Denise Davila

Not So Innocent:
Book Trailers as Promotional Text and Anticipatory Stories

I
have a challenge for you before you begin this ar- frame horizontally divides in half, white on top and
ticle. Examine the columns shown below and con- black on the bottom. Now, the video tells viewers:
sider the relationship between the two wordlists. “You’ve done the unthinkable.” The word unthinkable
appears on the bottom half of the screen. The next
Olympic Dreams Confused frame asks: “What happens . . . after?” With dramatic
pause, the word after is highlighted against the black
Happy Denial
background. The trailer concludes with a still image of
Hopeful Detention Center
the book cover, which incorporates the book title, au-
Devon Baby thor, the Penguin logo, and the book website: http://
Soccer Player Hopeless www.after-book.com. Finally, in the YouTube video
Normal Desperation description box, Penguin’s July 24. 2009, message
Mature Pregnancy states: “On sale August 11, 2009,” letting consumers
Conscience Attempted Murder know when the new book will be released.
Just as movie producers commission trailers
Straight-A Student Punishment
to advertise their new films, some book publishers
and authors now commission online video trailers
Penguin Young Readers Group uses these two
to promote young adult novels. According to Jerome
sets of words in a 30-second YouTube book video
Kramer, acting publisher at Kirkus Media (as cited by
trailer to promote the 2009 young adult novel Af-
Maul, 2006a), book trailers offer “a promotional cam-
ter by Amy Efaw (see http://www.youtube.com/
paign for books like nothing that’s ever been done”
watch?v=TUCOBQf2GpQ). As the trailer opens,
(p. 1). Unlike student-made book videos, which are
each word in the first column moves into the white
examined in the context of digital booktalks (Gunter &
space of a static video frame to systematically form a
Kenny, 2008) and school literature response activi-
uniform block arrangement that mimics a wordle. The
ties (Kajder, 2008), studies of the promotional video
block momentarily freezes while the frame expands to
campaigns for books appear rarely in the educational
incorporate the still image of a slender young woman
research literature. In this article, I investigate the
leaning against a wall. Then one by one, each of the
impact of publishers’ promotional video trailers on
original words disappears and is replaced by a new
prospective readers’ expectations for new young adult
word from the second column. The new words appear
books. Further, I argue that book trailers are unique
at angles and cut across the frame to create a chaotic,
texts that include anything that is constructed through
non-rectangular arrangement of the words.
language, including silence (Jones, 2008), and can be
Meanwhile, the image of the young woman trans-
in any form—“written, oral, signed, electronic, picto-
forms to reveal that she is pregnant. When the chaos
rial, etc.” (Bloome & Egan-Robertson, 1993, p. 311).
stops, the words sweep off the screen. The empty

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 Table 1. Books titles and URLs for video trailers of current young adult novels

Book Title URL

After by Amy Efaw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUCOBQf2GpQ
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt_aDmkEPTQ
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnk1zPw_PHc
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TnxXoMpF3c
The Maze Runner by James Dashner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2-zYcD-dDs
Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OxDa1fl2t0

Video trailers for the books listed in Table 1will When social-networking Internet users enjoy
serve as the basis for this article in which I will first online videos, they may post them to their MySpace,
discuss the relevance of book trailers for today’s Facebook, or Twitter pages. Facebook alone has a
digitally enabled youth. Then, I will describe the growing audience of more than 400 million active us-
major attributes of book trailers, proposing that they ers (Facebook, 2010), which demonstrates that social
be viewed both as texts and cultural artifacts. Next, networking is a global cultural practice, too. Given
I connect the videos to Wolfgang Iser’s (1978) con- these statistics, friend-to-friend video sharing of online
cept that readers develop horizons of expectation in book trailers could ignite interest in books, since
response to text. Finally, I present the findings of people are most frequently motivated to read and/or
three studies in which undergraduate college students buy books based on a friend’s recommendation (Pub-
respond to the promotional book trailers mentioned in lisher’s Weekly, 2007).
Table 1.
Familiarity & Novelty
Relevance In addition to valuing books recommended by friends,
Mackey (1996) argues that young people may also val-
Digitally Enabled Youth
ue texts that appear in different formats because they
Today’s book trailer trend comes at a time when view-
seem more important and “the most worth attending
ing online videos is a common practice among digital-
to” (p. 20). This suggests that young consumers may
ly enabled youth. YouTube (2010) reports that people
think that a book they have seen in an online video
view 2 billion online videos on YouTube per day,
trailer will provide a worthwhile reading experience
worldwide. Correspondingly, the Kaiser Foundation’s
because it is represented in both textual and digital
Generation M2 report (Rideout, Foehr, & Roberts,
media.
2010) shows that 70% of young people between the
Consumers may also gravitate toward books
ages of 8 and 18 use the Internet on a typical day (p.
that are promoted in a recognizable context. Video
20). While online, these young people most frequently
book trailers employ the familiar film trailer model to
watch online videos, engage in social networking, and
advertise new releases to prospective readers. Kernan
play computer games (p. 21).
(2004), a film trailer scholar, observes that trailers
Youth who view online videos likely share a
offer “more of what you know and love” and affirm
cultural cognizance with them. Smagorinsky (2001)
both the familiar and the novel (p. 43). Hale (2002)
argues: “[T]exts are composed of signs that them-
sees that chain bookstores take up this same ideology
selves are inscribed and codified as cultural artifacts
in creating displays that highlight familiar and desir-
and are read by people whose ways of encoding are
able titles, thereby assuring customers that they will
conditioned by participation in cultural practice. . . .
not be disappointed with their new book purchase.
[R]eaders and texts share a cultural cognizance” (p.
Related to this merging of familiarity with nov-
146). As a result, promotional book video trailers are
elty, Kirkus Reviews inaugurated the Teen Book Video
cultural artifacts within this global cultural practice of
Awards in 2006. Similar to the Academy Awards,
viewing online videos.

