Book Trailer Fun

I had so much fun creating my book trailer for Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me. I highly recommend this book. Everything about the book is excellent. Miranda is a sixth grader who obviously loves to read and carries her favorite book, Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, with her everywhere. Her passion for this book drives the story and is infectious. The themes of friendship and forgiveness are woven throughout the story without being predictable and forced. It also includes an important message about compassion. In addition, it tackles the issues of racism, socioeconomic status, and truth. The time travel aspect of the story is fascinating, but as a reader, I was more impressed with the overall humanity of the characters and how the friendships evolved over time. Clocks, timers, and calendars are used repeatedly in the book to emphasize the importance of time and place to the story.

I used an older version of Apple’s iMovie to create my book trailer. It was a challenge the way the software kept losing my revisions. I would make changes and go back later and my changes had vanished.  However, I was very pleased with the way my trailer came together in the end. It was difficult to create a trailer that would not give away too much of the plot of When You Reach Me. This book is one that is easily ruined by spoilers. I hope I did not use too much information in the trailer. I wanted it to build as it played. I was so glad to find some music that builds in intensity as it progresses. This project took so much time; however, it was the most fun assignment I have had all year.