I came across a link tonight that made me almost giggle. NPR now has a kids' book club, called the Back Seat Book Club.
Why did I want to giggle? Because of pure happiness. With all the adult book clubs out there, I have been looking for something for my children. They love reading, but it's hard to get recommendations for them. Yes, I do research at Common Sense Media and Scholastic websites, but what I want is something more. And more is what a kid (and a parent) gets with this latest NPR offering.
The book club hooks into All Things Considered. Parents and kids aged 9-14 are encouraged to read the book, either separately or together. Then the young readers (i.e. the kids) can send questions in to the author, who appears on the show at the end of each month to chat about their book and answers some of the questions.
October's selection is "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman. I love this book! After reading the book, you can go to the submission page, and send in your thoughts and questions to Mr. Gaiman. He is scheduled to be on All Things Considered this Friday. Plus, Mr. Gaiman reads the book in videos and offers a fan kit at his own website.
For those who have never read "The Graveyard Book", the protagonist is a young boy whose family is murdered by a man named Jack at the beginning of the book. The young toddler escapes to a graveyard, where the inhabitants (ghosts as well as a few other creatures) raise him.
Why did I want to giggle? Because of pure happiness. With all the adult book clubs out there, I have been looking for something for my children. They love reading, but it's hard to get recommendations for them. Yes, I do research at Common Sense Media and Scholastic websites, but what I want is something more. And more is what a kid (and a parent) gets with this latest NPR offering.
The book club hooks into All Things Considered. Parents and kids aged 9-14 are encouraged to read the book, either separately or together. Then the young readers (i.e. the kids) can send questions in to the author, who appears on the show at the end of each month to chat about their book and answers some of the questions.
October's selection is "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman. I love this book! After reading the book, you can go to the submission page, and send in your thoughts and questions to Mr. Gaiman. He is scheduled to be on All Things Considered this Friday. Plus, Mr. Gaiman reads the book in videos and offers a fan kit at his own website.
For those who have never read "The Graveyard Book", the protagonist is a young boy whose family is murdered by a man named Jack at the beginning of the book. The young toddler escapes to a graveyard, where the inhabitants (ghosts as well as a few other creatures) raise him.
My kids are running a teen book club for the few remaining home schooled teens (most of the time, when kids reach teen hood, they get sent to public school or opt to go); it's actually a continuation of the club that another teen friend (who is now off to university). It's more of a fun social event. The kids all read what they want, and share the book they've read each month. This is nice since they don't feel like it's a chore since they're not forced to read a certain book, and they introduce each other to books that the others might not otherwise pick up.
ReplyDeleteHope your kids will have lots of fun with this club!
Wow, Teresa! That sounds like a smart way to run a book club. How old were your kids when you started it? Did they always just pick a book to share? I have contemplated a book club for my kids before, but I hate the idea of picking out books for the kids to read. I don't mind suggesting books, but I don't want to mandate anything. So, if you don't mind, I might just copy the format of your kids' book club.
ReplyDeleteSuper cool! FYI we plan to start attending this each month. http://www.foxtalebookshoppe.com/events-new.html
ReplyDeleteThe Next Chapter Book Club (Ages 6-12)(formerly the JV book club) meets the second Friday of every month at 4:30 pm. Under the direction of Maritza Ray, kids can’t help but have fun! Book club comes with discussion, activity and a snack. Kids get their own book club card for 10% off of book club picks. For November 11 they will be reading The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer, with an appreciation by Maurice Sendak. The reading level for this book is 6.3, for ages 9-12. This is the 50th Anniversary edition of this classic.Everyone is welcome!
Kat, we actually took it over from a friend whose son started the book club. We kept it the way Alexander started it since we like the format so much. It was supposed to be for home schooled kids 13 and up, but Alexander let my son join when he was only 11. Yup, it has always been this way: that the kids pick whatever they want to read.
ReplyDeleteAnd please do steal this format! It makes it so much more fun and less of a chore! You know how kids hate it when you tell them what to do. Heck, I hate that! LOL! Seriously, that's why I would never join a book club because I hate being told what to do. :}