment, students can explain the connection between their book trailer and their literary analysis.

Your students will also benefit from using a student planner and task checklist . This graphic organize r outlines each step to create a book trailer. Each group can create their own target date for completing each step. This will prevent students from leaving most of the work until the last minute.

Alternative Assessment Methods for Book Trailers

There are several opportunities for assessment within this Book Trailer Project Outline . Students will complete both a self-evaluation and peer-evaluation form for each member of their group. To save time, you can have students upload their trailer to a Google Drive folder and share it with you. This allows presentations to run smoothly.

The resource also includes a book trailer rubric for summative assessment. This rubric evaluates knowledge of the novel and inquiry regarding critical perspectives in reviewing the novel. It also evaluates communication by considering grammar, inflection, and visual appeal.

In the past, I’ve assigned a group grade , along with an individual grade that is based on their written reflection and feedback from their peer- and self-evaluation forms.

Book Trailer Assessments for Online Learning

Book trailers are a great option for online end-of-year assignments because they are very suitable for distance learning . Students will have the opportunity to collaborate remotely. They can film their content from the comfort of their homes, and edit their content to simulate the feeling of being together.

In addition, there is really no way to plagiarize this assignment. Academic integrity is one of the most challenging aspects of remote learning . By using book trailers as an alternative to book reports, you’ll be sure that students are submitting original work.

The book trailer project is my favorite end-of-year activity for English Language Arts. They’re a great assignment for project-based learning . Additionally, they provide a creative alternative to book reports . There is no better time to harness your students’ excitement over video content. For handouts and rubrics to facilitate this assignment, check out this Book Trailer Project Outline on Teachers Pay Teachers.

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[…] to create a movie trailer. This assignment requires a fair bit of effort, but it is a great alternative assessment for older students. A movie trailer will prompt students to avoid simple plot summaries and establish characterization […]

[…] To learn more about how to assign book trailers and why they serve as a great alternative assessment, check out this blog post.  […]

Book Trailer Assignment 101

This discussion will focus on what a book trailer assignment is and how to create one. A book trailer assignment is a project that requires students to create a short video that promotes a book they have read. The video should be creative and engaging in order to capture the attention of potential viewers and readers. The goal is to create a trailer that entices people to read the book. We will discuss the components of a book trailer assignment, how to create an effective one, and how to use the trailer to promote the book.

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A book trailer assignment is a creative way to introduce a story to the audience. It is typically a brief video, usually less than three minutes long, created to share information about the book and spark interest in the work. The book trailer encourages potential readers to learn more and consider purchasing the book.

Below are some tips to help you create a great book trailer assignment:

Start by introducing the book in a creative way. The introduction should entice viewers and explain what the book is about.

Use music and/or voice overs to catch the viewer’s attention.

Show clips from the book or imagery to give people an idea of what’s inside.

Make sure to focus on the best parts of the book and make sure it’s captivating and energetic.

Keep the trailer short and sweet. Between 1–2 minutes is ideal.

Include a call to action at the end of the trailer. Tell viewers where to buy the book or invite them to learn more.

You can also refer to this detailed guide here for more ideas on creating a great book trailer: http://www.akashicbooks.com/how-to-create-an-amazing-book-trailer/

Good luck with your assignment!

organicdog199

A book trailer assignment is a task that instructors give students to create a short video that serves as a cinematic representation of a book. Just like a traditional movie trailer, a book trailer offers a glimpse into the plot, characters, and themes of a book, but in a condensed and visually compelling way. The aim of a book trailer assignment is to encourage students to think creatively, critically, and artistically about a book they have read or are reading, as well as to practice their digital literacy and communication skills.

When given a book trailer assignment, students are typically asked to read a book of their choice or a book that has been assigned to them. They are then required to create a video that showcases the book in a way that makes viewers want to read it themselves. The video should be 1-2 minutes in length and it can be made using a variety of digital tools, such as video editing software, animation programs or even PowerPoint.

To create a successful book trailer, students need to carefully consider the elements of the book that are most important and captivating. They may want to emphasize key scenes, characters or quotes that make the book stand out. Students should also think about the tone and mood of the book and how they can convey this visually in their trailer, whether through music, lighting, or special effects.

In addition to these creative aspects, book trailer assignments also encourage students to develop their critical thinking and communication skills. Students must be able to articulate why certain elements of the book are important and why other elements should be highlighted to potential readers. This requires close reading and analysis of the text itself, as well as the ability to communicate those insights clearly and effectively in their video.

Overall, a book trailer assignment is an innovative and exciting way for students to engage with literature on a deeper level. It fosters creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy, all of which are essential skills for success in today's world. With a good book and a bit of imagination, students can create a book trailer that captures the essence of a book and inspires others to read it too.

Book Trailer: Rubric

• Tips for a Good Book Trailer
• WeVideo and Adobe Spark Directions
• Book Trailer Examples

Book Trailer Grading Rubric

Content: ____ / 10 points

The book trailer insightfully explores the chosen text; the creator uses a variety of engaging techniques and examples from the text to convince viewers that it is a meaningful and worthwhile read (without giving too much away or spoiling the plot)

Organization: ____ / 10 points

The book trailer is cohesively organized; all elements fit together seamlessly, with smooth transition and a clear overarching structure

Audio & Visual Elements: ____ / 10 points

Background music, sound effects, and/or voice over are relevant and enhance the content of the book trailer; images and other visual elements are chosen carefully as well to create a distinct atmosphere or tone that enhances the content of the book trailer

Style & Creativity: _____ / 5 points

The book trailer shows a unique and creative style; the creator’s perspective is evident, and the final product demonstrates creativity and a thought-provoking approach to the assignment

Length & Basic Info: _____ / 5 points

The book trailer is approximately 1-2 minutes in length, and the creator has included his/her name, along with the book title, author, genre, and image of the book cover.

