A book swap involves choosing a book or books, putting a book plate in the front. Then leaving the book somewhere in the world to be found and read! It is a chance to share your love of a book with new people, and to bring an unexpected story into someone’s day.
Think about books you like and why you like them. Have your friends read the same things as you? What is the first book you remember reading or being read to you? What is the best book you have ever read? Where do you like to read? What is the best book you have never read?
What to do
Choose a book or some books you are happy to swap – you could use a book you already have, or get a copy of a book you have loved from a second hand book shop of charity shop.
Make labels for the front of the books that you are going to swap. Decide what you want to include on this, here are some ideas you might want to incorporate:
- A welcome to whoever finds it asking them to read it and then pass it on.
- A little bit about who you are – for example how old you are and your first name.
- A bit about why you liked the book.
- A place for each reader to write their name. Also, a place to comment before they pass the book to someone else.
- A way for the finder to let you know that they have found the book – don’t put any personal details like a phone number as you don’t know who might find the book and it is best to be safe. You could set up an email address especially for the project and put that on the book, or you can use an existing book sharing website to track it.
- The #DreamBigAtHome web address so that the finder can explore some of the other activities on this website.
Decide where to release the book(s) into the wild. This could be anywhere at all, but if it is rainy weather it might be best to choose somewhere a bit sheltered!
Set the books free…
You may want to link into www.bookcrossing.com
