Reading Together: Share in the Wonder of Books with a Parent-Child Book Club

Five mothers who formed a “neighborhood parent-kid book club” in 2008 hold forth on how readers can start their own child-focused reading group in this spot-on guide. Their advice comes in two parts: the first covers getting started, including whom to invite (kids who are already friends will make things easier), how to land on an optimum group size (meetings are livelier with a bigger crowd), setting up a meeting structure (factor in fun time), and procuring books without breaking the bank. The second is a rich resource of book recommendations that includes the 100 books the club has read, with a description of each as well as some additional classifications that cover age group and whether any given title is good for “reluctant readers.” The book’s bright graphic design—sidebar comments from kids and parents dot the pages, as do illustrations and lots of color—is a plus, as is the authors’ mindfulness toward diversity and inclusion: “It’s crucial to keep in mind that having people with a variety of viewpoints and experiences in your group will make your book club better.” Parents and teachers looking to foster a bookworm’s spirit need look no further. (May)