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The Reading Maniacs Book Club in Southern California
By Anji Brenner
This month's book club comes to us from Southern California. They call themselves "The Reading Maniacs." The group includes eight mothers, eight fourth-graders, and one fifth-grade girl. They started the club when the girls were in second grade, and they meet once a month for about two hours.
How did "The Reading Maniacs" get started?
Nancy, the mother who started the book club, has always had a passion for reading. Despite her passion and a house that was always filled with books, her older daughter never found much enjoyment in reading. She was determined to "get it right" with her younger daughter. She also felt that she wanted to supplement her younger daughter's public school education. A pediatrician by profession, she has done a lot of work in "learning differences" and felt that her knowledge of developmental issues would be valuable.
What books have led to the best discussions?
According to Nancy, the genre of historical fiction seems to have facilitated the best discussions, perhaps because there is, as Nancy put it, "all that reality to discuss" in addition to the literature itself. The mothers often give the girls timelines on index cards to help them understand what else was happening during the time of the book. The supplemental in formation includes dates for events like the invention of the car, women's right to vote, or the birth date of their grandmother. They hope that the kids will develop some perspective in relation to the events of the fiction. The group always pulls out a map of the United States or the world and looks a t where the book takes place and what travel would have been involved. Nancy says that it is particularly interesting to talk about modes of transportation available and what routes would have been used.
Who leads the discussion?
Nancy is primarily in charge of the discussions, although more parents are getting involved in asking questions. She also can enlist help from the other adults in screening some books.
How does the group decide which book to read, and who makes the decision ?
The club has some general guidelines, which include trying to pick books with strong heroines, avoiding books that are likely to be covered in school, and not reading the same author twice. The club also is intent on learning about different places in the United States and around the world as well as exploring different genres and themes. They talk about major historical events and everyday challenges such as friendship and peer pressure.
Nancy has generally guided the choices. After reading the tips for kids' book clubs featured in one of the past BookMuse newsletters, Nancy decided to share some of this information with the girls. This led to a heated discussion about the girls having more input in the selection process. "The girls definitely want a say," she says, and in response to this discussion, "they are now usually given more choice." To sign up for Amusements, visit our newsletter area.
What other considerations go into the book selection process?
Sometimes the group tries a theme: a few books in a row about Japan, for example. Or they might also try to coordinate their choices with current events like Black History Month or Women's History Month. They have also tied their choices to the school curriculum. They read The Ballad of Lucy Whipple and Riding Freedom because the girls live in California where they study the gold rush and the westward expansion in fourth grade.
What other elements do group members bring to their book discussions?
The group tries to do a project and eat a snack related to the book before each discussion. When they read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, they did origami; when they read Steal Away Home, they made quilt squares. Examples of book-related food include sushi for reading about Japan, Indian food for reading Homeless Bird, and angel food cake and devil's food cupcakes for when they read Angela and Diabola. Sometimes they pick up on something referred to in a book, like happy face cookies from Stargirl. They also try to pick a new word from the current month's book and use it the following month.
What preparation does the group do for discussions?
Nancy reads the book and searches the web for information. She does most of the work, although other families bring materials to share. The girls usually write in journals and share when they feel like it. Journal entries can include responses or pictures. When the group has read books about countries, the girls have pre-assigned topics. For example, when the group read a book set in India, the leaders assigned topics like art, maps, and culture, and each family picked one.
Author information is easily available on the web, and Nancy has supplemented this information by communicating through emails with a few of the authors. One author even sent postcards to the girls. Some members of the group also met a few authors at local bookstores and book events.
Any suggestions for other book clubs, as far as what has worked well and not so well?
The Reading Maniacs suggest that groups vary the genre and also the length of books. It is better to err on the side of a book that is too short than too long. That way, if the kids or parents are busy, everyone can still finish the book in time. "There will still be plenty to talk about," Nancy points out. Also, having some open-ended questions ready and getting moms to kick in with some of their own memories about similar experiences is valuable. This last point has been a real eye-opener for the girls in the Reading Maniacs. They also can refer to their journals if there is a lull in the conversation.
How has the group changed over time?
The girls responded that they feel more confident and the club reads longer books. The girls also felt that they were "more mature," did less running around, and had a "responsibility to read." The moms said they liked listening to their kids' perceptions and had fun sharing.
Other changes? In the beginning the group did a lot more structured discuss ion on story elements, location, characters, genre, and character attributes. As Nancy explains, "We made a lot of webs that we used to discuss traits and Venn diagrams to compare characters in different stories (i.e., Sarah from The Courage of Sarah Noble vs. Sarah Plain and Tall.) These exercises became too easy as time went on."
The group's name, "The Reading Maniacs," is a relatively new change and involved a discussion and a vote.
What books has the group read so far?
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
One Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Muggie Maggie by B. Cleary
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by E. Coerr
The Cat Who Went to Heaven by E. Coatsworth
Sarah, Plain and Tall by P. MacLachlan
The Courage of Sarah Noble by A. Dagleish
The Island of the Blue Dolphin by Scott O'Dell
Jennifer, Hecate, and Me, Elizabeth by E.L. Konigsburg
The Landry News by Andrew Clements
No Flying in the House by Betty Brock
Angela and Diabola by Lynn Reid Banks
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan
They Led the Way by Johanna Johnston
Little Riders by Margaretha Shemin
Lily's Crossing by Patricia Riley Giff
Ella Enchanted by Gail Levine
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman
Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Journey to Jo'Burg by Beverly Naidoo
Steal Away Home by Lois Ruby
Additional information about the Reading Maniacs book club can be found on their website, http://www.kidsfirstsoccer.com/bookclub.html
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