Citations: _____ / 5 points

The last part of the video contains citations.

Storyboard: _____ / 5 points

TOTAL:  ______/50

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Creating Book Trailers in the Classroom

• Differentiation , Engagement , Freebies , Planning , Reading

A few years ago I set one of my professional goals at integrating more technology into the classroom. Regardless of the limited resources, I just wasn’t making it a priority like I should have.

I really wanted to tie reading and technology somehow. That’s when I thought why not have the kids create their own book trailers! Of course, despite knowing quite a bit about technology, the thought scared me a bit. Was this a task that was doable or would it be overwhelming and time-consuming?

That’s when I decided to contact the school technology teacher. (They are amazing, aren’t they!?)

She was positive it would be a great opportunity for the students to do and promised I wouldn’t be biting off more than I could chew. Despite her reassurances, I was still nervous that these book trailers would turn out horrible or that the creation process would drag on for weeks and months and possibly years!

I first showed students several book trailers from new releases. We analyzed them together (Hey – look at that! We met a Common Core standard!) and discussed what they noticed. Students noticed they were more about getting others excited about the book and wanting to read it. I was so excited that they got that!

I then informed the students of the project- which they were super excited about. In fact, I’m thinking they were probably making plans in their heads about being a big Hollywood director before I even finished explaining. I explained that they would read a book of their own – on their level and had to be a chapter book – and would then create a book trailer themselves to share with the class. You can download my explanation attachment and rubric  by clicking here.

Once we went to the computer lab, we used Windows Movie Maker. I was originally thinking iMovie using our iPads, but honestly, I didn’t want to spend the money on the app. We spent several days in the lab adding images, music, and editing to create our trailers. Then we had “a movie” day where we watched them together and discussed which books we couldn’t wait to watch!

This activity opened the door for so many discussions such as author’s purpose- what do you want your reader to walk away with? For story elements – what is the plot? What would make a great cliffhanger? What was the climax? Summary – what are the important elements you need to include? Citing your sources and plagiarism and so much more! It was truly worth it! We had a blast, students got some great book ideas, and we learned in the process! What more can you ask for?

Here are two examples of a book trailer created by two different students:

GRAB YOUR FREEBIE!

Don’t forget to grab the Book Trailer Freebie included above for free by clicking here .

• book trailers , freebie , Projects , Reading , Technology

10 Responses

This is great! I also want to incorporate more technology in the classroom but it's scary at times. I like the idea of a video advertisement because it ties in so many different standards. Roughly how much time did you give your students to accomplish this project? What did your "calendar" look like? Thanks for the awesome description and idea!!!

Hi! It took us about 3 weeks total- with the first week being the drafting mode- where we planned out how we wanted to do it, what we wanted to have included, what our main idea was going to be, so on (my approval). Then we spent about 2 weeks in the computer lab actually learning about movie maker (a few days) and then the rest of the time crafting it. Afterwards, we spent a few days presenting it (I spread it all out). I hope that helps!

What a GREAT idea! I want to use this idea for my next book project but I'm wondering if you would be willing to share anymore of your student's book trailers? I'm also wondering about how long it took for you to teach your students how to use Movie Maker and for your students to create their book trailers? Thanks for such a great idea!

Hi Krista, you too are a no-reply blogger meaning when it emails me your comment, I can't reply to you by hitting reply in my email. So I will reply here and hope you check back to see it. 🙂 Thank you for your compliments. Unfortunately, these are the only two that I can share because of permissions. I'm very sorry. I wish I could. The students actually picked up on using movie maker very quickly! I was super impressed. Overall, it took about 3 weeks to complete from beginning to end- with two weeks being in the computer lab. I hope that helps!

This is a great idea! I wish we could get Movie Maker – it looks like such a great program. Do you know of any similar apps/extensions for Chromebooks? That's what we now have access to (for better or for worse – perspective, I suppose!) 🙂 Thank you for the idea!

What grade level did these? 3rd grade? I was surprised to see Hunger Games. I am the school librarian for our elementary and we don't even carry the book. I have been wanting to create book trailers and you have inspired me to start tomorrow!

Hey folks, One idea I’ve used many times at the middle school level in my SS classes was Aurasma. It’s a free app that allows you to embed video and photos onto, in this case, a book trailer. For instance, Sam reads the Hunger Games and you link an image of the cover of the book to his video of him explaining a chapter, major event, characters, book trailer, etc. I used to hang the images (FDR/New Deal Murals) outside my door and anyone with the app who walks by and scans it can see the video or picture the students overlaid onto the image/book cover. My SS kids ran with it and were doing AMAZING things by the second or third day. I’ve seen it used for at-home reading practice for elementary students and a host of other ideas. If you download the app., hover over the back of a one dollar bill and you will see how it works! Hope you enjoy.

That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing! I’ve never heard of it but will definitely be checking into it.

I am so impressed by what you have done with the book trailers! I am hoping to do something of the same sort this school year with our 4th and 5th graders. How did you get the images that you used in the videos? I am wondering about copyright issues using images from the internet. Thank you so much for sharing your lesson.

For some things we used creative commons, for other things we selected a drop down feature in google images where we can use images. No matter what though, I used that as an opportunity to discuss citing our sources. That was done in our credits at the end of the trailer and also in the presentation piece they handed it. We discussed plagiarism and how important it is to never claim someone else’s work as your own. 🙂 I hope that helps.

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Book Trailer Tuesday: How to hook students on books in 3 minutes!

I love First Chapter Friday so much that I decided we needed to inject some book love into another day of the week. After all, it’s 2020, and we need every little spark of joy we can get. I was tired of waiting until First Chapter Friday to celebrate books, so Book Trailer Tuesday was born!

It’s as simple as it sounds: Show a book trailer and get kids excited about more books. That’s it. Book Trailer Tuesday is all about generating more interest in books, exposing students to new titles, genres, and voices, and cultivating a love for reading. In other words, it’s every English teacher’s dream.

If you’re wondering what a book trailer is, you can go to YouTube and pursue that rabbit hole right now…or you can grab my FREE collection of organized Book Trailer Tuesday links for middle and high school below.

Check out your brand new resource, and then head right back here to make plans for your very first #BTT this Tuesday! Let’s get started!

Why You Should Try Book Trailer Tuesday

Book trailers are the perfect way to hook students on more books and generate reading interest with almost no prep! Here’s why you and your students will love them:

1. Book trailers will expose your students to more books.

No offense to your beautiful classroom library, but book trailers will expose students to books in a way that your bookshelves just can’t. Your books are no good if they’re just sitting there…so bring them to life on the big screen with book trailers! If you show a book trailer every Tuesday, students will have been exposed to 36 new books by the end of the year! Combine Book Trailer Tuesday with First Chapter Friday, and you’ll double that impressive number!

2. Showing book trailers will help you get to know your students as readers and give better book recs.

After showing a few book trailers, you will quickly catch on to the genres, plots, authors, and topics students love. The more you learn about your students’ reading preferences, the better books you’ll be able to feature every Tuesday! You’ll also be able to give better book recs to individual students who come to you when they need a new book. The book trailer titles will be fresh in students’ minds, and if your students are anything like mine, they’ll be much more likely to pick up a book after watching its trailer. I can host book talks all day, but there’s nothing better than pressing play and letting the trailers speak for themselves.

3. Book trailers are low-prep but HIGH-impact.

Seriously, Book Trailer Tuesday couldn’t be more easy. It’s almost too easy when you consider how much reading interest book trailers generate. The only “work” you have to do is find a new book trailer every Tuesday. Better yet, find a good book trailer playlist on YouTube or ask your students for suggestions. Book Trailer Tuesday is a great option if you can’t commit to First Chapter Friday. Think of it like a trial run or condensed version of the joy that is First Chapter Friday.

4. Book Trailer Tuesday works well in ANY environment: traditional, hybrid, or virtual.

Whether you’re pressing play in a physical classroom or linking a video in a digital classroom, this is an activity that works well in any setting. Students will always get excited when they hear the word “video,” no matter where they are!

5. The entire Book Trailer Tuesday process takes less than 3 minutes.

Yep, you read that right. (More on that in the “HOW” section below). We all have 3 minutes…whether that’s at the beginning or end of class. And it doesn’t even have to be a Tuesday. Book Flix Friday, anyone? Watch it Wednesday? It’s easy to fit this in a busy schedule because it does not take much mental effort or time. If you love the idea of First Chapter Friday but don’t have the time to devote to it, Book Trailer Tuesday is an easy alternative. And if you’re already doing First Chapter Friday (like we are), Book Trailer Tuesday will complement it perfectly. 3 minutes, people! It is quick, easy, and high-impact, so you have nothing to lose!

How to Facilitate Book Trailer Tuesday

Are you convinced yet?! If so, here’s how to make Book Trailer Tuesday a success in your classroom. Warning: If it sounds too SIMPLE, that’s because it is! 🙂

1. Find engaging book trailers on YouTube or grab my FREE curated list HE R E.

There are plenty of book trailers on YouTube! Many are on publishing company channels, others are independently made, and some are even teacher- and student-created. Here are a few good ones that my students have loved. If you’d like a curated list of tried-and-true book trailers for both middle and high school, you can grab a copy of my FREE resource HERE.

• Scythe by Neal Shusterman
• Matched by Allie Condie
• I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
• Refugee by Alan Gratz

Know of a great book trailer? Let me know in the comments!

2. Briefly introduce the book.

This is optional, but 30 seconds of introduction helps! Show students the cover, highlight the author and any of their popular titles, and generate a little pre-viewing interest. You can read parts of the back cover blurb before or after the trailer if you want to hook students even more.

3. Show the trailer.

Most are around a minute long! Remind students that book trailers are like movie trailers; they’re designed to hook you and leave you with unanswered questions. Encourage students to think about those questions and make predictions.

4. Quickly chat about the book.

After the book trailer, ask students if they’re interested in reading the book. I have my students record their answers so I can keep track of them, but you don’t even have to do that. You can poll the class or facilitate a quick discussion. I keep this part quick – a minute or so. 

5. Have a copy of the book on hand (or info on where to find one).

If possible, it’s great to have a copy of the book so you can lend it out to students. If a title is really popular, I’ll take names to draw in a “book lottery.” If you don’t have a copy, that’s fine. Just make sure you give students information on how they can access it. I always check our school’s library, as well as our public library’s collection of ebooks and audiobooks.

That’s it! If you think it’s too good to be true, I can assure you that it’s just as low-stress and high-engagement as it sounds! If you try this strategy out, I would love to hear how it goes! Tag me in pics on Instagram @writeonwithmissg and feel free to leave comments here. I would love to know what book trailers you use so I can add them to this blog post! Thanks for reading, and enjoy your first-ever Book Trailer Tuesday! 🙂

Need more engaging teaching ideas? Check out the following blog posts:

20 Strategies to Try in 2020

Engaging Vocabulary Strategies

How to Plan Creative Lessons

10 Ideas for Planning Engaging Novel Units

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They’re obsessed with all Jason Reynolds book trailers!

Yes! I think I am going to use a video of Reynolds reading aloud “Track” for First Chapter Friday, too!

Scar Island by Dan Geminhart is a GREAT book!! Here is a trailer I found for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKbm7ymanII

Thank you SO much for the suggestion! Adding it to my list!!!

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Trending Post : Books Made Into Movies

How to Make Your Own Book Trailer (for Kids)

This post may contain affiliate links.

Whether you’re a kid at home trying to spice up a book report or a teacher at school trying to do the same thing, making a  book trailer  is a fun way to incorporate reading with technology or scriptwriting in response to reading. Learn the steps and programs for how to make your own book trailer.

What Is a Book Trailer?

You may be asking: what is a book trailer?

Like a movie trailer, book trailers give the audience enough juicy information to make them really, really want to read the book. (Hopefully.) Your job as a movie creator is to get your audience of other kids to want to READ the book you read!

Are you ready?

Examples of Book Trailers

Before you start making your own, watch a variety of book trailers.

Research the possibilities. See what ideas you like in other trailers and want to try in your own script. Take notes. What do you like? Do you like or dislike the titles, the text overlays, the transitions, the music, and so forth?

Here are some good examples to get you started with your research:

Lost and Found Cat

Magic Tree House: The Night of the New Magicians

Bud, Not Buddy

I Survived the Great Chicago Fire

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

All Four Stars

The Graveyard Book

1. PICK A BOOK.

The first step is to select and read the picture book , chapter book, or middle grade book  for your book trailer.

2. WRITE THE SCRIPT.

After you finish researching and reading, it’s time to write a storyboard (or script) of how the trailer will go.

Get the storyboard

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There are TWO PARTS to writing a storyboard. One is the visuals . This is what you’ll show on the movie screen. Two, the audio , or what narration (and music) will be happening to accompany those visuals.

Use your storyboard to plan out each scene for the beginning, middle, and end of the video. Include specific details about what will be shown visually (filmed, drawn, stop-motioned) as well as anything you’ll narrate or have written as a text overlay on the screen.

Think in sequential order. Where will you start? What needs to be next? Will there be tension or teaser? How do you want your mini-movie to end?

Don’t forget to tell viewers the title of the book and the author!! (You should also include your recommended age range for the book.)

But, you don’t want to give away the ending. You do want to drop some hints. (Teasers.) Often, asking questions is the best way to give a good hint. Ask questions like, “How will the kids survive?” or “Will they ever see home again?” These leading questions get the viewer interested in learning the answer.

3. MAKE THE MOVIE.

When you’re done writing, pick one of the movie-making programs or apps listed below.

Using your storyboard as a guide, start making the movie. Add in the visuals first with photos, drawings, or video clips. (If you’re searching for photos online, ask a parent or teacher for help finding royalty-free photos.)

The next step is to add text, transitions, titles, and audio. If you’re narrating, make sure you speak loudly and slowly.

If you need background music, check out this list of royalty free songs . Do not use popular music that is copyrighted. You could get sued.

After you make your movie, it’s time to share it with your audience. Upload the book trailer movie to YouTube , SchoolTube , or Vimeo after getting permission from an adult. Sometimes you will have to export your movie to a different format. Ask an adult for help with this step.

Book Trailer Programs and Apps

There are many choices for your book trailer movie-making — apps and desktop programs. I’ve listed many below. Here are some of the best online sites, programs, and apps kids can use to make their book trailers.

Adobe Express  FREE

Animoto FREE & PAID

Canva FREE & PAID

Google Slides  FREE

Green Screen (app)

Lumen5 FREE & PAID

iMovie  (program + app)

Kid Pix (program + app)

Puppet Pals (app) FREE

Stop Motion Studio FREE

I can’t wait to hear how it goes. Comment below with your book trailer link!

KEEP READING

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Writing Prompts for Kids

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Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

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This will be a great culminating project to book clubs. Thank you!

I love your site! I have found many new interesting things i can do to foster learning all in one place! Thanks so much!

• Our Mission

Projects to Engage Middle School Readers

It's my fault. I'll admit it. During my eight years in the classroom, I ruined at least two amazing literary works by assigning horrifically dull reading projects. My only hope is that those middle school students, whose enthusiasm I quashed, found another way to become passionate about literature.

Peanuts raises some interesting questions about the value of reading projects. Does Lucy clearly articulate her understanding of Peter Rabbit ? Does Schroeder have a solid grasp on the concept of narrative? Will Charlie Brown ever want to read another book?

In middle school, we ask students to dissect texts and perform literary analysis. However, that does not mean that we have to limit how we assess their understanding of the books. If the desired learning objective is for students to . . .

• Demonstrate understanding of the plot elements
• Explore the role of tone and theme
• Identify significant scenes or events and their impact on the story
• Analyze a character and show an understanding of that character's motivations
• Explain the relationship between the author's life and the story

. . . does it have to be an essay or book report ?

Book Trailers

In the spirit of movie trailers, book trailers allow students to create video advertisements to entice new readers. Not only do these projects ensure that students have a firm grasp on the story's plot, setting, theme and main characters, but they also provide an opportunity to address persuasive writing as well as digital literacy concepts like copyright and publishing.

Students could use iMovie or Animoto to create and publish their videos. In fact, iMovie includes a set of pre-built trailer templates, and Ben Schersten ( @benschersten ) created a great set of PDF storyboards for students to use in planning those projects. Both iMovie and Animoto allow students to focus on the content, as they greatly simplify the editing process. Ann Feldmann's sixth graders produced a great set of examples . By incorporating their own drawings and writing instead of searching for images or shooting live video, the technology became a medium through which they could really engage with the literature.

On a foggy fall day, I took my ninth graders outside to sit on the porch while I read "The Tell-Tale Heart," tapping heartbeats on the deck and playing off the ominous weather. They hung on every word, engrossed in Edgar Allen Poe.

