Click Here To Purchase the Parent-Child Book Club, The: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading

Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Author of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest Melissa Stoller co-author with Marcy Winkler of The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading.

Good day Melissa and thanks for participating in our interview

Norm:

Could you tell our readers something about yourself and what motivated you to co-author The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading?

Melissa:

Hi Norm.  Thank you for including me on Bookpleasures.com!  Our book, The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009), is a comprehensive resource about organizing and conducting a family book club for children 4-9 years old.  Our philosophy is that, in this fast-paced world, why not make meaningful connections with your family through a community of books. 

My co-author Marcy Winkler and I started our first Parent-Child Book Club 9 years ago.  We were in an adult book club (which is still running!), and our oldest children, who were 4 at the time, asked if they could participate in a book club like we did.  So we asked two other friends and their children to join us, and our family book club was formed!  We have been conducting this book club since, and have also added two other groups, one for our younger children, and one is a mother-daughter book club with my 10 year old and her school friends.  In fact, I am planning to start a new group this fall with my youngest daughter and her pre-Kindergarten friends. 

We decided to write our book about 5 years ago.  So many of our friends asked how they could model our concept and start family book clubs in their own homes.  We decided that it made sense to write a book since we had so much information to share.  We are thrilled that our book was published this year!

Norm:

As a follow up, could you briefly tell our readers what your book is all about?

Melissa:

Our book is a simple and easy-to-use guide that sets forth everything a busy parent needs to know about organizing and conducting a parent-child book club. We include chapters about forming the book club and getting started, goals and guidelines for the book club, choosing age-appropriate and interesting books and creating meaningful discussion questions, and creating related enrichment activities such as art and science projects, games and puzzles, physical activities, snacks, and field trips. We also have chapters about online and other related resources. Additionally, we present Tips for Success, Do's and Don'ts for various book club topics, Putting Our Ideas into Action, and Real Life Issues Solved. 

Significantly, our book contains 20 “Book Club Model Guides” that include all the components of a ready-made book club. These unique and fully-tested Model Guides offer soup to nuts information and activities so that busy parents can easily plan and implement their family book clubs.  For example, for each Model Guide we offer a description of the book the group read, recommended websites, recommended field trips and enrichment activities, a suggested snack, word games and puzzles, thematic art and science projects including materials needed and instructions, and challenging questions and suggested answers to help facilitate the book club discussion. 

Norm:

What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your book? How did you overcome these challenges?

Melissa:

Our main obstacle was finding the time during the day (or night!) to write.  We each have three young children, so we can truly appreciate the needs of busy parents.  Of course our children were our inspirations for the family book club, and we continue to be amazed and delighted by their positive responses to our continuing book club meetings.  They are so excited and enthusiastic during our meetings, and so eager to share their thoughts and insights about the books we read.  Family book club meetings are also the perfect times for us to share our values with our children, and to offer our viewpoints about many subjects.  We are so thankful that we embarked on this family adventure together!

Norm: 

Can you explain some of your research techniques, and how you found sources for your book?

Melissa:

We spent so much time in local bookstores and libraries, as well as online, searching for excellent books and websites to include in our Model Guides and in our lists of resources. We also read many books and articles, and spoke to educators, about the philosophy behind making connections with children.  Similarly, we did a great deal of research about the benefits of reading.  We tried to incorporate all this research into our book and we used it as we created our Book Club Model Guides.  We are pleased that our book contains a mixture of easy and practical “how to” information, as well as more educational and philosophical underpinnings about why conducting a family book club can be so beneficial.

Norm

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Melissa:

We are happy to hear so many positive reviews from our readers!  Our readers have told us repeatedly that our book has inspired them to start a family book club in their own homes and to truly make meaningful connections with their children through discussing books.  Readers have told us about engaging discussions they have held, amazing book-related field trips their groups have taken, delicious book-related food they have served, or restaurants they have visited during their book club meetings, and creative art and science projects they have enjoyed surrounding their book club discussions.  Many people have reported that they had always wanted to start a family book club, and never knew how, but that our book was so easy and comprehensive they just finally started with great success!  We are always thrilled to hear that people have embarked on their own family book club adventures based on our book club concepts.

Norm:

You also have a website The Parent-Child Book Club Website. What is this all about? 

Melissa:

Our website, www.parentchildbookclub.com, is full of information to help readers understand the benefits of our family book club concept.  We provide sample sections from our book, and sample “Book Club Model Guides” so readers can get a sense of the focus of our book.  We also offer tips for parents about ways to connect with kids through books.  Additionally, we are currently running a website contest where readers can submit their “best parent-child book club moments” and win a prize!  We also provide links to news and events about our press, appearances and book signings.

Norm:

How do you get children interested in reading when all they want to do is play video games on the Internet or watch television?

Melissa:

We totally agree that it is a challenge to interest kids in reading when there are so many other distractions available.  However, it is vital to keep kids interesting in reading.  Conducting a Parent-Child Book Club is really a perfect way to accomplish this goal.  Kids, especially in the 4-9 year old age range, are so happy to participate in activities with their families.  With a book club, parents can engage their children, and their whole family, in a meaningful and fun activity that also promotes literacy.  Reading and discussing books together helps children with reading comprehension, reading fluency, and above all encourages a love of reading.  Also, when kids see their families enjoying reading, they will strive to model this behaviour.  What better way to get children interested in reading than through enjoyable family book-centered activities?

Norm:

Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

Melissa:

We are always updating our website with “New Book Club Model Guides.”  As we conduct our own parent-child book clubs, we will be posting those Model Guides.  Readers can purchase them directly from our website for $1.95.  We are focusing on our usual selection of excellent picture books, chapter books, and books for more mature readers, as well as travel-related books.

Norm:

Where can our readers find out more about you and your book?

Melissa:

You can learn more about me at my website, www.parentchildbookclub.com.  Also become a fan on Facebook (search parent child book club) and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/familybookclub.  We provide further information in our video on YouTube (search parent-child book club).

Norm:

Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered?

Melissa:

Thank you so much!  I am happy to continue the conversation about connecting with your kids through a family book club. 

 Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors