Get Bookin'

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

Want to start a book club like the Book Busters? This is what makes their club so much fun:

· Try something new. Each member of the Book Busters likes something different, so the type of book changes every meeting.

· Keep it small. Having a small group makes it easier to plan activities and go places. (The Book Busters have four kids, plus an occasional sibling.)

· Rotate where you meet. The Book Busters meet at a different member's house every meeting, and the hostess is responsible for dinner and creating an activity related to the book.

· Let every member have a say. Vote on what the club should read and how often to meet.

· Get your parents involved. Moms in the Book Busters break ties when voting on books and help plan activities.

Some Reading Suggestions

The Book Busters' top choices include:

· "So B. It" by Sarah Weeks

· "Blow Out the Moon" by Libby Koponen

· "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett

· "Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo

· "Lily's Ghosts" by Laura Ruby

Local Book Trips

There are plenty of books with Washington-area connections. Here are a few:

· "Lincoln: A Photobiography" by Russell Freedman. Go to Ford's Theatre in downtown Washington where you can see the box where Lincoln was shot. There's also a cool museum with artifacts.

· "Misty of Chincoteague" by Marguerite Henry. Visit the islands of Assateague and Chincoteague on Maryland and Virginia's Eastern Shore to see where ponies still swim each summer.

· "The Diary of Anne Frank." Older kids might want to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum, which offers an honest look at some of the horrors of World War II.