Introduce a book in three minutes

Choose a book you know well enough to discuss. The aim is to help listeners decide whether it suits them.

Try it step by step

1. Name the book and introduce its subject.
2. Discuss one memorable detail and why it matters to you.
3. Suggest an audience and invite a question.

Prepare for the activity

Identify the audience before drafting: a classmate, a younger child or experienced readers. Choose one reason the book matters to them. Use three cue points rather than a full script. Clearly identify any brief quotation and reserve most of the talk for your own response.

Examples and adaptations

Open with a question, describe one detail and explain why it stayed with you. Avoid major plot spoilers. For nonfiction, distinguish what you learned from claims that may need checking rather than treating print as proof.

Continue and review progress

Time a practice run and ask the listener what they remember. If the reason to read is unclear, revise that explanation. Be ready to acknowledge what you do not know. Keep useful audience questions for your next reading session.

After the activity

Practise with a friend who can identify unclear parts. Ask permission before recording anyone.