Mommy & Me Book Club

Summer reading is hard to do, even if you love to read. Cozying up with a good book is so much easier when the weather is cold or snowy and the sunshine isn’t beckoning from outside! But it’s important to start good habits early on. And while our kids are out of school, we need to make sure they’re still learning. A great way to do that is with a book club! Whether your kids love to read or is a reluctant reader, a Grown Up + Me book club makes summer reading (more) FUN.

Start off by choosing a book with your child (if they have a hand in the selection, they’re more likely to enjoy the reading!). Then decide how much they can handle reading each week.
Set aside time each day for reading and separate time for discussion. If your kids already read on their own, we like to take advantage of transition times. If they don’t get car sick, reading while in transit is a wonderful way for them to stay on top of their book without feeling like they’re missing out on summer fun.

It’s also nice to have quiet time in the late afternoon, it helps things mellow before family dinner. This is also great if you’re reading the book together aloud.
After dinner is a great time for discussion. And book club can double as dessert club! If there’s one thing we know about clubs, it’s that the best way to recruit members is to tell them about the treats!

Suggestions for Summer Book Club Reading:

Ages 4-5
Any of Shel Silverstein’s poetry is exciting and fun for the youngest kids!

Ages 6-7
Roald Dahl’s Matilda or James and the Giant Peach, Beverly Cleary’s The Mouse and the Motorcycle (all classics, all stellar reads!) or Eerie Elementary by Jack Chabert!

Ages 8-9 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, Fudge by Judy Blume, Wayside School by Louis Sachar, Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Ages 10-12 Totally Joe! by James Howe, Flying Lessons and Other Stories (edited by Ellen Oh), See You In the Cosmos by Jack Cheng, The Last Kids On Earth by Max Brallier!

Ages 13+ Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman, The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan, Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson

And please share with us your favorite books! We’re always looking for new reads!