Leveraging the recording capabilities of most computers and mobile devices, students could explore the role of tone and sound by creating podcasts in the fashion of old-school radio shows. Using Garageband , Audacity , AudioBoo or any other sound recorder, students can retell portions of stories, complete with background music and sound effects, to demonstrate their understanding of tone, setting and theme, as well as practice their reading fluency.

Choose Your Own Adventure

My middle school students struggled with identifying and comprehending the concept of foreshadowing. They didn't readily see how certain moments or scenes could impact later events. By allowing students to recreate the story as a "choose your own adventure" tale, they have the opportunity to map out not only the original story but also a new one, identifying significant events or images and their impact on the story.

Within the Book Creator app , students can build e-books with text, images, drawing, audio and video. Since inserted images can be hyperlinked to specific pages, students could create interactive stories. Jonathan Wylie ( @jonathanwylie ) describes a similar approach in his blog using a combination of Google Forms and Google Presentations. Either one of these options encourages students to identify significant moments from a book and illustrate their relative impact on the overall plot.

Illustrated Character Analysis

Atticus Finch tells Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird , "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view -- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." In order to see whether or not your students truly comprehend the characters, encourage them to create a new scene and put those characters in the middle of it -- to take a walk in their shoes.

Storybird allows students to choose from hundreds of illustrations in order to create their own stories. As illustrated by Cybenglish , students could show their understanding of characters by placing them in new scenes in order to reveal their motivations.

Augmented Reality Author Studies

When my eighth graders read Night , they also conducted historical research into the life of Elie Wiesel to better understand the context of the book as well as the author's account. These studies turned into small research papers to which my students had hardly any personal connection beyond having completed an academic task.

On the other hand, Elissa Malespina ( @SOMSLibrary ) constructed a completely different experience for her students. At the culmination of their author study, her students created Animoto videos which they then turned into "auras" with Aurasma , an augmented reality app. To do this, students created trigger images representing either the author or a character from the book, which their classmates scanned in order to watch the videos. In the end, not only did these students articulate the relationships between the authors and the stories, constructing an immersive experience for the rest of the class, but they also contributed their knowledge to a broader community.

Vision of an Engaged Middle School Reader

How many middle school readers have you seen who look as engaged as the children in this picture?

If the true learning objective is to ignite a student's passion for literature and provide an opportunity to demonstrate understanding through a variety of modalities, then maybe it's time to move beyond the book report.

Mr.Catton's Grade 7/8 Blog

• Assignments and Homework

Friday, March 11, 2011

The book trailer assignment.

• plot--be very carefull not to 'give away' the climax of the novel
• Storyboard  - The first thing you want to consider is how to convey the idea of your book, and get people excited about it - excited enough to want to read it!   Think about how you want your trailer to look.
• Perhaps a video compiled of still images or a mixture of stills and video....It's up to you.
• A musical background to add interest and emotion.
• What method of changing from one scene to the next do you want to employ? Do you want to fade to black? Or use some kind of manipulation that gives the impression of a page turning, or a spiraled fade?
• Take a look at some more good movie trailers, since most people are more familiar with those. What made you want to go see the movie? Did the intensity build as the trailer progressed? Did the music quicken, or create a particular feeling?
• Now that you have it all mostly planned out (remember that it's fine to make changes throughout the process), it's time to start using some technology to take your idea from a vision to reality.  The technology we will be using for this project is Animoto or Adobe Spark  since they both offers images, text, voice and video.

3 comments:

I teach 8th grade English in Illinois and have been looking for help with the book trailer idea! This has been really helpful! I noticed you have Student pages; do they log into your blog to post? Thanks!

No, each student has their own blog (you can see their links on my blog) and they post their assignments there.

This is a fantastic resource! So glad I stumbled upon it. I am incorporating interactive technology into my classroom/library and am seeing resources here that I have been seeking. May I use/borrow/link to resources for my students?

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22 Epic Book Trailers (Inspiring Videos and Why They Work)

Why book trailers?

When it comes to online content, people spend more time watching videos than reading the written word.

You might be worried that this means fewer people are reading in general. Fear not! You can use this online trend to your advantage as an author…

Book trailers add another dimension to help readers understand your book. They’re used to promote books , tell stories, and sell books. Statistically, most people prefer to watch a video to learn more about something. They’re also much more likely to make a purchase after watching. 

But there’s a lot of bad book trailers out there. The last thing you want to do is create something that hurts your book marketing efforts.

So we decided to research the very best book trailers online. We’ve also included our take on why we think each book trailer works so that you can better use them to inspire your own.

After extensive research, we found these 22 truly amazing book trailers.

But, before we get into these inspiring book trailers, let’s answer a few frequently asked questions about book trailers.

What is a Book Trailer?

A book trailer is a short video or teaser that introduces a book in a way that makes people want to read it.

If done correctly, using a book trailer can help improve your online presence and allow you to reach new potential readers. 

Why Do I Need a Book Trailer Video?

Not everyone knows your books or you as an author. Many potential readers will only give your ad or social media post a few seconds of attention unless it’s truly engaging. It’s not enough time to get what your book is about.

So how do you capture them as a new audience if they don’t know what you have to offer?

By using a book trailer!

What Makes a Good Book Video Trailer?

A good book trailer has the same effect as a good movie trailer.

• It makes people excited about reading the book
• It raises curiosity about the characters, the plot, and the story’s ending.

You can, of course, also use movie trailers relevant to your genre as inspiration for your book trailer as well. When billions of dollars of box-office revenue are at stake, you can be sure a lot of careful research has gone into what makes the perfect movie trailer.

How To Make a Trailer for a Book

The details in your book trailer should be enough to draw viewers in without giving away the whole story or the plot of the story.

Keep the following in mind when deciding what to include in your book trailer:

Know your target audience

Hook your audience (create tension), create a script, create a storyboard.

