Three words: Book Discussion Clubs. This is such a fun activity…or so I’ve heard. Unfortunately, I have yet to participate or witness it beyond what I’ve experienced from my own childhood. My internship will not be covering the period of time that the next book discussion club will be starting. And yet the amazing staff I shadow are happy to answer any and all questions I may ask, including what to expect when setting up and hosting a Children’s Book Discussion Club. The person I was shadowing for the day who is…did I use the word amazing yet? Because that is what they are…AMAZING. Anyway, they described each step of the process, their own personal experiences hosting, tips and tricks they learned along the way, and what they’re planning for the upcoming Spring.
Book Discussions Clubs are a vital organ in the body of book culture. It’s a great way to socialize, find people who share the same interests, challenge your critical thinking, sculpt opinions, and improve your debating skills all in a friendly environment. Children become exposed to books they may otherwise have never read, and unlike in school, there is no pressure of having to have to read it or be graded on it. The philosophy of a good book discussion club is to have fun and to share the joys of reading.
For the host, the goal in choosing books for the discussion clubs is to choose books that are interesting and might spark inspiration for discussion, but are still fun books children will want to read of their own accord. This does not mean that all the club members have to like the book, it simply means to pick something worthwhile. Instead of picking the most popular, trending books which all the club members most likely have already read, pick something slightly lesser known but similar, or something that you really enjoy. This shouldn’t be too far of a stretch for a children’s librarian who are always aware of the trends, new releases and tastes of their demographic.
Whether or not a book discussion club will be successful often depends less on what is being read and more to do with how convivial is the vibe. It’s important to establish a judgement-free environment where members won’t feel obliged to feel one way or the other about the book and instead feel encouraged to bring up topics and opinions that might have not been yet considered. Cracking jokes and using ice breakers that are genuinely cute and humorous at the start of the club can help defuse any tension or nervousness among the children. Marketing for the book discussion club is part of the challenge. This can be easily done by marketing through an event that promotes perhaps summer reading or an author visit, raffling a new copy of the book if its part of a popular series, promising pizza, and more.
Unfortunately due to the Covid-19 pandemic crises, it has become more difficult getting club members to engage in the discussions (which are now all online over Zoom) and having them want to participate. One trick is creating fun games and providing prizes when appropriate. The app Kahoot! is a trivia game app that can be used by the librarian to create a fun trivia games, in this case, forming questions about the books to be discussed that the club members can sign in and use during their Zoom club meeting. The winners can win a prize to be picked up curbside at the library. Despite the difficulties, the book discussion clubs at the library I’m interning at have been known to bring in decent numbers which is absolutely wonderful! I would love to one day be able to host my own book discussion club.
Link for Kahoot! online trivia game making app:
https://kahoot.com/
Shelf Adulation 