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 the Teen Book Video Awards help to “promote great dren’s library book selections. Given these findings,
books where teens live online,” says Jerome Kramer there is potential for video book trailers to influence
of Kirkus Media (Maul, 2006c, p. 1). For the 2009 reader preferences.
contest, Random House
challenged student film- Trailer Attributes
Could online video trailers makers to produce motion
Kernan (2004) observes that most film trailers share
picture book trailers for
spark an interest in books the following novels: Very common attributes, which provide a familiar frame-
work for viewers. These attributes include: a) an
LeFreak by Rachel Cohn
in the same way that film opening or closing address to the audience about the
(released January 12,
source text (e.g., young adult novel); b) an introduc-
adaptations do? 2010); Fallen by Lauren
tion of the main characters; and c) a selection of
Kate (released December 8,
scenes from the source text or montages of “quick-
2009); and The Maze Run-
cut” action scenes (p. 9). The two types of book trail-
ner by James Dashner (released October 6, 2009). The
ers examined in this article do, indeed, reflect these
contest mimicked popular television contests such as
attributes. The first employs still and/or animated
American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance with
images, and usually includes text and a sound track.
a familiar online voting process. During the month of
Actors and dialogue are usually absent, as in the trail-
October 2009, Internet users viewed the three book
ers for After and Hunger Games. The second type most
trailer finalists and voted for the winner at the follow-
resembles movie trailers. Like the promotional videos
ing website: http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusre-
for The Adoration of Jenna Fox, How I Live Now, and
views/book_video/index.jsp.
Very LeFreak, these book trailers include actors, live
The video book trailer for Fallen, created by film-
action scenes, and narration and/or dialogue.
maker Benjamin Bliss, won the contest. On December
Both types of book trailers in this article provide
1, a week before Fallen was released, the novel was
basic information about the novels. The trailers for
already #72 on Amazon.com’s best-selling teen book
Scholastic’s Hunger Games, Penguin’s After, Henry
list, which included several books from the Twilight
Holt’s Adoration of Jenna Fox, and Random House’s
series. In addition, The Maze Runner was on Amazon.
How I Live Now and Very LeFreak give closing ad-
com’s top 100 teen booklist. While it is unclear wheth-
dresses. Each shows the title, author, and book cover
er the Teen Book Video Awards influenced buyers, the
in the final frames of the trailer. A message about the
coincidence is suggestive.
release date and/or where the book can be purchased
Could online video trailers spark an interest in
is also provided. Random House tells viewers Very Le-
books in the same way that film adaptations do? A
Freak will be: “Available Everywhere Books Are Sold
host of books have been adapted for movies over the
[in] January 2010.” Penguin, on the other hand, uses
last several years; among them are The Chronicles
the YouTube video description box to inform viewers
of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,
that After will be: “On Sale August 11, 2009.”
Curious George, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the
All but one of the five trailers, Hunger Games,
Harry Potter series, The Polar Express, Tuck Everlast-
introduces the main characters either in name or by
ing, Babe, and The Lord of the Rings. In looking at
sight. (The trailer for Hunger Games mentions “two
recent book sales after the movie releases, the As-
teenage heroes.” The main character, Katniss, is iden-
sociation for Library Services to Children (ALSC)
tified in the YouTube description box for the video.)
Research and Development Committee (2006) notes:
Penguin includes the main character’s name, Devon,
“If one judges by sales alone, it appears that movies
in a large bold font as part of the first video wordlist.
can generate interest in books and vice versa” (p. 46).
In the live action trailer for Very LeFreak, the main
Ferguson (1998) observed that more than half of the
character is introduced in the opening scene by her
youth in her survey of book buyers were inclined to
laptop, which chimes “Good morning, Very. It’s time
purchase a book that corresponded with a movie they
to get up. You’re looking hot today.” Very groans and
had recently seen. At the library, Sturm (2003) also
tumbles out of bed to click the computer on her bed
saw a connection between movie releases and chil-

