Take turns going around the room, allowing each member to talk about his or her experience reading the book. Whilst book club style questions can be good at moving a stilted discussion along, just listing the questions at the beginning might have the opposite affect, with people only answering the questions rather than discussing the book generally. Book club for kids discussion questions, reading guide. To view books in process, and to suggest new books, go to books in process. Whether youre picking your book club suggestions as a group or looking for the best book club books to choose from for an individual choice, these 29 options will have you covered. Even if your members are used to being part of group discussions and. It is a good idea to plan on finishing the book a little earlier than you might otherwise so that you have time to think about it and prepare before your book club meets. Choose one question at a time and toss it out to the group. We read and talk about both fiction and nonfiction books as a community. Keeping nonfiction book club questions simple, but open ended, will allow for plenty of opinions and encourage discussion among members. This has been a fun and, well, educational process. Youll also find printable book club questions at the end of this post to bring to your meeting. Tell students the reading and writing choices they will have after they complete a discussion and journal work.
Below are questions to help guide your discussions. This may seem obvious, but it is the most important step, so it is worth stating. You can help your organization become a learning organization in which people continuously grow and develop. Rotate discussion leaders each monthmaybe its the person who selects the book or the one who hosts the meeting. This discussion 27page guide can be adapted to starting and leading any group. I f youre in a book club and youre anything like me, you most likely find that although its exciting to be a part of a healthy discussion, the thrill of deciding which book to recommend when its your turn, can be worrysome when you dont know which book to choose, this can potentially upset your week, it can lead to procrastination, or anxiety, and more than a few trips to the. Select a number of questions, write each on an index card, and distribute. The first article in this series explained how to plan a group discussion in this article, we describe best practices when leading a group discussion theres much more involved than simply getting people in a room, waving a magic wand, and declaring discuss now. When you are ready to lead your first discussion, heed the following tips to get the most rewarding experience out of your club meeting. Invite an outside facilitator english teacher or librarian. General book club questions for study and discussion. Then it continues on with a synopsis of the book itself, and then with a short recap of all the characters in the book.
Become a member of the book club by joining our facebook group, or by signing up to our newsletter. How to lead a book club discussion pen and the pad. Non fiction book club questions westfield memorial library. Book questions and reading guidesdiscussion guides for book clubs more than 500 printable reading guides for exceptional books. Instead, talk about your experiencehow you felt as you read the book.
From bookthemed activities to printable discussion questions to interviews with the authors, youll find plenty of inspiration for a great conversation. A bunch of us have enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot. Welcome to brightlys book club for kids, where we encourage young readers to discover great books, share new stories, explore important topics, and have some bookish fun. H ow to encourage a lively discussion at a book club meeting can be a challenge. Kathy is a former english teacher who has been leading book groups for more than forty years. For our very first book club, we are being joined by our friend ana, of the wellappointed desk, for this discussion. Does your book club need a little help in creating conversation. Select a number of questions, write each on an index card, and pass them out. Some clubs have one member who enjoys leading all discussions. Our ideas can help you lead a discussion, find helpful resources, and be a smart participant. From book themed activities to printable discussion questions to interviews with the authors, youll find plenty of inspiration for a. When you are ready to lead your first discussion, heed the following tips to get the most rewarding experience out of your club.
Get free weekly updates on top club picks, book giveaways, author events. Jul 02, 2018 our july pick for the pbs newshour new york times book club, now read this is min jin lees historical novel pachinko. Holding the discussion also see how to discuss a book with a leader. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. Our book for this month is all the light we cannot see by anthony doerr. If your library doesnt offer a regular reading group at. Asking the right questions can mean the difference between a dull, lackluster book club and an inspiring and engaging one. Join the leading website for book clubs with over 35,000 clubs and 20,000 reading guides.
Remind the group when its time for the discussion to start. I mean, besides the wine and cheese, the real purpose of the meeting is to talk about the fantastic book you read. Quick start guide book discussion groups libguides at. The story starts with kyas ma leaving and kya waiting for her to come back.
The official launch of book club central took place during the presidents program at the ala annual conference and exhibition in chicago on saturday, june 24, 2017. The book thief by markus zusak book club discussion. While discussing books is our passion we also have active forums for talking about poetry, short stories, writing and authors. If reproducing, please credit with the following statement. You can have a good book club discussion about a bad book, but its always more fun when members connect to the material and in these times, who wants to invest energy in a book that. Follow this guide to leading a successful and fun discussion. Books in common, an independent clearinghouse supporting community reads, all campus reads, freshman class reading programs. How to lead a book club discussion 7 great discussion tips. If you liked the silent patient you may also like other books in our thriller category. We try to provide as many as we can an in a timely manner on our discussion questions page, but most of the time discussion questions arent even available for books until it comes out in paperback.
Youll also find printable book club questions at the end of this post to bring to. Put together a list of questions about the reading that you can use to get the discussion started, or to prompt the group if discussion starts to lag. Since 20 ive been leading online discussions of some important and interesting books, all around the theme of education, technology, and the future. May 09, 2017 7 tips for leading a lively book discussion group. How to begin and lead a book discussion group iowa center. Book club for kids discussion questions, reading guide, and. Aug 21, 2017 ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. Even with a fixed day, a reminder a few days ahead can be useful, and knowing where the meeting is to be is very useful. Book group howtos from the seattle public library guide to leading, coming up with good discussion questions, drawing conclusions and more.