• Use The right video format

Keep it short and catchy

Use visuals and audio, have a call-to-action, diy or outsource.

Every author has a target audience .

Since your book is written with this target audience in mind, the book trailer should also be made with this audience in mind.

Every element you choose in the trailer should speak to your target audience, the music, narration (if any), pacing (action trailers will be fast-paced compared to romance, for example), fonts used, and any other choices you make in the trailer’s content.

This is really author branding 101 and applies as much to your book video trailer as it does to every other aspect of your author marketing.

Use what you’ve already curated for your book’s promotion . That’s the hook! It should already capture the essence of the storyline or central theme of the book. Now you just have to convey it in video format.

You can quote one of the characters, show a glimpse of the setting where the plot unravels, a quote from a review that stands out. The options are endless.

When a person sees the hook, they should immediately get sold on reading the book.

Pro Tip: The key to a great hook is creating tension and intrigue. They can be created in many ways. These should already be familiar to you as a writer to keep pages turning.

For example, show what’s at stake if the main character doesn’t succeed, or show the reader what they stand to gain in reading the book (if non-fiction), or even what they stand to miss out on if they don’t!

Tension is the push-pull in a trailer that creates the emotion that motivates action. Don’t be afraid to lean on the usual tension-creating tools in your writer’s toolbox.

You have your hook in your mind. You just need to jot it down. Having rough notes is good to start but, just like a movie trailer, you need a script .

Your book trailer should flow without awkward spaces. To avoid awkwardness, you should structure the trailer to have a beginning, middle, and end. You’ll have to plan the staging, the characters you’ll reveal, and the powerful imagery you’ll use to evoke emotions.

Think about what you want the audience to take away from the book trailer. You want to set realistic expectations that don’t differ from the actual book.

You may think a script is enough for your book trailer planning, but a storyboard is an excellent tool to add.

Your storyboard should be an overview of what shots you’ll have for the trailer. This will help you envision your idea and spot if something is missing or doesn’t make sense.

Use the right video format

Where you will be sharing your book trailer affects the formatting of it.

You can use square video formatting for social media posts, landscape for YouTube and your author website , and vertical for story posts.

You may be posting it everywhere! In that case, you should make sure either your trailer works for each format or that you have other options for how it looks on vertical and square posts.

Remember that this is a teaser, it should not be more than 2 minutes.

The closer you are to reaching the 2-minute mark, the more information you end up giving away. You also run the risk of losing your audience before you deliver the call to action that tells the viewer what you want them to do (more on that shortly).

Whether you choose to go for videos or images will depend on the concept of your book trailer, but they should complement your book’s genre. This includes the music as well.

It would be rather strange to use punk rock music in a book trailer for a children’s book , right?

So, although your trailer should have a sense of originality, it should still fit the general theme of the particular genre the book belongs to.

Remember not to use copyrighted music!

You need to have a strong Call-to-Action encouraging the reader to purchase the book.

There is nothing more painful for a customer than wanting something but not knowing where to find it.

So, make sure you don’t only tell people to buy the book but tell them where to buy the book.

If you’re teasing a future release, tell them when it’ll be available as well.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to include the author of the book (yourself, of course!), your social media handles, and your author website.

If you decide to do the book trailer without professional help, you’ll have to invest in equipment that will help you produce a high-quality book trailer. Because a bad book trailer will do damage to your book’s promotion.

You’ll need:

• A good camera (plus you’ll need to learn how to use it).
• A tripod for your camera (you don’t want to have shaky footage).
• A good microphone (maybe more if you’re hiring actors).
• Professional Editing software.
• Lighting (a light ring, for example).

Depending on what equipment you buy, DIY could be cheaper than outsourcing. But it definitely takes more time.

If you want to go this route, then here are some links to useful tools:

• Music: The world of music copyrights can be complicated so there are some things to learn along with the options you have
• Images: Unsplash , Pixabay and Canva
• Video: Animoto , Biteable , and Canva’s Free Video Editor
• Editing software: Here are some editing software you can use if you’re a beginner.

You’ll also need to hire good actors and voice actors based on the direction of your book trailer.

Using good quality equipment and tools is vital for your book trailer. You don’t want your audience getting pulled out of the experience by low-quality images and video cuts.

Outsourcing may cost more but it will save you a lot of time.

If you hire a professional, they will deal with getting experienced actors, voice actors, and editors.

Plus, they’ll know exactly what they’re doing!

All you’ll have to do is be the brains behind the captivating story of the book trailer.

If you want to avoid the headache of braving the book trailer journey on your own, we highly recommend Book Brush!

They’re a group of skilled designers who craft one-of-a-kind book trailers that transform your author brand and captivate audiences.

They have a few pricing options to cater to your specific design needs, for example, a package of  design hours or a la carte design hours .

Want to see what they can do? Here’s their portfolio:  Hourly Concept Portfolio .

Top Book Trailer Examples To Inspire You (and Why We Love Them)

Impyrium by henry h. neff.

Bring your story to life with animation

Different types of animations are used here and they bring some uniqueness to the trailer.

The combination of 2D and 3D animation makes the trailer stand out. The trailer sets the tension and plotline and engages the viewer.

Keep in mind that quality animation is expensive. If you want to use this approach, be willing to pay for an animation team that knows what they’re doing.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Have your story told

This is a great approach for children’s books. It’s very relatable and makes you feel like you’re with the narrator as they tell the tale.

Having someone read the story as they would to a child makes your child-like imagination start working again. You can imagine how it will be reading the book or listening to it.

The Moral Bucket List (The Road to Character) by David Brooks

Use your experience to sell the hook.

We’re swung straight into the narrative of this book, with the author speaking directly to you.

The simple animations take you on a journey through the thought processes that inspired this book, which is also inside the book itself. This works well as it tries to relate the author’s experience to what the reader may be feeling themselves.