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 table. In the trailers for The Adoration of Jenna Fox While the latter book videos resemble blockbuster
and How I Live Now, the main character narrates the film trailers, there is an important difference. Movie
video as she appears in the scenes. trailers commonly feature actual excerpts from the
Both types of book trailers offer either a montage full-length films, which are the source texts. In con-
of quick-cut images or a selection of action scenes trast, book trailers “give filmmakers an opportunity
from the novel to pique audience interest. For exam- to share their interpretations of unique stories,” says
ple, in the trailer for The Hunger Games, the flickering Susan Muirhead, the filmmaker of the book trailer
image of a television screen with static reception is for How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (cited from Maul,
the background to the following text: Each year in the 2006b). In book trailers, viewers see the filmmak-
ruins of North America . . . 24 teenagers are forced to ers’ translation of young adult novels. Butler (1995),
enter the Hunger Games. Only the winner survives. in his discussion of film
Every moment is televised. This merging of image and adaptations of books
text foreshadows scenes from the novel and creates submits, says, “As with Book trailer viewers
space for viewer interpretation. any conversion from one
In contrast, the book trailers for The Adoration language to another, the
actually see a filmmaker’s
of Jenna Fox, How I Live Now, Maze Runner, and most successful transla- personal response to a
Very LeFreak resemble blockbuster movie trailers tion [of book to film] is
presenting a montage of scenes from the source text. never a strictly literal one” young adult novel, which
For example, the trailer for Maze Runner is like a (p. 310). Similarly, the
movie trailer for a horror film. It features a strange, most successful transla- is inevitably affected
unforgiving setting called the Glade. Underscored tion of story elements into
by the filmmaker’s past
with suspenseful music and eerie sounds, the trailer a promotional book trailer
opens with the main character, Thomas, enclosed in may not be literal. Panaou experiences and current
what appears to be a concrete shaft in the ground. & Tsilimen (2010) argue
All Thomas knows is his name. In the next scene, that realistically speak- interests.
Thomas meets other young men who are also trapped ing, it is not possible to
in the Glade. One of these men reports that the group maintain the very same subject and style of a source
has been waiting for Thomas to help them find an exit text in a translation. Rather, it becomes an interpre-
through the maze. In the final scene, Thomas says tive re-contextualization of the source text (Mackey,
that he wants to be a “maze runner.” Then the camera 2010). Consequently, book trailer viewers actually
turns to a bruised and bloodied young man chained to see a filmmaker’s personal response to a young adult
a table. The boy screams and bucks his body. novel, which is inevitably affected by the filmmaker’s
On the lighter side, the trailer for Very LeFreak past experiences and current interests (Rosenblatt,
presents like a movie trailer for a dramatic com- 1978/1994).
edy. Very wakes to a computer greeting and moves
through a series of daily events, each affected by her Book Trailers as Anticipatory Stories
unabated use of technology. Her school administrator Soter (1999) suggests that in examining a text relative
gives an ultimatum and, in the next scene, Very enters to its author (or a trailer relative to its filmmaker),
an electronic addicts’ rehabilitation center. Here, the the text is not so innocent. From this perspective,
electrical outlets are covered with wire cages, and the rhetorical strategies an author/filmmaker uses to
group activities include chanting: “Faces are better persuade readers are more transparent. According to
than Facebook. Why Twitter when you can talk?” For Kernan (2004), the film trailer is strategically designed
today’s digitally connected teen, such a place could be to achieve the effects of “a unique form of narrative
awful. Very must persevere for 28 days without any of film exhibition, wherein promotional discourse and
the things that, presumably, help her feel connected to narrative pleasure are conjoined” (p. 1). This pro-
other people. The viewer is left wondering if Very will motion–pleasure union also exists in book trailers,
last in the electronic detox program. regardless of whether the video is live action, anima-
tion, still images, or a combination thereof.

