Lesson 27 — Activity 2: How to Choose a Novel to Read

There were 13 novels recommended for this theme, but obviously your school did not have all of them, so you had to work with your teacher to choose your novel.

At times, in the future, you may be asked to choose a novel to read for a course or you may wish to choose a novel to read for your own enjoyment. As you are going to invest your time to read, you will want to be sure that you choose a novel that interests you. Let’s compare choosing a novel to choosing a movie.

When you want to see a movie, how do you choose one to watch?

Do you look for new releases or look for any specific types, such as action, drama, or comedy?
Do you just randomly look through a list until you find something that interests you?
Perhaps you have been told that a particular movie is worth watching.

Regardless of how you go about this process, like most people, you probably look at the movie title, and the picture that accompanies it, to gauge your interest. You look to see who the actors are and you may read information to find out what the movie is about.

You can use these same ideas to choose a novel.

Perhaps a friend recommend a good book.
All novels have a summary of the story within, so reading this can help.
Don't forget to check the picture on the cover.
Many novels list comments by "experts" that can also provide information that is helpful.
Perhaps you saw a movie based on the novel and decide you would like to read the story for yourself.

Sometimes, you may read a novel and enjoy it so much that you seek other novels written by that author. Watch the bulletin board in your library as it may feature a novel that might look interesting to you. Sometimes, you may just randomly pick up a novel and really enjoy it.

Whatever the method you use, a novel can immerse you in a world that can be very rewarding.

Journal Entry #2

When you want to read a new book, how do you choose one to read?