Day 14: Create a Student Recommendation Board
One of the best book recommendations a student can receive doesn’t come from a bestseller list. Or a book review. Or even the librarian. It comes from another student.
- “You have to read this one!”
- “This book was so funny!”
- “I couldn’t put it down!”
- “The ending surprised me!”
Students love discovering what their classmates are reading, and they’re often willing to try a book simply because someone their own age recommended it.
Today’s Quick Win is all about making room for those student voices from the very beginning of the school year.
Why It Matters
The school library should reflect more than the librarian’s favorite books. It should reflect the interests, discoveries, and enthusiasm of the students who use it every day. A recommendation board helps students become active participants rather than passive visitors.
It encourages them to:
- Share books they love.
- Inspire classmates to try something new.
- Celebrate reading together.
- Feel ownership of the library.
Best of all, it reminds students that their opinions matter. When students see their recommendations displayed for others to read, they know their voices have a place in the library.
Your 20-Minute Challenge
Choose a space where student recommendations can grow throughout the year. It doesn’t need to be large.
You might use:
- A bulletin board
- A section of a whiteboard
- A corkboard
- A magnetic board
- A display near the circulation desk
- A wall beside a popular bookshelf
- A digital display if your library uses one
Now create a simple title.
Some possibilities include:
- Students Recommend
- What We’re Reading
- Readers Recommend
- Books We Love
- Worth Reading!
- Student Picks
- Recommended by Readers Like You
- Our Favorite Books
Remember, the board doesn’t need to be elaborate. Its purpose is to celebrate student voices—not decorations.
Try This Today
Prepare a simple way for students to leave recommendations.
You might use:
- Index cards
- Sticky notes
- Small printable recommendation slips
- Book-shaped paper cutouts
- Library cards
- Digital forms that you print and display
Ask students to include:
- The title of the book
- Their first name (or first name and grade, if appropriate)
- One sentence explaining why they recommend it
For example:
- “I laughed all the way through this book!”
- “If you like mysteries, you’ll love this one.”
- “The illustrations are amazing.”
- “I couldn’t stop reading.”
Short and sincere is all you need.
Bonus Tip
You don’t have to wait until every recommendation is perfect. Display them as they come in.
An authentic recommendation written by a student—even with imperfect handwriting—is often far more inviting than a beautifully designed poster.
As the year progresses, watch for opportunities to feature recommendations from students of different ages and reading interests. The more voices represented, the more students will see themselves reflected on the board.
As librarians, we naturally enjoy recommending books. But one of the greatest gifts we can give students is the confidence to recommend books to one another.
When students become reading ambassadors, something wonderful happens.
- Conversations begin.
- Books circulate.
- Friendships grow around shared stories.
- Reading becomes part of the school’s culture rather than simply another assignment.
Your recommendation board doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to make room for student voices.
Who knows?
The next book that changes a student’s life may be discovered because another child took thirty seconds to write, “You should read this.”
Reflection Question
Imagine looking at your recommendation board in May.
What would you love to see covering it?
How can you begin creating that culture of shared reading from the very first week of school?
For more in the August in the Library series, click here.
For more Library Administration posts, click here.
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