The animations are broken up by text that represents the arc of the trailer’s story. This helps hold your attention until the end of the trailer.

Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin

Get readers to visualize the tension in your story .

Showing scenes from the book can make someone want to know the story behind that scene. What events took place leading up to the critical points of your stories?

The trailer is very visual and can help in creating curiosity as the reader wants to see the full picture unfold.

Want To Give Your Readers An Engaging Online Experience?

Get an author website that showcases your books, grows your list, and attracts publishers and promoters.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Share your best reviews.

Having great reviews on your book trailer helps give your book credibility. We’re social creatures. Before we buy and risk wasting cash and time, we confirm we’re making the right choice by checking out other reader experiences.

Giving one more social confirmation that your book is worth the read might be the thing you need to make another book sale.

Fugitive Six by Pittacus Lore

Leave readers asking questions .

This trailer leaves a lot of unanswered questions. From the title of the book, you can already guess that the storyline is about six fugitives, but the trailer only gives you the names of those fugitives with no additional information apart from the fact that someone or something wants to locate these six people.

The book is science/adventure fiction and the sound and visuals fit the genre. It’s a simple trailer that conveys the essence of this science fiction thriller.

Suddenly Rural Girl by Dann and Kennedy Hurlbert

Use AI to tell your story.

We have some insight into how this book trailer was made. Thanks to Dann Hurlbert for reaching out with this debut novel!

The book was written by a father and daughter duo, Dann and Kennedy Hurlbert. And they used the power of AI and video editing skills to put together this captivating book trailer.

AI is here to stay, so artists have to find a way to use it to their advantage. And that’s exactly what Dann did.

They used images generated in Midjourney to create stirring scenes that depict each plot point in the synopsis and showcase the atmosphere of the novel.

It was then brought to life with animations in Runway and it was professionally edited in Premiere Pro . To bring it all together, the voiceover was done in ElevenLabs using Kennedy’s wonderful voice.

Making a book trailer on your own can be daunting but there are resources and tools out there that make it more than possible.

Plus, having video production skills can’t hurt.

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

Share some lines from your book.

This is another great way of hooking your audience without giving away too much information.

Sharing the thoughts of your characters gives an idea about what might unfold in the story. It makes viewers wonder why the character has those thoughts. What inspired or drove this character to feel this way?

Knowing what a character thinks adds a lot of detail without having to say much. Someone watching the trailer will draw their own conclusions until they read the book.

The Scattering by Kimberly McCreight 

Use suspense to create curiosity about the story.

This trailer is a great example of how you can capture your audience with suspense. It is well made and feels like a book trailer for a thriller fiction book.

The trailer is only 30 seconds long, and it still manages to create curiosity about the story. This shows that your book trailer does not have to be lengthy for people to be sold on reading your book.

It’s also essentially 2 voice actors, a dial tone, and a sound wave graphic, with an end screen for the books of course. This is a good example of how a great trailer doesn’t have to be expensive.

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

Let your readers speak for your book.

Another crowdsourcing approach uses a compilation of videos and pictures from fans saying what they want to say. It portrays what the book is about without giving anything away.

Because this is a non-fiction book, it uses real people with real stories. A perfect fit for the book genre.

Even the music lyrics are an extension of the book’s message.

Everless by Sara Holland

Use eye-catching animation.

The animation in this trailer is very detailed and has strong contrast which matches the mood of the music and sound effects.

Having powerful animation makes the trailer look professional and suggests to the viewer they’re probably going to find an equally professionally written story.

A professional-looking book trailer can add a lot of credibility to your book. As mentioned before, a trailer like this is a lot more expensive to produce than many other approaches.

The Wretched of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler

Using only graphics and text. Let the reader focus on the words.

There is no voiceover or narration in this trailer. This is a great way to get people to pay attention to the trailer.

Sometimes with music or more specifically voiceovers, people can be passive when listening or watching something.

Using only graphics solves the problem. The person has no choice but to be attentive if they want to know about the book. 

But if you go for this style of a book trailer, just make sure your graphics are great. Your font and the images must be eye-catching, otherwise, people will just get bored and not get to the end of the trailer.

This kind of trailer is also a lot easier to create as well.

Wherever You Go by Pat Zietlow Miller

Use illustrations from the book.

For children’s books, using illusions from the book is a great way to give the person watching an idea of what to expect. Most likely that person is the parent, teacher, or someone who will be reading to children. They’ll be showing the illustrations to their kids as they read.

Since children are more visual, showing the person buying the book what to expect in this experience gives them more reason to buy your book. Especially if they like the illustrations.

Between Us by Mari Suggs

Use catchy music that fits the genre.

The music used here is not overly romantic but is still perfect for a romance novel.

Having music that matches the genre and the general theme of your trailer can make all the difference.

Music adds to the whole experience and helps capture the mood of what it might feel like to read your book.

The Vault of Vishnu by Ashwin Sanghi

Details are given without the plot being given away.

This trailer is a great example of how you share details about the book without giving away the plot.

It summarises aspects of the book but leaves out important information. Making you wonder about how everything mentioned comes together.

One More Thing by B.J. Novak

Make it humorous (if appropriate).

As I watched this book trailer, I tried to understand the angle they were going for and after a minute I realized that this trailer is a ball of comedy.

The author knows his audience, hence he featured some other well-known comedians apart from himself (Mindy Kaling).

The trailer itself is a short skit comedy and makes you want to know what other fun things might be in the book.

Trazos by Fernanda Frick

Good enough to be a movie trailer.

If you have the creative prowess of Fernanda Frick, you have to use it when creating your book trailer.

This trailer for her graphic novel follows a clear structure that leads to a conclusion that shows the main character’s determination as well as a peak at the graphic format itself for the novel.

