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Re: Talking Books: Book Discussion Groups with Kids and Teens
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From: Carole DeRubeis <cderubeis_at_mf.lib.wi.us>
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:21:51 -0500
I guess this barely qualifies as a book discussion group, but it worked for us for years at the elementary level, grades 4 and 5. I heard about this loosely run type of club from a session with middle school librarians at a library conference.
Book of the Lunch Club met about 6 times/yr. Part of the attraction was that kids could eat lunch in the library that day if they brought a book, and were prepared to discuss / share with the group. Attendance was open to everyone, and varied from 10 - 30 kids per meeting. If we ran out of time, I took names of those who didn't get a chance to share, and they got to go first next time. Kids shared title, author, main character, setting, and the main problem in the story, along with various other input - I sometimes included a random question or asked them to bring a "golden line" - and opinions. They would get very enthusiastic about their choices!
The best thing about this club was that it encouraged book exposure beyond our library and what teachers did in the classroom (and our teachers were GREAT with reading), and was low stress. I posted lists of kids and their titles in the library, and those became a good starting point for students who didn't know what to choose when they visited for book checkout. Since the books could come from anywhere, I sometimes got a scoop from someone's latest birthday present. :-)
If kids came to at least three meetings of 6, they were invited to an end of the year pizza party. I initially thought they would just want to eat pizza and chat, but they insisted on booktalking another book at the party also. Kids gained confidence in speaking to the group as the year progressed. I always shared a book each time also, and let them get first crack at new books.
Those meetings were the icing on the cake! Harder to do now b/c of traveling between schools, etc. but very fun while it lasted!
Carole DeRubeis
Kathleen T. Horning wrote: Now that we've moved into the last two weeks of October, we're ready to begin our discussion on book discussion groups for children and teens.
Do you run book discussion groups for children and/or teens? Tell us a little bit about your group and how it works. What titles have you found especially powerful for generating rich conversation? What do you look for as you consider books to use?
Even if you don't host a group yourself, we welcome your ideas on great books for discussion groups for elementary through high school-age.
Received on Thu 22 Oct 2009 02:21:51 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:21:51 -0500
I guess this barely qualifies as a book discussion group, but it worked for us for years at the elementary level, grades 4 and 5. I heard about this loosely run type of club from a session with middle school librarians at a library conference.
Book of the Lunch Club met about 6 times/yr. Part of the attraction was that kids could eat lunch in the library that day if they brought a book, and were prepared to discuss / share with the group. Attendance was open to everyone, and varied from 10 - 30 kids per meeting. If we ran out of time, I took names of those who didn't get a chance to share, and they got to go first next time. Kids shared title, author, main character, setting, and the main problem in the story, along with various other input - I sometimes included a random question or asked them to bring a "golden line" - and opinions. They would get very enthusiastic about their choices!
The best thing about this club was that it encouraged book exposure beyond our library and what teachers did in the classroom (and our teachers were GREAT with reading), and was low stress. I posted lists of kids and their titles in the library, and those became a good starting point for students who didn't know what to choose when they visited for book checkout. Since the books could come from anywhere, I sometimes got a scoop from someone's latest birthday present. :-)
If kids came to at least three meetings of 6, they were invited to an end of the year pizza party. I initially thought they would just want to eat pizza and chat, but they insisted on booktalking another book at the party also. Kids gained confidence in speaking to the group as the year progressed. I always shared a book each time also, and let them get first crack at new books.
Those meetings were the icing on the cake! Harder to do now b/c of traveling between schools, etc. but very fun while it lasted!
Carole DeRubeis
Kathleen T. Horning wrote: Now that we've moved into the last two weeks of October, we're ready to begin our discussion on book discussion groups for children and teens.
Do you run book discussion groups for children and/or teens? Tell us a little bit about your group and how it works. What titles have you found especially powerful for generating rich conversation? What do you look for as you consider books to use?
Even if you don't host a group yourself, we welcome your ideas on great books for discussion groups for elementary through high school-age.
Received on Thu 22 Oct 2009 02:21:51 PM CDT