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 Moreover, as a form of advertising, trailers are promotional video trailers for the young adult novels
themselves little story adaptations of a bigger source After by Amy Efaw, How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff,
text (Kernan, 2004). These little stories are expected to The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson, The
foster anticipation and intrigue among viewers. Will Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Maze Runner
Very survive the detox program in Very LeFreak? Will by James Dasner, and Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn.
Thomas solve the maze in Maze Runner? What hap- The first study considers After and Very LeFreak.
pens after Devon does the unthinkable in After? Who The second study focuses on the four other novels.
is Jenna Fox, anyway? What are the Hunger Games Three groups of students who were enrolled in my
and why does only one survive? As little stories, undergraduate classes in adolescent and young adult
promotional trailers are infused with “a kind of preg- literature at a large Midwest university participated in
nancy,” which prompts the studies as part of the course curriculum.
viewers to envision
Instead of the actual “imaginary (as-yet-unseen) Methodology
film[s]” to satiate their cu- Group A consisted of 4 men and 12 women who con-
source text, we really riosities (Kernan. 2004, p. sented to participate in the first study during winter
13). Instead of the actual term 2010. With the exception of two women, who
want to read the idealized source text, we really want were older than 30, the students in Group A were
to read the idealized films in their early twenties and of European American
films or novels we envi-
or novels we envisioned in descent. Two groups participated in the second study.
sioned in response to the response to the trailer. Group B included the Group A students along with 8
Kernan’s (2004) obser- additional women and 2 additional men, for a total
trailer. vation that trailers prompt of 26 participants. One woman in Group B was of
audiences to envision African American descent, while the other participants
stories before their public were of European American descent. Group C consist-
release dates correlates with Wolfgang Iser’s (1978) ed of 15 women and 8 men who participated during
reader response theory. According to Iser (1978), gaps spring term 2010. In Group C, 2 of the men and 2 of
in a text create “blanks which the reader is to fill in” the women were older than 30. The other students
(p. 169). Bressler (2007) explains that when the text were in their early twenties. Two women were of
does not provide readers enough information about African American descent while the other participants
a character, the setting, an event or relationship, or were of European American descent.
other story elements, readers must fill in these “gaps” As a class activity, I required that students in
using their own knowledge base. As a result, read- my adolescent literature courses view the publishers’
ers create what Iser calls horizons of expectations book trailers on YouTube at least twice and write a
(cited from Bressler. 2007, p. 85). Readers’ horizons response to each of the trailers. In the first study, I
of expectations for a source text expand and contract simply asked Group A students: What do you think
according to the depth of the gaps of the film or book the book is going to be about? In the second study, I
trailers. When readers begin to fill in the gaps with asked Group B and C students to address the follow-
an idealized storyline, the promotional value of the ing set of questions in their responses: What do you
trailer rises because readers will likely see the film or think the book is going to be about? Would you be
read the book to confirm their expectations surround- interested in reading the book? What do you think are
ing the source text. Once they engage with the source the most significant aspects of the promotional video
text, readers will frequently modify their horizons of trailer? The data I present in this article reflects only
expectations to accommodate the conflict, shifts, and the responses of participants who had not read the
changes that occur in the story (Bressler, 2007). selected book.

The Studies Data Analysis

I coded the participants’ responses to the book trailers
The following set of studies examines college students’ and categorized them in terms of comments regarding
horizons of expectations in response to the publisher’s characters, setting, plot overview, significant events,

