Like reading? Like chatting? Like meeting friends?
Then start a book club.
Dublin City Public Libraries want to encourage young people to set up their own Book Clubs. So if you'd like to start one, we're here to help.
Starting a Junior Book Club is easy! Just talk to a parent, teacher or youth club leader and then go to your local library. We will offer advice and help you choose books. You don't need to buy books to set up the club, we will get them for you.
Each member of your club will get their own copy of 'tBkmag' every 3 months in which people of your age tell you all about new books you might like to read. You can also read about new books before anyone else!
Tips for running your book club
Setting up Your Book Club
- Keep your group small, no more than 10 members and not too wide a range of ages
- Set a regular day and time for meetings
- Remind all the members about the meeting a few days beforehand
- Try not to let the meeting go on for too long
- Encourage all members to get involved in the discussion
The First Club Meeting
- Talk about everyone's favourite books also favourite themes - what make them favourites?
- Where and when do members read?
- Talk about book covers - do they make a difference?
- Use the Internet to get information about favourite authors
Start Talking About Your Chosen Book
- Talk about the story - could you picture the characters?
- Ask questions - why did you like it? Why did you not like it?
- Compare book and film versions
- Have you read any similar books?
- Give star ratings
- Google the author's name or book title for more information
Choosing Books
Here are some ideas for your group
- Your local library has lists of books read by other book clubs
- You can choose from the books reviewed in tBkmag
- You can talk to other people your age and find out what they like to read
- Think about reading other books by your favourite authors
- Ask your friends to recommend books
- Why not try something different such as poetry, true-life stories or history?
Web sites for fun and useful stuff
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