YOU CAN FIND ME IN THE
CLUB…THE BOOK CLUB
Book Clubs for Kids!
Alyssa Morgan, MLS
Morgan County Public Library
BOOK CLUBS FOR KIDS
Why have book clubs for kids?
 How our library got started
 The changes we’ve made
 How you can get started
 Titles we’ve read and what we’ve done
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WHY HAVE A BOOK CLUB FOR KIDS?
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Encourages reading outside their comfort zone
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Gets kids talking about books
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Above their level, genres/subjects they may not
typically pick, etc.
Has helped a lot of my shy kids
Another programming opportunity that gives
staff more time to interact with kids
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Also gives staff a chance to interact with parents
Give parents and kids another opportunity to
read together (mostly with the younger book
club)
 THEY GET A FREE BOOK!!!! (at least with my
club)
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HOW OUR LIBRARY GOT STARTED….
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Inherited programs
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The Program
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Curious About…. (ages 5-8)
21st Century Readers (ages 9-12)
Sign up and get a free copy of that month’s book (copy also
available for checkout).
Did not have to read the book to participate. (ACK!!!)
Books were purchased through Scholastic Literacy
Partnership
Program consisted of games, crafts, etc.
End of Year Party
Books were always gone but attendance was low
Some months, no one came at all
 Siblings= multiple copies per family
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GETTING STARTED, CONTINUED
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2012- my first year
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Kept the same format (mainly for the sake of my
sanity)
Shared the 21st Century Reader’s book club with the
Teen Librarian
Previous librarian had chosen books for the year;
kept some titles, changed some
Attendance started to grow, particularly with the
younger book group
NO CANCELLED PROGRAMS!!!!
TIME FOR A CHANGE!
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Name Change (mid 2012)
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Curious About  The Page Turners
21st Century Readers  inbeTWEEN the Lines
TIME FOR A CHANGE!
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Big Changes in 2013
An Award Winning Year (75th Anniversary of the
Caldecott)
 One free book per family
 Ordered the audiobook for the collection (Tween
selections)
 Reading Requirement
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Page Turners  Entire book
 inbeTWEEN  At least halfway through
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Clarification on ages and moving up/aging out
 Information forms
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The Book Hoarder
A change in the December free book
2013- AN AWARD WINNING YEAR
No cancelled programs!!!
 The Page Turners
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Attendance is up!!!
 Lots of parent involvement (several dads start
coming!)
 Younger siblings
 Fall Drop
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inbeTWEEN the Lines
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Attendance is steady….
Is everyone reading the book?
The Sounds of Silence
Girl’s Night
November’s book= The Mystery Book
THE MYSTERY BOOK
HOW CAN MY LIBRARY GET STARTED?
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What type of book club will this be?
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What ages do you want to include?
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Does everyone have to read the same book?
What about moving up to the next age level?
Will you be buying the books? How many? Where
will you get them?
Will the kids get to keep the books?
 Don’t forget about the State Library and the Humanities
Council!
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How often will you meet? Will you take any breaks?
How will you select the books? Will you have a
theme?
What will you do at your club meetings?
HOW DO I SELECT THE BOOKS?
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I DO WHAT I WANT!!!! (kinda)
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Work with the Teen Librarian for inbeTWEEN the
Lines
Usually have selections made and books ordered by
November
What will the kids read?
 Various genres
 What kinds of activities can we do with this
book?
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More important than you think….
Does this year lend itself to a theme?
2016- Indiana Books
 Summer Reading Program
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WHAT DO WE TALK ABOUT?
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Did you like the book?
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“No” is a perfectly acceptable answer!
Did you have a favorite part?
 Questions
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Some from reading guides or lesson plans, some I
make up
 Teaching Books through INSPIRE
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Author information
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Display other books by the author and/or books with
similar themes
Award information for 2013
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Caldecott, Newbery, YHBA, Geisel, Pura Belpré, etc.
WHAT DO WE READ? WHAT DO WE DO?
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The Snowy Day (Curious About 2012)
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (21st Century
Readers 2012)
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Duckling figures
Who Was Dr. Seuss? (inbeTWEEN the Lines 2014)
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Sorting Hat quiz and Duct Tape House Ties
Make Way for Ducklings (The Page Turners 2013)
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Mitten craft, snow dough, and hot chocolate!
Oobleck, Thing One and Thing Two Bookmarks
How a Crayon is Made (The Page Turners 2014)
Drawing
on the
“wall,”
just like
David in
No
David!.
Renaming
things
throughout
the library
after
reading
Frindle.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED
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You may never discover why the Very Hungry
Caterpillar eats or why Skippyjon Jones has an
identity crisis….
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A lot of my book club kids are shy.
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Out of the mouths of Tweens….
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Parents
My favorite parent EVER
 What we “should” be reading (particularly with
inbeTWEEN the Lines
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WHAT’S NEXT?
Flying solo (for now)
 Bring in more kids!!!
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Classes I visit
Kids choice
 Mystery Book is returning for 2015
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QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?
Alyssa Morgan
 765-342-3451 ex. 16
 alyssam@mail.morg.lib.in.us
 @LibraryLyssa
 http://librarylyssa.wordpress.com/
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