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 genre/story descriptors, connections to other Table 2. In Study 1, 16 participants responded to 2 book trailers. Their comments
texts, anticipated future reading experiences, were coded and grouped by category, listed by row. The “Comments” column
and aesthetic qualities of the online video. shows the number of participants who share common expectations. For example,
2 participants expect that the lead character in After is male and gets his girlfriend
Table 2 shows the results of the first study. pregnant. In contrast, all 16 participants expect that Very is the lead in Very LeFreak.
Table 3 shows the results of the coding for
participants’ responses to the book trailers in
AFTER VERY LEFREAK
the second study.
Total Group A Participants: 16 Total Group A Participants: 16
Category Comments Category Comments
Results: Study I CHARACTER(S) CHARACTER(S)
After. As Table 2 demonstrates, the horizon Female lead character 13 Very is the lead character 16
of expectations of the 30-second text-based Male lead character 02 An electronic-aholic 08
trailer for After varies among the participants. He gets his girlfriend pregnant 02 SETTING
Thirteen participants think the main character Descriptors of lead character Rehab / program / camp 08
is a girl who became pregnant, while 2 think Good student 08 PLOT OVERVIEW
the protagonist is a boy who gets his girlfriend Athlete 06 Addiction leads to rehab 08
pregnant. Half of the participants comment Perfect/Organized life 04 SIGNIFICANT EVENT(S)
SETTING Entering rehab 08
that the lead character is a good student.
Jail / Detention Center 04 THEMES
Three expect different murder scenarios, and
PLOT OVERVIEW Technology / electronics 11
4 anticipate that the story will, in part, occur
Girl becomes pregnant 15 Life change 03
at a jail or a detention center. Other partici- Boy murders girlfriend 01 Relationships 01
pants foresee that themes related to emotional Lead character murders baby 01 Social skills 01
struggle are part of the book. Other character murdered 01 Irony 01
Very LeFreak. In contrast to the result Bad decision including crime 02
for After, the horizon of expectations for the SIGNIFICANT EVENT(S)
1-minute/53-second live action trailer for Very Pregnancy 15
LeFreak are more uniform. For example, all of THEMES
the participants agree that the story is about Ruined dreams / life 07
Very. Eleven participants (68%) anticipate Confusion, denial, fear 02
Dual lives 01
that technology will be a major theme in the
Family issues 01
story. Half expect that Very’s addiction to
Guilt 01
electronics will cause her to go to a rehabilita-
Loneliness 01
tion/camp program. None of the participants Putting life back together 01
in this first study, however, indicate a prefer-
ence for either reading or avoiding After and
Very LeFreak, based on the promotional book
trailers. None of the participants require more information to
make their decision about the book. This is not the
Results: Study 2 case with any other trailer.
The Hunger Games. Based on the trailer, approxi- The Adoration of Jenna Fox. As a result of this
mately two-thirds of the participants expect that The 2-minute/3-second trailer, most of the participants
Hunger Games is about a deadly contest in which the (78%) comment that a character suffers a coma in
last survivor wins. While this 1-minute/11-second the story. More than half mention an accident as well
trailer is entirely text-based with an underlying as memory loss. However, not everybody thinks that
soundtrack, the participants anticipate that the book Jenna Fox is the lead character. At least 7 participants
will share similarities with a range of survival-based expect that the protagonist does not know Jenna at all.
reality television series, select films, and historical Approximately 50% of the participants are interested
gladiator games. Moreover, based on the trailer, 95% in reading the book. Two participants made connec-
of the students in Group C want to read the book. tions to other texts.

