Lucas Maxwell’s Bookbuzz 2025 Diary: the launch pack has arrived!
At BookTrust we love hearing about the innovative ways that schools use our Bookbuzz programme to engage their students. Last year we heard from secondary school Library Manager Lucas from Surrey about how he created an escape room in the library to launch the programme. He’s back to tell us how he’s running Bookbuzz with them this year.
Lucas Maxwell
This year’s Bookbuzz books
To celebrate the Bookbuzz launch pack arriving at the school, I incorporate the pack into our dedicated library lessons. Every two weeks, Year 7 students are brought into the library for a library lesson that I am fortunate enough to lead. My goal is to introduce the books in a fun and engaging way and to inform the students that they will be able to eventually take one of the books home with them. To do this, I try and make the reveal of taking a free book home a surprise.
During their library lesson, I give a few of the Bookbuzz books to each table. I ask them to simply read the first few lines of each book, look at the cover and the blurb and once every table has had a chance to do this, I get them to swap with another table. Once every table has seen every book in the pack, I then ask each student to choose their favourite. I ensure that they know they can only select one. It’s fun to see them discuss the books at the table and choose the ones they enjoyed the most.
Once I’ve given them a little time to do this, I give them the Bookbuzz bookmarks provided in the pack so they can tick their favourite book.
This is when I reveal to them that they will be able to take their favourite home with them to keep forever. It’s always a fun moment, especially with Year 7 students who haven’t experienced this in the past.
I really enjoy giving students free books (who doesn’t?) and this is a fun and easy way to introduce them to the launch pack and to bring to light some great new reads for them to engage with.
Registration for Bookbuzz has now closed, and will reopen in March 2026.
Share your Bookbuzz experiences
If, like Lucas, you’re using Bookbuzz in your school this year we’d love to hear how it’s going and about anything different you’re doing to engage your students.
Get in touch with us at [email protected] with the subject line “How we’re using Bookbuzz in my school”.
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Join over 1,200 secondary schools who use Bookbuzz each year to develop reading for pleasure, right from transition.