March Madness, but for books. Create a bracket of 16 books. Students read excerpts from each matchup, discuss, and vote. Books advance. The final four generates genuine hallway debate. The champion gets a trophy spot in the classroom library.

This works because competition and opinion are inherently engaging. Students who won't read for a grade will read to defend their pick in the bracket. The discussions that emerge — "this book is better because..." — are literary analysis in disguise.