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 Table 3. In Study 2, at least 41 participants responded to promotional book trailers for: The Adoration of Jenna Fox, How I Live Now,
The Hunger Games, and The Maze Runner. Their comments were coded and grouped into common categories, listed by row. The
“Comments” columns show the number of participants who share common expectations for each book. For example, 28 participants
expect that Thomas is the lead character in The Maze Runner, and 17 expect that he lost his memory. Among the 23 Group C re-
spondents to The Hunger Games, 22 want to read the book as a result of the trailer. In contrast, 24 participants do not want to read
How I Live Now after viewing the trailer.
THE ADORATION OF HOW I LIVE NOW THE HUNGER GAMES THE MAZE RUNNER
JENNA FOX Total Participants: 49 Total Participants: 43 Total Participants: 43
Total Participants: 41 Group B: 26; Group C: 23 Group B: 20; Group C: 23 Group B: 20; Group C: 23
Group B: 18; Group C: 23 Category Comments Category Comments Category Comments
Category Comments CHARACTER(S) CHARACTER(S) CHARACTER(S)
CHARACTER(S) Girl 12 Two lead heroes 04 Thomas / male lead 28
Jenna Fox 12 Girl & her younger sister 2 Teen/Child players 20 Recently abducted 05
Girl (general) 11 Teens (general) 05 Forced to compete 10 Has memory loss 17
Girl: not Jenna Fox 07 SETTING Viewers of the H. Games 02 Wants be a “runner” 09
Alien 01 War zone 40 H Game Sponsors 03 Boys / teens 22
Jenna’s father 04 Wilderness 08 SETTING Different jobs /roles 03
SETTING PLOT OVERVIEW North America 15 Outcasts from society 02
In the future 14 War occurs 40 Post-war/Apocalyptic 19 Some nearly crazed 01
PLOT OVERVIEW Loss of family and friends 32 Famine/ scarcity 07 Unknown authority group 13
Character in accident 23 Characters try to survive 20 Island location 01 Tests the boys 07
She wakes from a coma 32 Characters hide from others 07 PLOT OVERVIEW Dangerous creatures 04
Recovery of memory 22 SIGNIFICANT EVENT(S) Fight to death: 1 survivor 28 Hunt humans 02
She relearns and adjusts 14 War 40 Hungry people compete 04 Minotaur 01
Something mysterious 14 Finding dead soldier 08 Games: world televised 17 SETTING
No control of own body 03 THEMES Games: gov’t controlled 02 The Glade 09
SIGNIFICANT EVENT(S) Loss 32 SIGNIFICANT EVENT(S) In the future 03
Waking from coma 32 Survival 20 H. Games: Annual event 25 Alternate universe 01
THEMES Death 09 THEMES Prison 01
Confusion 06 Family 07 Survival 28 PLOT OVERVIEW
Identity & self-discovery 05 War versus peace 04 Violence / Death 07 Solve the maze 25
STORY DESCRIPTORS STORY DESCRIPTORS Competition 04 Escape to survive 19
Mystery 05 Mystery 05 Hunger 04 Fight for survival 06
Suspense/ Thriller 04 Suspense/ Thriller 04 Social commentary 03 Spread of virus 02
TEXT CONNECTIONS TEXT CONNECTIONS Collaboration/solidarity 02 SIGNIFICANT EVENT(S)
Flight of the Navigator 01 Lord of the Flies 01 Exploitation of people 02 Boy is chained to table 09
R.L. Stein scary stories 01 Cormac McCarthy novels 01 STORY DESCRIPTORS THEMES
READING INTEREST Gary Paulsen novels 01 Suspenseful / thriller 09 Survival 25
Want to read book 21 Terminator (film) 01 Futuristic dystopia / Sci-fi 06 Teamwork 10
Will not read book 12 Current war in Iraq 01 Scary 01 Power struggle 08
Need more information 02 READING INTEREST TEXT CONNECTIONS Conspiracy 06
TRAILER AESTHETICS Want to read book 19 Reality Television 13 Desire to go home 03
Good narrator’s voice 05 Will not read book 24 Gladiator era games 03 Search for Identity 01
Mystery: mirror reflection 04 Need more information 04 Survivor (TV series) 03 STORY DESCRIPTORS
Music supports story 03 TRAILER AESTHETICS Gladiator (TV contest) 01 Scary / creepy 16
No action: boring trailer 03 Not enough information to 13 Lost (TV series) 01 Suspenseful / thriller 11
capture attention Mad Max/Thunderdome 01 Graphic / horror 04
No context for war 04 Saw (film) 01 Sci-fi 04
Depressing and dull 02 The Running Man (film) 01 TEXT CONNECTIONS
Slow video: slow book 02 Sci-fi books (1984; Fahrenheit) 01 Saw (film) 05
Horror films (general) 01 Horror films (in general) 04
READING INTEREST Survivor (TV series) 02
Want to read book 22 Holes (book / film) 02
(Group C only) Bourne Identity (film) 01
Will not read book 01 Cube (film) 01
(Group C only) Harry Potter (series) 01
TRAILER AESTHETICS Hunger Games (book) 01
Less information: 10 Lost (TV series) 01
More appeal Mythology: Theseus 01
TV static and image are 10 READING INTEREST
intriguing Want to read book 26
Captivating sound track 10 Book: “page turner” 03
Compelling book reviews 13 Will not read book 11
at end of video Need more information 6
TRAILER AESTHETICS
Good: actors & dialogue 09
Good: lighting & film craft 06
Good: sound effects 05
“Just like a film trailer” 05

