Here at The Nerdy Book Club, we see our December anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on our goals and consider how we can continue to support teachers, librarians, families, and kids. Interacting with many of you, we see frustration because of the lack of joyful reading experiences for your students and limited professional development opportunities to learn with colleagues. Folks are missing discussions about books, too. Recognizing the social and intellectual benefits and community book clubs can provide, The Nerdy Book Club will launch a book club in 2021. It’s Nerdy Book Club, the book club!
In conversations with folks in our communities, we are still working out the details, but it’s time to share the news and solicit your ideas! Each month, we will select a different title—rotating between professional development, middle grade, and young adult titles. Book club titles will celebrate joy, personal and professional growth, and community. Throughout each book’s featured month as a book club selection, The Nerdy Book Club with host Facebook Live conversations with authors, slow (asynchronous) book discussions via Facebook and Twitter, and some spontaneous moments to celebrate and share the book.
So, do you want to join a book club?
If you would like to get a head start, our January 2021 selection is Risk. Fail. Rise: A Teacher’s Guide to Learning from Mistakes by M. Colleen Cruz. We are excited about working with Colleen to offer an engaging book club experience. We will announce dates for Facebook Live events and future titles through this blog, Facebook, and Twitter.
If you have been looking for ways to discover and celebrate books, connect with other readers, or feed your brain, this book club may be the low stress opportunity you need! Perhaps, you can find a few colleagues and friends to join with you or start an online book club of your own.
I look forward to the community learning and sharing this book club will provide. Please share your suggestions in the comments and look for updates and timelines via our social media channels! You can also follow the #nerdybookclub hashtag to connect with other readers and book club participants.
Happy Reading!
Melissa Thom