Parent and child book clubs

Jul 14 2006

Published by Anne-Marie at 12:01 am under Activities, Adult Reading, Bonding with your kids, Books, Challenges, Contests, School

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A friend was telling me about the 16 novels her son will be reading in his 9th grade AP (advanced placement) classes this fall. (He’s been assigned to read Watership Down over the summer.) Since the parents are required to read the books as well, she’s pretty stressed out about keeping up.

I suggested that she enlist the teacher’s help in forming a parent-child book club and study group to help the students and parents find time to discuss and study the books. It would be a great way to offer each family support and show the kids that their parents care enough to take the time. Plus, families could share in babysitting duties of the younger kids, giving the older students some quiet time to read and study.

But book clubs are not just for adults and teenagers, younger children (3rd through 8th grade) can benefit as well. As Martha C.Z. Baylisswrites at Scholastic.com, "Making the book club a priority will help make reading at home a priority as well."

Besides giving tips for getting started, she says that a parent-child book group can help you:

get closer to your child
share different aspects of his life
expand your conversations beyond "How was school today?"
provide insight into your child, her peers, and how they think

Mdbookclub A terrific book that tells you how to start a mother-daughter book club is The Mother-Daughter Book Club: How Ten Busy Mothers and Daughters Came Together to Talk, Laugh and Learn Through Their Love of Reading. It’s the story of a group of mothers and their daughters and how their relationships were strengthened and changed by starting a monthly reading club. It’s also a practical step-by-step book, filled with stories, anecdotes and reading lists, that will inspire parents to start reading clubs of their own.

Here are some more tips on starting a mother-daughter book club and a parent-child book club. Even the PTA has some advice.

Dogslife If you’re Interested in starting a parent-child book club, enter to win the Scholastic Parent-Child Book Club Kit Giveaway at Women’s Day magazine. Start your own parent-child book club with this kit, including two copies each of A Dog’s Life : The Autobiography Of A Stray, Out Standing In My Field, and Ghosthunters And The Incredibly Revolting Ghost, all published by Scholastic. Enter to win between July 11 and August 8.

Don’t have time for a book club? Try a magazine club instead, writes Denver Post entertainment columnist, Bill Husted.

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5 Responses to “Parent and child book clubs”

# Deniseon 14 Jul 2006 at 8:59 am

I think “making” the parents read along with the kids at that age level is excellent. So few schools do that now.

In fact, that’s one of my favorite things about homeschooling - I generally read whatever is up next on Michelle’s list right before she does. Or right as she begins.

I will admit, I skipped Watership Down though. It wasn’t a favorite 20 years ago and I thought it wouldn’t be a favorite now. I did listen to the audio of Tales From Watership Down, to sort of remind me of the characters and the tone.
# Dirty Butteron 14 Jul 2006 at 6:43 pm

I’ve never heard of a parent-child book club. What an interesting idea, but we live in an area where the parents don’t value education. This would be quite a difficult task to accomplish at the high school level, I think.

BV
# Mommy are the toys on sale?on 15 Jul 2006 at 12:18 pm

Our local library is wonderful and does a family book club. It is for children 8 and up with parents.

Thanks for all the great information.
# Karenon 16 Jul 2006 at 5:44 am

I happen to be reading a fantastic book about such book clubs right now — I didn’t discover it here, did I? — called Deconstructing Penguins. It focuses on book clubs for 2nd- and 3rd- graders and their parents, with books such as Mr. Popper’s Penguins (hence the title), Charlotte’s Web and Babe.
Highly recommended.
# Jen Robinson's Book Pageon 16 Jul 2006 at 1:03 pm

Sunday Afternoon Visits: July 16th

My round-up won’t be quite as extensive as last week’s, because Mheir and I have a picnic to go to this afternoon, here in sunny California. But here are a few things that caught my eye this weekend. Tasha at