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 The Maze Runner. Based on the 1-minute/40- textual clues that support multiple interpretations and
second video trailer, over 60% of the participants could broaden readers’ horizons of expectations.
want to read The Maze Runner. More than half of the Through the literary lens of Cultural Poetics, by
participants noted that the characters’ survival in the which text is a “social production” (Bressler, 2007, p.
novel is associated with solving a maze. The textual 224) that reflects the cultural discourses in which it
connections that students made to this book trailer is situated, the second study shows that book trail-
included mythology, film, and another book, which ers are both social productions and cultural artifacts.
has also been adapted to film. As products of today’s digital Internet culture, online
How I Live Now. Even though the largest pool video trailers incorporate visual, audio, and textual
of participants (49 students) responded to this 2006 modes into a digital storytelling framework. They also
Teen Book Video Awards finalist, the results are the promote storytelling and reading in different formats.
most uniform. For example, 81% expect that based For instance, book trailer content is based on creating
on the 1minute/22second trailer, How I Live Now is a little story narrative that highlights a bigger story
about life in wartime. Over 65% expect the loss of narrative, which is primar-
friends and family, and over 40% commented on the ily available in traditional
theme of survival. What’s more, 52% of the partici- book formats. Successful As artifacts of popular
pants do not want to read the book. The majority trailers influence view-
cultural practice, compel-
of the comments about the aesthetic qualities of the ers to deviate from digital
trailer were negative, with 24% of the participants not video media in order to ling book trailers also
having enough information to capture their interest. engage with the bigger
In addition to referencing the war in Iraq, participants source text in another prompt readers to make
connected this trailer to more books than television mode.
connections to other
and film titles. As artifacts of popular
cultural practice, compel- stories and media.
Discussion ling book trailers also
prompt readers to make
Given that the two studies are limited to students
connections to other stories and media. The Hunger
who were enrolled in my adolescent literature course,
Games trailer provides a fine example. Over 46%
generalizations of the results are not widely appli-
of the participants read the trailer in the context of
cable. These studies suggest, however, that promo-
popular culture and made connections to reality televi-
tional book trailers can both positively and negatively
sion; mentioned were current shows such as Survivor,
influence prospective readers’ horizons of expectations
Lost, and American Gladiators; films such as Saw; as
for young adult books. For instance, 95% of Group C
well as popular science fiction books. Similarly, at
wants to read Hunger Games, while only 30% of this
least 30% of the viewers of The Maze Runner trailer
same group is interested in the 2005 Printz Award
identified commonalities with television and film text,
winner, How I Live Now.
particularly the horror movie Saw. These connections
Results from the first study show that the partici-
stem from the cultural practice of reading and refer-
pants’ horizons of expectations regarding the charac-
encing popular media text as part of contemporary
ters, plot, and themes of the novel After were more
discourse.
varied than their expectations for Very LeFreak. One
These connections also reinforce the theory
possible explanation for this difference is that the
that readers recognize and relate to stories through
director of the Very LeFreak video, Rosie Lambert, em-
multiple formats that extend beyond books (Mackey,
phasized a single character and plotline in the persua-
1996; Rosenblatt, 1978/1994). For instance, 11% of
sive little story she developed for the 1-minute/53-sec-
the viewers of The Maze Runner trailer volunteered
ond live-action book trailer. Such emphasis is not as
that they liked the trailer as an independent story. One
apparent in the 30-second text-based trailer for After,
viewer comments: “[B]ecause the trailer consisted of
even though the trailer highlights pregnancy. In this
all live actors and was shot like a very well-done hor-
instance, readers infer meaning from a combination of
ror film, I almost just want to watch the movie of this

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 book.” In this instance, the reader resonated with the Unlike the respondents who saw a negative connec-
film format of the story. Hence, the narrative world is tion between the aesthetic quality of the trailer and
not restricted by format. Only readers are limited by How I Live Now, these students equate the suspense
modality. the filmmaker Brighton Linge created in the video
The studies also demonstrate how video trail- trailer for The Maze Runner as a marker for the quality
ers can positively and negatively influence readers. of the book. In this situation, Linge’s little trailer story
Participants’ responses to the trailer for How I Live influences the viewers’ horizons of expectations for
Now offer insight. Nearly half of all of the participants The Maze Runner, and they anticipate a page-turner.
reported they had no desire to read the book after Finally, in response to the trailer for The Hun-
viewing the trailer. Thirteen viewers specifically com- ger Games, a viewer writes, “I don’t know what the
mented that the book trailer does not provide enough book is about, and I don’t care. The video served its
information about How purpose—I am very interested in finding out more
I Live Now to convince about the book . . . .” Given that the Hunger Games
In other words, the ideal readers to engage with the trailer does not feature actors and dialogue like the
source text. One student trailers for How I Live Now and The Maze Runner, this
reader is steeped in
writes, “I don’t think I viewer’s response suggests there is no apparent rule
popular culture and able would be interested in that live-action trailers garner more interest among
reading this book based viewers of online videos than other trailer formats.
to connect with text solely on the trailer. It The filmmakers’ ideal audience, however, is
doesn’t seem to give much apparent in book trailers. Iser (1978) calls this ideal
on multiple levels and information about what audience the implied reader. So, this implied reader
modes. direction the book would may be someone who is very familiar with online
be going, or really who the videos and takes interest in the specific text, im-
characters are and why ages, sounds, and film craft that movie/book trailers
they are running through the woods with a compass. present. Likewise, the implied reader for The Hunger
Nothing about it really grabbed my attention, so I Games may be a person who has cultural knowledge
can’t say I would go out and read the book.” of survival contests and the relatively recent phenom-
In addition to not having enough information, enon of reality television. This reader also recognizes
at least two participants saw a parallel between the the white noise of scrambled audio frequencies, the
aesthetic qualities of the video trailer and the aes- appearance of static television reception, and the view
thetic quality of the book. One student observes, “It through the lens of a video recorder. In other words,
took 30 seconds for the film trailer to get to the point, the ideal reader is steeped in popular culture and able
which makes me think that the book would lag.” to connect with text on multiple levels and modes.
This comment reveals how potential readers may link
the filmmaker’s pacing of the trailer with their own Implications
horizon of expectations for the pacing of the novel. In
The results of the studies imply that as digital, mul-
this scenario, the filmmaker’s translation of How I Live
timodal texts, promotional online video trailers can
Now as a persuasive little story does not foster broad
strongly influence viewers’ expectations of books and
audience appeal among prospective readers.
affect readers’ decisions to purchase, borrow, and/or
On the opposite end of the spectrum, at least
read new book titles. Moreover, the studies suggest
three participants commented that based on the trail-
that readers’ engagement with online book trailers is
er, they think The Maze Runner will be a page-turner.
shaped by cultural practice and informed by the read-
One student writes, “Yes [I’d read the book], the
ers’ knowledge of popular culture.
trailer makes it seem really suspenseful. I like page-
So, what does this mean for teacher and teacher
turners.” Another student comments, “The trailer was
educators? Statistics such as those at the beginning
very fast-paced, which made me think that the book
of this article indicate that online video viewing and
will be fast as well, and I love action-packed books.”
sharing is an established cultural practice. (Scholas-

