Book Club!

Yesterday was Book Club at our middle school! What a privilege it is to be facilitating questions and concerns about books from these young, avid readers. It's so rewarding for me to see students so excited about books. Our book club routine works like this. On the first Wednesday of every month during the school year, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students who love books meet together after school in the library. We usually all read the same book and we try to select a different genre to read each month. I agree to provide the books, the place, some healthy snacks, and often a related, fun activity. Students agree to read the book and participate in the discussion. We all agree to be respectful of each other's opinions and to keep an open mind. I love witnessing the exchange of ideas and perspectives that these students love to share. We begin our meeting with students telling about a book they are currently reading so that their peers can be exposed to a variety of books from our library. Students who have attended book club meetings for all three years have become good friends and know each other's book preferences. We discuss our current book while we eat and drink. Our snack is usually tied in to the book somehow. We all pay attention to any food that is significant to the story. That food is likely to show up on the snack table. Yesterday, a student baked and frosted a cake and brought it to celebrate her 14th birthday. The sweet butter cream frosting was a hit! By the end of the 90 minutes, students are eagerly anticipating the new book they will be given to read before next month's meeting. I give a fairly comprehensive introduction to the book and read aloud the first few pages to build motivation, then I send them on their way. We all look forward to our Book Club meetings!