Cooler Than Fiction: A Planning Guide for Teen Nonfiction Booktalks.

Cooler Than Fiction: A Planning Guide for Teen Nonfiction Booktalks. By Jill S. Jarrell and Tara C. Cannon. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, 2011. 189 pp. US$45.00 soft cover ISBN 9780786448869

The authors write from their experience as specialists in library services for teenagers and their wide knowledge of worthwhile, appealing nonfiction texts to attract young adult readers. Full of practicable plans for introductions and related extension activities, the book has much to offer both school and public librarians. The authors' enthusiasm and commitment to young adults' literacy make it enjoyable as well as helpful for professionals. The book's contents and organising principles are clearly explained in the introduction so that users can choose to read the whole or select sections to meet specific needs and interests at particular times.

The term 'nonfiction' here includes short stories, poetry and legends as well as informational texts. There are chapters not only on conventional categories such as history, biography, crime, science, animals, nature, life skills, food and crafts but also on those compilations of 'funny, gross and disturbing' facts so popular with younger teenagers. Each chapter provides annotations, booktalk ideas, discussion points and follow-up projects for up to 10 titles and concludes with a list of more recommended books of a similar kind. Australian and New Zealand librarians will be familiar with some titles and should easily be able to add local material.

Two chapters may give even the most experienced booktalkers something different to try. The chapter on pairing suggests ways of combining the study of a novel and a related informational text. The current interest in forensic science, reflected in fiction and information books for all age groups, would be a good place to start. Comparing an incident from an author's autobiography with a version of the same or a similar incident in one of his stories, exemplified here with two excerpts by Chris Crutcher, is another fruitful idea. The chapter entitled Interactives shows how to take advantage of popular topics such as vampires by involving young people in quizzes, games or performance (all relating to a selection of appealing, interesting books) as motivators for reading and active response.

A small selection of monochrome photographs scattered throughout the text show the authors and their audiences in action. An extensive bibliography of booktalking resources and a thorough index conclude the volume. Many of the recommended titles for teenagers are held in New Zealand and Australian libraries, so some of the booktalks and activities could be readily implemented. From the annotations, some books seem worth adding to our collections. The planning, booktalking strategies and ideas for active, enjoyable responses can be applied to a wide range of interesting nonfiction for teenagers perhaps sitting, unappreciated, on our shelves. This work is recommended for school, college and public libraries.

Lyn Linning

Brisbane