Hobbies And Interests
How to Start a Book Club
If you can't find a book club you're interested in joining, there's no reason you can't start your own. Book clubs range in size, but having anywhere from three to 12 members will allow for lively discussion while keeping meetings manageable. Recruiting members may be as simple as calling a few friends. Posting on a community bulletin board at your school or library can also attract additional teen book lovers who aren't in your immediate circle of friends. Vote for or delegate members who will be responsible for organizational and administrative duties to ensure that meetings run smoothly.
When and Where to Meet
If you've organized your club through your school or library, you'll normally be permitted to conduct your meetings in those places. Otherwise, you may find that a member's home is a more convenient and comfortable place to meet. Choose a location that is central to all of the members or rotate locations so each member gets a chance to host. Meeting once per month will allow members ample time to read each selection without letting so much time lapse that important details of the story are forgotten. Member availability and the number of members in your club will determine the optimal length of your meetings.
What to Read
Consider following a theme when choosing books to help your club narrow down the options. Selections might include bestsellers, literary award winners or books with similar subject matter. While youth book clubs are generally considered educational in nature, it's still important to choose titles that will be fun to read. Set aside time during a scheduled meeting to allow members to propose ideas for a theme or individual titles and vote on which books should make the reading list. It's best not to plan too far ahead -- make five or six selections at a time -- since members will likely be attracted to new titles as they are published.
How to Discuss
It is advisable to structure discussions by asking specific questions about each book. Discussion topics that will spur insightful conversations might include favorite or least favorite characters, important passages, the emotional tone of the book and the author's writing style. Using the same questions for analyzing each book will help readers to focus in on what they have to contribute to discussions ahead of time. Since some members will naturally wish to contribute more, it's important to find a system for taking turns during discussion so all members have a chance to speak.