A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. As a member or leader of a book club, you are likely to be reading books on a wide variety of topics, both fiction and nonfiction. As we were finishing the book, brenes netflix special the call to courage came out, which is a must see if you dont have time to read the book. Appoint a club memberwhoever selected the book or the person who is hosting. If your library doesnt offer a regular reading group at your library now is the time to start. I think this is a great book for leading a book club discussion. You want to pick a discussion worthy book, so we decided to make it. Invite an outside facilitator english teacher or librarian, paid or unpaid. This way people can participate with the book club any time they wish if they cant make the live broadcast. Consider the consequences of being unprepared for a book discussion. We wouldnt want to turn the discussions in to an english literaturestyle analysis of the book.
Come equipped with cards and pencils, and let your fellow club members help you. Having great book discussion questions is essential to leading a successful book club, and now that i run an online moms book club i use this lesson to avoid awkward silences yes they can happen online and create a lively, engaging book club meeting each month. A book discussion club is a group of people who meet to discuss a book or books that they have read and express their opinions, likes, dislikes, etc. The book club gives employees the opportunity to step up and practice leadership roles such as leading a group discussion or presenting to provide an overview of a chapter. Where the crawdads sing book club discussion questions. Book club central, or bcc, will bring a world of information to book lovers, book clubs, libraries, and anyone who wants to increase their enjoyment of reading.
In order to provide reading groups with the most informed and thoughtprovoking questions possible, it is necessary to reveal important aspects of the plot of this novel as well as the ending. Rich, strategybuilding discussions dont just happen. We have 7 tips to help you lead a great book club discussioneverything from book discussion questions, prompts, games. In most circumstances, as long as you follow some book club questions your group should be able to easily navigate yourself through a book club discussion without much intervention. They dont help move discussions forward and can put others on the defensive. Its ok to use dare to lead and this readalong workbook with your teams, groups, clubs, or entire organizations. No matter the genre, age, notoriety, or length of the book of the moment, book club questions can kickstart or enhance your group discussion.
From chicklit to historical fiction to nonfiction that reads like a novel, theres a book here for every book club. The second book in our the leadership book club 2019 was dare to lead by brene brown. Try to avoid words like awful or idioticeven like and dislike. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book sales club, which can cause confusion. If there is any business to discuss, such as picking books for future meetings, you may want to cover these points before the discussion starts in case people need to leave quickly at the end. Sep 05, 2016 having great book discussion questions is essential to leading a successful book club, and now that i run an online moms book club i use this lesson to avoid awkward silences yes they can happen online and create a lively, engaging book club meeting each month. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Mount prospect public library book discussion questions. Our goal is to provide readers with their next great book to read. Use our litlovers resources below to help you with specific questions. You can print the guides off for the meeting theyre a big help in leading discussions.
If you cant find discussion questions for your specific book title, search for generic book club questions. Its your turn to moderatelead your book club s discussion. She started the instore clubs at davis kidd booksellers in nashville, and facilitated the davis kidd book club, the davis kidd classics club, and the davis kidd womens book club for seventeen years. Check out my online book club and other awesome learning opportunities for you at. Its your turn to moderatelead your book clubs discussion. If you are planning to facilitate a book club or reading group discussion, here are a few ideas to help your discussion go smoothly.
Use specific passages from the book as evidence for your ideas. Decide on the number of studentled book discussions you will have each week. Aug 08, 2019 the official launch of book club central took place during the presidents program at the ala annual conference and exhibition in chicago on saturday, june 24, 2017. The library of congress center for the book list of one book projects by state and country.
These discussions constitute one form of online book club. Here are some tips and insights about what has worked well for me. Your group probably has a fixed day and time to meet but the location might change. Adult programs will be starting up again soon, and this year will be my third year leading our small but dedicated book discussion group. Get email updates on the club here we will host interactive live video sessions in our facebook group each monday at 4pm eastern time.
How to begin and lead a book discussion group iowa. Discussion when under stress, are you more likely to resort to silence or aggression. Gather a group of friends, choose a book and start reading. You dont have to be in an english class to analyze books as a group. How to lead a successful book club discussion bookbrowse. When they react poorly, consider how you are behaving that might be prompting those responses. Mar 05, 20 check out my online book club and other awesome learning opportunities for you at.
Some book clubs choose to have a chair person at the meeting, someone to be in charge of leading a book club discussion. You cant sell it, sell workshops that youll facilitate based on it, or create a website redistributing the workbook. If there are new members, make sure they are introduced. What are the benefits of being in a virtual book club. Whether you are an outgoing extrovert or the shy one in the group, you can lead your book club in an engaging discussion by following these few simple steps. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction and nonfiction alike. In my class, unprepared students read the pages in class before joining their group. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book. They arent helpful in moving discussions forward, and can make others feel defensive. Vox by christina dalcher reading guidebook club discussion. It starts out with some thoughts about the book, then leads into a short summary of the different literary stories mentioned in the storied life of a. Pick out a specific passage from the book description, an idea, a line of. The library is happy to share these original questions for your use. The perfect book club is made up of three key things.
Library guide to leading, coming up with good discussion questions, drawing conclusions and more. How to begin and lead a book discussion group iowa center for. More often, though, they discuss reading materials at their independent levels, in literature circles and book clubs. Teaching students how to lead and participate in productive book discussions eventually frees you to work with. Become a member of the book club by joining our facebook group. Whether you are discussing characters and their actions, setting, theme, or images, having a guide to questions that will lead to fruitful exchanges on your enjoyment or lack thereof of the book.
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