Book Clubbin'

J and I are now part of a bi-weekly mother-daughter book club. This was an awesome idea created by J's friend, 'A. 4 girls (ages 11-13) and 4 moms are in the group so far. Yesterday was the first meeting and we got folders, the current book, a printout about the author, and cookies! We discussed our new club and the girls each took turns reading parts of the book's prologue and first chapter aloud. The book is The Wish, by the author of Ella Enchanted. J is very excited about this. I am too, since J has had an aversion to reading since 1st grade (she had been an eager, precocious chapter book reader from age 3-6, but after first grade, the interest was gone completely). But since 'A reads voraciously, J has recently warmed up to trying some of the books 'A recommends. J is also now reading Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and is looking forward to not only discussing the book with 'A, but reading the second book in that series together.

Today, W decided he'd like to be a part of the homeschool group's book club for early readers. W has made an enormous leap forward in his reading. He sat on the couch yesterday with a stack of books (usually around 20 pgs each) and silently read about 4 of them. J was next to him reading her book! This was certainly a picture and I wish I thought of getting my camera. W's book club discussion today was on Hello Harvest Moon, by Ralph Fletcher. W and a few other kids were led by one of the homeschool moms on so many great aspects of that book - lots of who, what, where, when, and why. It lasted about an hour and W said he really liked it and wants to do the next one too. There is also a chess club for homeschoolers there and one of the other moms I was talking to offered piano lessons from her home - 2 of her boys are W's age. I'll see if he would like to do either of those things.