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Starting a “Punny” Book Club
The “Punny” Book Club is a group of friends who enjoy reading the same kinds of books and then get together to talk about it. Getting started is easy, and it's lots of fun! The “Punny” Book Club focuses on fun adventurous advanced picture books and chapter books. But of course all books are welcome.
Getting Started
Get permission from your parent or guardian to start your “Punny” Book Club. Your parent or an adult approved by your parent or guardian should serve as your club advisor, (The “Punny” Monitor). Once your “Punny” Monitor is selected, to get started just call or email your buddies who like to read and see if they want to get together to read and discuss a great book. You can also post flyers at your school, church, or library to recruit members.
Suggested “Punny” Book Club Size
Six to twelve kids is a nice size for a good club. You can still have a good conversation with a couple of missing members. “Punny Book Clubs can consist of all girls, all boys or coed (boys and girls).
“Punny” Book Club Rules
Punny Book Club rules are simple;
- Always be on your best behavior, kind, respectful and courteous;
- You can set your own attendance rules, ask your “Punny” Monitor to help you with this rule. Attendance is important. Make sure your members are really dedicated to reading the books and will come to the meetings.
Selecting Books
You can always follow along with the selected books from the “Punny” Book Club list online. We will be providing ideas for club discussions every month. Your “Punny” Monitor can assist you with selections as well as your local librarian, teachers and club members. Sometimes it's risky to try a book that no one's heard of before, but by experimenting you might find a new favorite. A good idea is to create a list and then vote on which ones you're going to read. The more information you have on each book (author info, recommendations, previous reading experience), the easier it'll be for your club to make a smart decision. Choosing your books should be fun; make a good list and then enjoy the best part --- reading and discussing great books!! (compiled from kids read)
Additional Information Running a Book Club
1. When to Meet
The first thing you should decide is when to meet. Most groups find that once a month works out best. This gives you plenty of time to read the book you've chosen without putting pressure on your homework time or other activities. Reading is fun, but no one likes to feel forced to plow through a long book just to meet a deadline. Some groups meet once every two weeks, but keep in mind that the books can't be too long if people only have fourteen days to read them. You also need to pick a set time to meet. It can be tough working around the busy schedules of everyone in the group, but you can usually find a couple of hours when everyone is free. Also, have kids check with their parents' schedules. If they need to be picked up or dropped off somewhere, they'll need someone to drive them. Once you have a time, stick with it! Kids should let their families know that the Book Club is an important activity for them; most parents will respect their kids' priorities and will help them fit their schedules around it.
2. Where to Meet
Once you have a set time to meet, you need a place. This can be tricky for kids, since you can't exactly hop in the car and drive to a convenient place. If the parents of kids in the group are willing, you can take turns hosting the group at different people's houses. Your parents might actually enjoy the idea of taking you over and then hanging out with the other adults for a bit while you and your friends discuss the books.
3. What to Bring
Your books, of course! And Snacks are almost as important as books for any good Book Club, so you should make sure everyone shares the responsibility of bringing something to eat, like chips and salsa, cookies, or brownies. Also, instead of having only one person supply food, have two or three; that way the group doesn't rely on just one person each time and there will be a variety of food.
4. Who Leads The Discussion
Another part of the Book Club to consider is the way the discussion is going to go. It's helpful to have one person lead the discussion, so some groups have the person who proposed the book make some questions and get the conversation started. You can also have each member come up with a couple questions of their own and go around the group. Don't be afraid of using outside help! Find a Book Club Guide for your book online and use those questions to start the discussion. Another possibility (especially for groups just starting out) is to ask a grownup like your “Punny” Monitor, a teacher or librarian to lead the discussion until the group gets the hang of it. Sometimes it can be tough to spark a good debate, so it never hurts to have a lot of questions and tricks up your sleeve!
Once your discussion is rolling, you need to keep it on track. Remind kids to ground their comments in the text; if they have to point out specific examples from the book, they probably won't ramble too much. You might have a couple of kids who add a lot to the conversation but also have a tendency to get off topic a little. The most important part of a Book Club is the book, so try hard to keep the discussion focused on what you're reading and not Sally's new shoes or Ben's silly prank in school. If a Book Club turns into a Gossip Group, it won't last long, but if it sticks to books, it'll be a big success.
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