Book clubs are a great pro-social way to share the love of reading, help young people learn to talk about the books they’re reading, and motivate kids to read.
But what do you do at a book club meeting? How do you make it fun for everyone? While there isn’t one right way to run a book club, these ideas can help you run a successful book club for the youth in your life.
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Keep your book club sessions short. An hour is usually a good amount of time.
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Set rules at the beginning so everyone is clear of the expectations. These can be whatever works best for your group but here are some suggestions:
- only one person shares at a time
- respect others’ opinions even if they differ from your own
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no cell phones
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Respect an individual reader’s ability.
- Children, even those of the same age, read at different paces and different levels. If a participant doesn’t finish the book, encourage them to participate with what they do know during the book club meeting and to finish the book after the meeting.
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Some children may be anxious about the idea of a book club because they consider themselves to be poor readers or perhaps they are dyslexic and know that they struggle with reading. Take time to encourage these readers (note some of these readers may appreciate this encouragement privately rather than in the large group setting) and don’t cold call them to read aloud from the book (even if it is to read aloud their favorite part or just a line).
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Draft some questions to help facilitate the conversation. You can write book specific questions yourself or search online for questions to help guide your discussion. TeachingBooks.net provides a wealth of resources for helping children discuss books and learn about their authors and illustrators.
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Include an activity. Choose an activity related to the book you’re reading for your group to complete. For example, if you were reading Harry Potter, you could lead the group in a craft to make wands. If you were reading a graphic novel you could lead your group to make a comic strip, or a page of a comic (maybe they are writing an alternate scene of the book or a new adventure for the characters to take on).
- Bring snacks! Snacks are always a welcome staple to a book club and can help make the club feel more like a casual and fun experience.
Our Book Club Resources has even more information on book clubs, including discussion guides, book club sites, and more tips on starting your own book club.