What is TAG and how do I participate?
TAG, which stands for Trendy Advisory Group, is for students with a voracious appetite for reading. This group is responsible for reading 20-25 novels between September and March and for selecting the 2023-2024 Trendy Twelve titles promoted across the district. This group will also plan and facilitate some extracurricular library activities associated with library programs and promote reading to our PSMS community. 
As a reader selector, you have the opportunity to help choose books for the Trendy Twelve List. The books are selected to provide quality reading for Prairie Star Middle School students as well for other Blue Valley middle school students. With that in mind, there are a wide variety of tastes and interests to consider. The titles on the list include a balance of genres, age appropriateness, and interest levels. **Not all titles may be equally suitable for sixth grade participants. 6th grade students may opt out of a title if needed. 8th grade students must choose a minimum of two novels with a 2021 copyright to review in place of two TAG books.
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September 14 Info meeting |
December 14 Book Exchange |
March 28 Voting Day |
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October 12 |
January 18 |
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November 16 |
February 15 |
Please Put these dates on your calendar or in your planner NOW to avoid scheduling conflicts.
We will meet in the library during lunch. Please be prompt! We won't have much time together!
This group is best suited to serious readers who can make the commitment to reading all of the books rather quickly. You should read a minimum of four books between meetings.
I will communicate TAG information via student announcements and in the weekly activities email sent by Mr. Braden. There will be a Canvas tile for TAG that will include information and updates.
Students, it is your responsibility to check for updates regularly!
TAG titles are available at the PSMS library, public libraries, and through our ebook & audiobook platform, Sora. The login is the same as your BV computer login if prompted.
Every vote affects the outcome, so it is very important that you read ALL the books on our list!
Remember, you are not just reading for your personal taste but to select those books that will appeal to a wide variety of our students at PSMS and across the district. If you or your parents have any questions, please contact me. My e-mail address is ltnocita@bluevalleyk12.org Thank you for volunteering and enjoy reading!
TO DO!
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Fill out the TAG membership application
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Join our District TAG Canvas Group https://bvusd.instructure.com/enroll/ETHYPY
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Bring Check (for dues $25 & optional lunch orders $60) to the library before Oct 3, 2022
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Start reading and reviewing! Average = 4/5 books per month
TAG summaries
Trendy 12s
Meeting Dates 2023-2024
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September 14 Info meeting |
December 14 Book Exchange |
March 28 Voting Day |
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October 12 |
January 18 |
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November 16 |
February 15 |
TAG Titles
Place a hold! Ebook & Audiobooks
TAG 2023-2024 Reading List
TAG titles are available at the PSMS library, public libraries, and through our ebook & audiobook platform, Sora. Your login is the same as your computer login.
You are responsible for obtaining copies of the books to read. Don’t procrastinate!
| Brown, Erik J | All that's left in The World |
| Brown, Waka | Dream, Annie, Dream |
| Clayton, Dhonielle | The Marvellers |
| Farizan, Sara | Dead Flip |
| Gratz, Alan | Two Degrees |
| Guerrero, Tanya | Adrift |
| Josephson, Kalyn | Ravenfall |
| Keller, Tae | Jennifer Chan is Not Alone |
| King, Amy Sarig | Attack of the Black Rectangles |
| Korman, Gordon | Operation Do Over |
| Long, Meg | Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves |
| Mafi, Tahereh | This Woven Kingdom |
| McMann, Lisa | Map of Flames |
| McManus, Karen | Nothing More to Tell |
| Nielsen, Jennifer | Lines of Courage |
| Page, Tyler | Button Pusher |
| Perry, Adam | Ghosts Come Rising |
| Raman, Akshaya | The Ivory Key |
| Reilly, K. J | Four for the Road |
| Reynolds, Justin & Caron Butler | Shot Clock |
| Rhodes, Morgan | Echoes and Empires |
| Sepetys, Ruta | I Must Betray You |
| Smith, Roland | The Switch |
| Soontronvat, Christina | The Last Mapmaker |
The heart of what you do as a TAG member is reviewing and recommending books for our school community! Your participation in the TAG Canvas course is essential and required! The Canvas course is district-wide. This gives you a chance to see what your fellow colleagues at other middle schools think about TAG selections and you might even make new friends by connecting to a reader from another school!
Here's a great example from #booktok This review was a little light on literary criticism but had so much appeal factor that I definitely want to read this book! Your reviews may be written or videoed. :)
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Always identify your posts by typing PSMS followed by your first name and last initial and grade on the first line then hit return to begin your review. example: PSMSLIBRARYGODDESS
Things to include in each review:
● Rating System Ratings help to give readers an immediate sense of how you felt about a book. We will rate our books on a scale of 1-5 with one being low and 5 being high. Think about what makes a book a 1 versus a 5. You can also give 1⁄2 points!
● Summary Readers will want to know what the book is about. This includes a relevant but brief description of the novel without giving away any spoilers. Make sure you don’t rob readers of that genuine emotional reaction or discovery. Find the hook! Try to hook readers from the very first sentence! Make your opinion clear! As you describe the plot, share your opinion on the things that worked or didn’t when it comes to the writing, characters, and the events of the book. Tell readers why they should (or shouldn’t) pick this book up.
● Voice Find your voice! Celebrate your uniqueness in your book reviews. Provide the insight only you can offer. This is an opportunity to share your passion with other readers, so make it personal. When it comes to book reviews, it’s important to explain both your praise and critiques of a book so that other readers get the whole picture. For example, don’t just say that the book has great characters—explain what makes them great. Don’t tell readers that the book was boring—explain which elements failed to capture your attention. This will help readers to understand your point of view and decide for themselves whether or not this is a book that they might enjoy. Thoughtful praise and critique often can also be a great starting point for a continued conversation about a book.
● Recommend! Let readers know if this is a book you’d recommend, and to whom. Not every book is suited to every reader, so you’ll want to be specific about who is likely to enjoy it. Keep in mind that even if a book didn’t fit your personal reading tastes, there’s a chance it may appeal to other readers and your review could help them discover it. Your job is to pick the ones that will have the most appeal to the most students!
These sites offer book reviews as do many personal blogs! If you’re stuck, read a few reviews by other authors about other books to get a sense of how to write one! DO NOT PLAGIARIZE! LitPick, BookishFirst, Goodreads, NetGalley, & Amazon #booktok #riotgrams & #bookreviews on insta