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 tic’s promotional trailer for The Hunger Games that Conclusion
was uploaded prior to the first book release in Septem-
ber 2008 has been viewed approximately 80,800 times When readers begin to envision an idealized text to
on YouTube as of this writing.) This suggests that fill in the gaps of little trailer narratives, the trailer’s
there is an ongoing paradigm shift. Digitally enabled promotional value rises and the filmmaker’s assump-
youth are using multimodal Internet tools to interact tions about what the implied readers desire are also
with books in ways that did not exist even ten years reinforced (Kernan, 2004). However, once readers
ago. In addition to viewing promotional trailers, they engage with the book, they may need to modify their
are engaging in activities such as directing, producing, expectations to accommodate the actual story. Con-
and sharing their own fan-made book videos; creating sequently, if the book exceeds readers’ trailer-driven
soundtracks for books; writing book reviews; commu- expectations, the readers might argue that the trailer
nicating with authors via websites and blogs; partici- didn’t do the book justice. If the book doesn’t meet
pating in social network book clubs; and publishing readers’ expectations, the
fanfiction that expands their favorite books. As a readers might declare that
result, teachers and teacher educators may find them- the book wasn’t as good as Through online book
selves at a crossroads. They can follow the business- the trailer. Either way, pro-
as-usual route, or they shift directions and begin to motional book trailers can trailers, prospective
incorporate new modalities into their literature and influence readers’ initial
interest in a book. readers are positioned
language arts programs.
In shifting pedagogy to integrate multimodal As young people’s to conjure horizons of
cultural practices into the classroom, it is important interaction with technology
for teachers and teacher educators to understand how increases and the spectrum expectations that could
young adults use Internet tools to support their per- of video sharing and social
networking platforms be satisfied by reading
sonal literary objectives. For example, a respondent to
grows, the examination
the trailer for The Adoration of Jenna Fox writes that the featured novel.
she tested her hypothesis about the book by viewing of the interplay between
a fan-made video, “which confirmed immediately that promotional book trailers
the book was about perceptions of reality . . . .” An- and young adult literature continues to be relevant.
other participant decided to visit book review websites This article suggests that through online book trailers,
because she was not satisfied with the trailer for How prospective readers are positioned to conjure horizons
I Live Now. Other students reported that after seeing of expectations that could be satisfied by reading the
the trailers, they conferred with friends and siblings featured novel. There are no guarantees, however,
online about the books. A few even shared that once that the filmmakers’ translation of the novel into
they responded to the promotional trailers for class, promotional discourse will actually appeal to read-
they continued watching book videos that were listed ers. In the end, we cannot judge a book by its trailer,
on the same YouTube pages. These voluntary activi- and more research is needed to describe adolescents’
ties reflect students’ routine engagement with Web- engagement with promotional book videos in and
based technologies. outside of the school setting.
As a first step in a new direction, teachers and
Denise Davila is a doctoral student in the School of
teacher educators might start at the YouTube website,
Teaching and Learning at Ohio State University.
where they can view book trailers and fan-made vid-
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