[CASL-L] book clubs for remote learners

[Cathy Andronik]

 Susan,
Hurray for book clubs!  I ran one at my high school for over 10 years, and it's the biggest thing I miss since my retirement in 2018.  My club tied into the High School Nutmeg nominees, and we voted.  Most years the schedule allowed for an additional meeting with a book of the kids' choosing.  Announcing and distributing the September book in June lets you get up and running right away in the new school year.
First:  don't reinvent the wheel.  Here's a link to FREE discussion questions and even activities, online:
https://b0f646cfbd7462424f7a-f9758a43fb7c33cc8adda0fd36101899.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/teaching-guides/TG-9780062491435.pdf

One thing my club members appreciated was a little online "extra."  When we read Libba Bray's "The Diviners," there was a website with incredible fan art of the characters, for instance.  When we read Matthew Quick's "Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock," we watched a clip of a b/w Bogie/Bacall movie.  And "Dumplin'"?  An singalong to Dolly Parton's "Jolene," of course.  It's a long time since I read Mason Buttle, but maybe there's a reference to a tv show, movie, or other detail that your kids might not be familiar with?  Share an online video about it.  There is also a contest called the 90 Second Newbery in which kids tell the entire story of an award winning book in under 2 minutes, all sorts of video formats.  "Mason Buttle" is not among the vids on the website, but some of your future choices may be in there.
I worked in a city where many kids did not have a tradition of books in the home.  I applied for grants and purchased copies of the books for the kids in the club, which they then got to keep.  DonorsChoose is one possibility.  Bookoutlet.com doesn't work with DonorsChoose, but it offers remainder titles (about the age your kids have chosen) for half price or less.  In any case, you will want multiple copies of the books.  Check whether it's available through your public library on Hoopla (which allows multiple borrowers).  Since I was using Nutmeg nominees, my club members were also able to get their books from the multiple summer reading copies at the public library.
Is your school in-person or remote?  The most successful club meetings I had were during our lunch periods.  I ordered pizzas and brought a case of water.  Yes, I had some kids coming for the pizza--but they stayed for the book discussion, so all's good.
I'm assuming you know that Leslie Connor is a fellow Connecticutian?  Maybe she'd consider doing a Skype?
And just letting you know, it takes time for a book club to pick up "cred" in the school community.  I went through years with 2-10 members on the books, 1-3 at meetings.  And then mine suddenly exploded into 25-30 kids at meetings (probably the pizza, lol), some of whom actually applied critical analysis skills from their English classes to our books--which, seriously, blew this English major's mind.
Have a wonderful time!!
Cathy AndronikBrien McMahon HS (Retired)Bureau of Education & Research
    On Monday, 11 January 2021, 10:16:56 am GMT-5, Baerny, Susan SMS Teacher - Library Media Specialist <baernys at newmilfordps.org> wrote:  
 
 Hello, My SLO includes having book clubs for remote learners only. Do any of you have any tips for hosting remote book clubs? The students have selected to read The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor. Thank you.

-- 
Susan Baerny, MA.Ed.Schaghticoke LMCTeacher Librarian 860-354-2204x113"What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education" Harold Howe
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