Book Discussion Groups
“A book discussion group is a forum where readers can come together and talk about books and the reading experience. These groups can be organized in a variety of ways. There are adult groups, student-led groups, mother-daughter groups, father-son groups, and parent-child groups, to name just a few. At my library we have a parent-child book discussion group, but the guidelines found in this article can apply to any group with children as participants.”
-- “Giving Readers a Voice: Book Discussion Groups,” by Anna Healy. Book Links: February/March 2002 (v.11, no.4)
Most book groups have a rotating selection of books. However, a number of cities, schools, churches, organizations, and even conferences have used the “One Book” model as a start for discussing books. Extensive resources for such programming is available from The Library of Congress Center for the Book and the American Library Association Public Programs Office.
Association of Book Group Readers and Leaders (AGBRL) also known as the Association of Professional Book Club Facilitators P.O. Box 885 Highland Park, IL 60035
Rachel Jacobsohn, Founder/Director (E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org)
ABGRL is a cooperative information clearinghouse for avid readers, individuals and those in book groups.
- The Book Club Connection: Literacy, Learning and Classroom Talk, by Susan I. McMahon and Taffy Raphael. New York: Teachers College Press, 1997.
- The Book Group Book: a Thoughtful Guide to Forming and Enjoying a Stimulating Book Discussion Group, edited by Ellen Slezak (with a foreword by Margaret Atwood). 3rd ed. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2000.
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Reading Group, by Patrick Sauer Indianaplis, IN: Alpha Books, 2000.
- Good Books Lately: the One-stop Resource for Book Groups and Other Greedy Readers / Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2004.
- The Mother-Daughter Book Club, by Shireen Dodson. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
- The New York Public Library Guide To Reading Groups, by Rollene Saal. New York: Crown Publishers, 1995.
- The Reading Group Book: The Complete Guide to Starting and Sustaining a Reading Group, by David Laskin, Holly Hughes. New York: Plume, 1995.
- The Reading Group Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Own Book Club, by Rachel W. Jacobsohn. New York: Hyperion, 1998.
- Reading Group Journal: Notes in the Margin, by Martha Burns, Alice Dillon. New York: Abbeville Press, 1999.
- Reading Raps: a Book Club Guide for Librarians, Kids, and Families, by Rita Soltan. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006.
- Talking About Books: A Step-By-Step Guide for Participating in a Book Discussion Group, by Marcia Fineman. Rockville, MD: Talking About Books, 1997.
- Teen Book Discussion Groups @ the library, by Constance B Dickerson. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2004.
- Book Lust: A Community for People Who Love Books A wiki from Nancy Pearl
- The Reading Club (A British site)
This site includes an excerpt from Rachel Jacobsohn’s The Reading GroupHandbook: “Ten Tips for Starting and Running a Successful Book Club”
Children’s Book Clubs
Book Clubs Includes information on starting a book club, running a book club, and choosing what to read