Build excitement. Connect. Ask questions.

Step-by-step guide.

Book Note writers should think of these letters as personal messages to kids. NBC books are meant to offer windows, mirrors, and sliding doors for our readers. They offer chances for students to see themselves in what they read. Therefore, our Book Notes need to keep this in mind.

How to write notes:

Using your special NBC Notepad, follow the guidelines below.

The NBC Book Notes Spreadsheet will be your guide to your book note assignments each week. Please address each note to specific students. If your books are not assigned to specific students, please address them with “Dear Reader.” All notes should end with, “Happy Reading, Your First Name (NBC).” If you foresee issues that would keep you from writing your book notes for the week, please contact us as soon as possible here.

1. Make it personal & thoughtful: Get to know the students, and get to know the book.

   • Get to know your students. On the NBC Book Notes Spreadsheet, you will be able to see what books students have already received, the book assigned for this week, as well as each student's personal interests. If you are assigned specific students, reference the last NBC book they read. Did they make comments in their feedback bookmark? Consider any “extra" teacher input you might have access to under the “interests” tab on the NBC Book Notes Spreadsheet. If there’s no assigned student, then your note can be more generic.

   • Get to know your books. The more you know about each assigned book, the better. To learn about the book, read a book summary on Amazon and/or watch a YouTube read-aloud online. There are many resources available.

2. Share & ask questions.

   Encourage curiosity and reader engagement. Most importantly, have fun with it! Share some of your own personal interests.

3. Encourage student feedback.

   Each note must remind students to fill out their Bookmarks and return them each week. We need to hear what students think about their books! Student feedback is vital to the NBC program, and we need to ensure that they’re excited about the books.

Thank you for participating in our Volunteer Program. We cannot fulfill the book note piece of the program without your community support!

Learn how to write book notes from one of our volunteers.

For more sample notes, follow Nashville Book Connection on Instagram.