Starting a Children's Book Club

Many adults enjoy belonging to monthly book clubs. If you have a child or children who enjoy reading, you might want to consider starting a children’s book club. There are many questions to keep in mind before organizing a children’s book club.

Why have a book club?

Are you creating a book club because your child wants to be in one? Adults mean well, but sometimes they get children involved in an activity that they themselves enjoy, not the child. A book club can be an excellent supplement to a child’s education. It is excellent for encouraging children to think critically about a book. Did they enjoy the book and why or why not? Book clubs also teach children that not everyone has the same opinion as them.

How will the group be organized?

Who will be included in the book club? There are many different ways you can organize a book club. The group could consist of parents and their children or it could consist of all males or females. Next you will need to decide how large the group will be and the age of the children in the group. Keep the spread in the children’s ages to no more than 2-3 years apart. This will be helpful when selecting age appropriate books for the kids to read.

Where will the meeting take place?

Where and when will your group meet? Book clubs should probably meet about once every month. This will give the participants time to read the book selection. If participants are too busy during summer or winter holidays, you can skip a month or two. The size of your group will help you determine where you should meet. A smaller group can meet at someone’s home. A larger group might want to reserve a room at the library or meet in a bookstore.

Who will lead the meetings?

Normally a children’s book group is lead by an adult. A parent who loves to read or a librarian or teacher would be an excellent choice. You might also consider letting several adults share the role.

How should we choose the books?

What type of books do your young readers enjoy? You need to consider the age and reading level of the kids in the group. Children in book clubs will read books that they might never have chosen on their own. It is nice to choose a variety of old and new titles from different genres. Some kids enjoy mysteries while others might like fantasies. There are many websites that list reading selections for children. Check out www.hedgehogbooks.com or www.guysread.com for some suggested reading lists. You might also want to look at www.kidsreads.com for reviews of recent titles.

Make sure you include the children in the decision process. They will buy into the book club more if they helped create it. Teaching your child to enjoy books is a gift that will make them life-long readers.