Getting Started with Literature Circles

I have been using various approaches to Literature Circles for about 7 years, and this is one of the best books I've read on the subject. Instead of teaching one specific technique, the authors present a variety of methods for implementing Literature Circles. Many of the strategies were new to me, and all of them were very practical and appear easy to implement. One theme that runs through the book is the need to find out what works in your classroom. The companion book, Literature Circle Resource Guide, is also extremely useful as it provides many time-saving forms and handouts. I can't wait to start using these strategies in my classroom.

I am new at starting Literature Circles in my classroom, and this book gave me very practical suggestions that I could implement right away. I especially liked the examples given of charts that a teacher could use in his or her classroom. The book gives hints all the way from focus lessons and good books to begin with, to ideas for reading responses. A reader can take this book and go step by step in creating Literature Circles for his or her students. It was one of the most helpful books on this subject that I have read.