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How to start/run a book club
- This topic has 9 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 9 months ago by
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I have toyed with the idea of starting a book club. A couple years ago we joined the one at the library, but after looking at the first book we chose not to participate that month and after seeing the book for the second month we quit. I want something with good quaility stories.
What do you do at your meeting? What do expect from the kids? What are the expected to read each week? How long does a meeting typically last? Do you all read the same book or come and tell about the book you are currently reading? Thanks for all info and ideas.
I started more than 4 years ago now and it’s still going. I did a post about it on my blog in Aug 2012 and it still runs pretty much as I described it then. Here’s the post, feel free to ask questions if you have them after reading.
Tristan, thank you so much for sharing. That is a lot of great information. Something for me to think about now.
What age kids are you thinking of? I started one this past year for my 13 year old and some others of similar ages. I told everyone it was an experiment and I was committing to one book only and then see how it goes.
We read one novel as a group; I made a reading schedule and the kids were to have read to certain points in the book before our next meeting. We gathered once a week for 6 weeks. Parents were welcome to join in if they wanted to read the book too, but so far I’ve had no takers to be part of the discussion group although some are reading at home. At the group, we just discuss the chapters, the characters, themes, conflicts, etc. and I also answer questions they might have. It is very relaxed and low-key and it helps the kids feel more confident asking questions in a group as well as offering their thoughts on the reading.
Everyone enjoyed it, so after a couple months’ break over the holidays, we started up again with our second novel and so far that is going well too. We are doing it in the same format (except this book is a little longer so we will meet for a few extra weeks). Again, I am just committing to one book at a time, but if things keep going this way, we’ll probably continue (again, probably with some time off between books).
My kids are 8 and 10. It sounds like you both have something really fun going. I would love to provide more for my kids and in a good environment. I’m still deebating if I have the time or if we are around enough to have the consistency. I would really like to start one . . . but would it be too much. If someone else were to start one I would be the first to sign up!!
My younger two are 8 and 11. One of my friends has children in my book group who also have an 11 yo sibling. She decided that since the kids are meeting together anyway, that she would do something similar with the younger set, but on a smaller scale. They are reading a small chapter book together (which will take them a lot shorter than the older kids’ book). Her plan is that they will read a chapter or two at home then come together.
Last week was their first meeting and my friend read them a picture book on a topic that will appear in the book in order to whet their appetites (they hadn’t started the actual chapter book yet). I’m not sure what she has planned for today (they’ve read the first 2 chapters now). I can let you know if you are interested.
By the way, all of this takes place in my home. The moms take turns bringing a snack for the kids. My friend is leading her group in my family room while I am in the dining area with the older kids.
Yes, Tanya, I would love to hear what she does with them today. That is great that she is taking something on for the younger ones level but still the “same thing” as the older ones.
We just finished book group for the week. My friend led a discussion where they talked about what happened and their thoughts about the characters (what they thought their personalities were like). Then she gave them time to draw pictures of the characters (which happen to be animals). She told them that they will add descriptive words to the drawings another time to help them continue to understand the characters better.
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