Face-to-Face and Virtual Book Clubs & Reading Groups
How do I create a book
club and encourage students to join?
How do we select books for the club?
Where can I find an online book club to join?
Book clubs are a great way to get your students involved
with reading and sharing. Many students enjoy participating in book
clubs and book review projects. The activities range from formal reading
groups
to
informally sharing favorite books.
Read
the Kidsread.com
Book Club page to learn about how to start a book club, run a book
club, and choose books for kids.
Read Move Over Oprah! by Muggs Murphy (Technology & Learning, October 1999). This article discusses how a class connected with another class for a reading project.
Some discussions are done through email. For example Book BackChat is a email project to discuss books of interest. Students focus on a particular book. For example in Summer 2003, the topic was Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus.
Read Methodology at Planet Book Club. Although this is a service with subscription and materials, there are still lots of ideas to get you started.
Book Clubs and Groups for All Ages
Book BackChat
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/bookchat/
This project uses email to discuss books of interest. You can also look at
past chats in the archives.
Book Raps - from
Australia
http://rite.ed.qut.edu.au/
Book discussions for students based on scheduled books.
Epals Book Club 
http://www.epals.com/projects/book_club/
Join the epals book club and share discussions about books, authors, and share
stories and poetry.
Reading Group Guides
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/
More than 1000 reading group guides for children and adults. Lots of advice and
ideas for groups.
Book Clubs and Groups for Children
Eduplace Reading Scene
- Online Book Group
http://www.eduplace.com/readingscene/index.html
Online book groups for grades 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8.
Kids Who Read
http://kwr.co-nect.net/
One of the largest online book clubs for kids
KidsRead
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/kidsread/
A place for children to share the books they enjoy reading. The Reading
Club page provides an nice overview of ways students can create their own
book clubs.
ReadHot
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/readhot/index.html
Lists popular books for young adults and provides an opportunity to enter your
own book ideas.
Spagetti Clubhouse
http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/pcgi_bin/dcf/dcboard.cgi
A place to post and read messages about books.
Book Clubs and Groups for Young Adults and Adults
Book Muse
http://www.bookmuse.com/
Resources for book clubs including reviews and book club ideas. Designed for
teens and adults.
Good Morning America Book Club - Read This!
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/Books/GMAbook_Index.html
Ideas and interviews based on books from the television program.
Oprah's Book Club
http://www.oprah.com/books/books_landing.jhtml
Links to materials and book information.
Today's Book Club Front Page
http://msnbc.msn.com/Default.aspx?id=3041344&p1=0
Book club from the televison program Today.
Links to Resources
Book Discussion Center from
BookSpot
http://bookspot.com/discussion/
Plan
A Club
Explore the options for book clubs. Brainstorm an idea for a book club
at your school or library.