FAQs

FAQs

  • Do kids lead the book club? Or adults? This is subjective to your group size and age range. However, I do recommend having some sort of adult assistance, particularly during the discussion portion. Just like adults, sometimes kids get distracted or off-topic or one might have a lot of thoughts about a question and other kids are having a hard time getting to talk. In fact, this is on of the benefits of having a book club- practicing the art of discussion. It's helpful to have an adult who can direct the conversation and help navigate through those questions. However, kids can take turns reading the questions out loud and the adult's part can be super subtle (or interactive). I get to lead the discussions in my daughter's book club and it is my favorite part because I get to hear all kinds of thoughts and ideas from her and her sweet friends. As for leading the activities, in general it may be helpful to have an adult helping to prepare for it and give a little overview, but it depends on the kids! I'm positive there would be children who would love to have ownership in that area, and children who would love to just participate.
  • What if my house/yard/life/laundry pile are kind of messy right now?     Myquillyn Smith has a quote that has meant so much to me: "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." This can be applied to a million things, including your Book Club: "It doesn't have to be perfect to be a beautiful Book Club." The point of the activities, craft ideas, recipes, and everything else in the Guide is to enrich your time- not to create a burden. The point of your Book Club Hangout is NOT to create a magical, untouchable, Instagram-perfect two hours (though it may, at times, be just that!) The point of it is to create meaningful connections with other people through the medium of amazing stories. You may all gather together some months over a couple of bags of potato chips and go through the discussion questions and then play on a playground. Your kids would love it and it would be a total win.
  • What if I don't like the book? One thing I think is really fun about Book Clubs in general is that sometimes you get to try new books you wouldn't otherwise pick up! Everyone has different tastes and likes and most months, there's going to be someone who may not have loved the book. I have tried to pick books that are overall crowd-pleasers, but one of the huge benefits of Book Club Hangouts is learning how to discuss books (and disagree kindly about them). You are free to not like a book!
  • What if we don't know anyone else who likes to read? Though book lovers often find one another, you may be in a season where your child doesn't have peers who are bibliophiles like themselves. There are a couple of different opportunities in this scenario. Opportunity number one is that it may be a chance to get to know someone you don't know as well! Maybe your child does know someone in their class who loves to read but other than that they haven't spent much time together. A Book Club is a perfect chance to invite someone to join you in reading something together, and you truly may discover a kindred spirit. Opportunity number two is to invite friends who don't necessarily read much for fun, and through book club they may discover a new favorite hobby! I have multiple adult friends who have rediscovered or discovered a love for reading through the impetus of having a book to read for book club. I also know people who the love for reading is sparked by reading just one particular book that they LOVED.
  • What if my child is not a big reader? Related to the question above, it may be YOUR child who hasn't show much interest in reading- which is totally fine!! In general I think a huge part of helping your child enjoy or even fall in love with reading is to make it fun. This is another perk of Book Club- what's more fun than hanging out with friends and eating a yummy snack and doing something fun!? Not only that but it creates a connection point with friends that I think is really attractive to kids. Your child may enjoy audiobooks, which totally counts and I highly recommend if they're having a hard time getting through that months' book.
  • Do we have to meet monthly? No, you do not have to meet monthly! This is, again, subjective depending on your situation. I absolutely love having this tool to use for doing one time "Book Club Hangouts" with a group of kids that has absolutely no long-term commitment attached to it. It's great to use on a family vacation or meeting once to try it out before committing. However, there is something really special about a monthly book club!! I have been in a book club for over five years and the countless books we've read and discussions we've shared have knit together really special friendships that we all treasure. In general, a month is enough time to read or listen to the assigned book. For the early readers, it may be fun to meet even more frequently!
  • Do you have a recommendation for a rhythm for meeting? I recommend monthly, with a built-in plan to take off two months (I recommend July and December). It still may be fun to meet in those "off" months (pool party and Christmas party, anyone?) but it's nice to have two months of not reading. I recommend if possible picking a regular time and date for every month for the sake of ease, (like the third Sunday of the month from 1-3 pm), but it may work better for your group to decide this on a month to month basis.

 

Cheering you on!!

Love, your Book Club Big Sis, Morgan