It uses quick cuts to move the viewer through the scenes to keep the pace brisk, making the reader want to know more.

The emotions of the characters are represented well even though none of them speak a word, showing off the author’s illustrative and storytelling skills.

The music is lovely and pays homage to the other languages available for the novel.

Bravelands by Erin Hunter 

Have a great introduction.

Although book trailers are short, if the introduction is bad then your viewer might never even get to the end.

The introduction to this trailer is fantastic!

From the beginning the trailer demands attention.

It begins by introducing the author. If you are familiar with their books, you are more willing to want to watch the rest of the trailer to see more about their new release. It then shows what’s at stake in the story, creating tension right away that pulls you along. Finally, we learn about the unlikely (and very original) heroes we’ll journey with on the way.

Cursebreaker  by Brigid Kemmerer

Typography still matters. 

One might think the typography you use in your book trailer doesn’t matter as much.

The typography used here matches the book cover art . So when the books appear at the end it ties everything together. This makes the trailer feel like a true extension of the book’s branding.

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

Have your main character tell their story.

Letting the main character explain what happens in the book is another way to narrate the book.

This brings the book to life by making the character more real. We’re left wondering if they’ll fulfill their quest and, of course, need to read the book to find out!

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Let the author do the talking.

Are you already a well-known personality on screen, or at least feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera? Why not make the trailer yourself?

Since the book is about Trevor’s life, it makes sense for him to tell you about the book. This makes it more personal.

I think I also just like his trailer because he’s just being his funny natural self.

30th Anniversary Book Trailer by Philippa Gregory

Showcase your series.

If you have been writing books for a long time or have published many books, this is definitely something you should consider.

Looking back on all your books so far and using them as your trailer not only markets your new book but gives a chance to some books that may not have been seen much.

Beyond Book Trailers

A book video trailer can be a fantastic way to engage readers and make them buy your book.

But it’s far from the only marketing tool in your author marketing tool kit.

You’re going to want a central hub online where your beautiful book trailers live. This home is your author website. This will also allow you to create the call to action you want to go directly under your trailer.

If you need help with author website design services , we’re here to help! Get in touch with us today to create a fun and exciting website!

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Big news we’re hosting a writer’s retreat for genre fiction authors.

Book Trailer Assignment

Description

Book Trailer Assignment - The assignment requires students to create a unique book “trailer” for a realistic fiction book. Like a movie trailer piques your interest in a coming attraction, the book trailer will supply basic background information and persuade your audience to read the book too. This assignment is great for use with WeVideo Software.

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Children's and YA Literature: Book Trailers

• Find Awards & Best Sellers
• Find Authors & Illustrators
• Find Book Reviews & Booklists
• Diversity in Children's Books
• Book Trailers
• In the Classroom
• Distance & Online Resources
• Children's & YA Lit Resources & Associations

What is a Book Trailer

What is a book trailer?

Described as a " video advertisement " for books  and “ a convergence of story and the arts ”, the book trailer bases its form on the popular culture genre of the movie trailer. Distinct from a book talk, book trailers do not summarize books. Instead, they attempt to mimic movie trailers by strategically combining various multimodal resources such as video, to “hook” audiences without revealing the entire plot.

Book Trailers in the Classroom

A growing number of teachers and librarians have begun to incorporate this media-based genre into their reading initiatives with students.

Professional Book Trailers

Many book trailers have been made by professional media producers, commissioned by authors or publishing companies with the specific goal to advertising and promote sales of the book.  

• 7 Brilliant Book Trailers -- (2011)
• How Did You Get this Number? (1:17)
• It's a Book (1:03)
• When We Wuz Famous (1:19)
• Good Night Moon: The Movie Trailer (1:55)

Reader/Fan-made examples

Reader/Fan-made Examples 

These examples tend to emphasize the book's content, including quotations a s well as phrases and questions that highlight the books' themes.  

Student-made examples:     

• Chains: The Music Video (3:29)
• Chains (4:44)
• Chains (3:07)
• A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray - (3:21)
• Hoot by Carl Hiassen (1:06)
• Monster (3:27)
• A Company of Swans (1:44)
• Tomorrow When the War Began (2:03)
• Hunger Games (1:35 )
• Warriors Midnight (0:42)
• Found (1:41)
• The Trouble with Tuck (1:04)

Teacher & Librarian-made Models:

• Make Lemonade (2:45)
• Al Capone Does my Shirts (2:12)
• Encounter by Jane Yolen (3:11)

Book Trailers of Select Americas Award Book Recipiants

Book Trailers of Select Americas Award Book Recipients:

The  Americas Award  selects books that portray Latin American, the Caribbean, and Latinos living in the United States in authentic, culturally rich ways. The following  is a sampling of reader-made book trailers in order of the year the book was released.  

• 1996 - Parrot in the Oven by Victor Martinez (4:57)
• 1996 - Parrot in the Oven by Victor Martinez (5:07)
• 1997 - The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez (3:05)
• 1997 - The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez (1:15)
• 1998 - CrashBoomLove by Juan Felipe Herrera (2:15)
• 1998 - CrashBoomLove by Juan Felipe Herrara (2:23)
• 2000 - The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph (0:47)
• 2002 - The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph (1:21)
• 2000 - La Composicion by Antonio Skarmeta (1:29
• 2000 - La Composicion by Antonio Skarmeta (4:01)
• 2000 - Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez (2:09)
• 2002 - Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez (1:27)
• 2002 - Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez (0:49)
• 2010 - Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez (4:13)
• 2010 - What can you do with a Paleta? by Carmen Tafolla (1:50)
• 2013 - The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano (1:47)
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• Last Updated: May 2, 2024 1:43 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.uwm.edu/kidlit