How to Host a Book Club for Kids

Ask your child about his friends’ reading habits. If he has a few who enjoy reading, contact their parents and inquire about the possibility of inviting their child to your book club. Determine whether you want to include parents, who could help stimulate discussion but may hold back the kids’ free discussion, or keep the club kids only. In the case of a children-only club, let parents know about the safety precautions taken in your house, take an inventory of any medical conditions and food allergies, and inquire about their kids’ schedules so you can plan the best recurring time for the club.

Select books that go with the current popular trends in kids’ reading materials. Ask a bookseller at your local store such as Barnes & Noble, Borders or Waldenbooks, or review book trend websites such as Right Writing, which notes that books about fathers and their children, historical fiction, mysteries and fantasies are popular.

Give parents enough time to acquire their children’s reading material. Suggest online book swapping clubs such as Paperback Swap, where books are free, or online booksellers such as Book Closeouts, which offers discounted books.

Make your book club room comfortable, with lots of bean bag chairs, throw pillows, backrests and room for kids to lay down with their books. Arrange the seating in a circle, so everyone feels included, rather than rows of chairs facing the front.

Lead, or ask a different child each time to lead, the book club discussion just to get the group chatting and get the meeting off the ground. Ask questions about choices the characters made, whether the kids would want to have lived in the time period of the book, what they thought of the clothing and toys and who they’d most like to be friends with out of all the characters.

Choose kid-friendly snacks that match the club’s book choice for that meeting, such as Teddy Grahams for the “Berenstain Bears” series.

(Optional) Complete a book-associated craft project each meeting. Select something simple that parents will be able to round up accessories for around their house. For example, making a cape to go with a wizard novel requires just an old bed sheet, some glitter, glue and a couple of pieces of cloth such as dishtowels or unwanted T-shirts.

Take polls from the children on their preferred books for the next reading. Set rules such as no violence, books must be age-appropriate and they must be readily available (books that are out of print or recently released as hardcovers may be too expensive for some parents).

(Optional) Close out each meeting with a free book swap. Ask parents and children to collect books they’ve read and don’t want anymore, then create a swap table in the book club room. For each book a child brings, she can select a new one to take home. Donate any leftover books to your local library.