The Counseling Corner
By Rev. Judith T. Lester, B.Min. M.Th
“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.” – Maya Angelou
May is celebrated as National “Get Caught Reading” Month which is the nationwide campaign devoted to reading. This campaign promotes the fun of reading books for all ages. Launched in 1999 by the Association of American Publishers, it is now managed by Every Child A Reader. This month, I have challenged our readers of all ages to Get Caught Reading. In the conclusion of this series, I am offering the final five tips if you are interested in starting a Summer Reading Book Club for your children and youth groups:
Tip #6: Volunteers. Solicit volunteers to help with everything from leading reading groups to serving the snacks.
Tip #7: Prepare discussion questions in advance. This will keep your meetings focused on the book at hand.
Tip #8: Keep meeting time short. Children and Youth are easily distracted and can lose interest if your meetings are too long. While adult book clubs can go on for hours, not so with children and youth. Keep it short, no more than an hour, and the young people won’t lose interest.
Tip #9: Snacks!!!! Low calorie nutritious snacks can be offered during or after the Book Club meeting. Ask for donations.
Tip #10: Ending each meeting. At the conclusion of each meeting, pass out a flyer with a reminder of the next Book Club meeting and the book selected to be read. Follow up with an email to all participants.
Beloved, an article that was published under the title: “Reading, A Social Good” (September 2016), I believe is an appropriate ending to this series:
“Reading skills are necessary for any participation in the modern economy. But even more important, reading … inspires readers, helping them grow in empathy, civility, spirituality and political responsibility. Lack of interest in reading is a social ill, leaving people less able to enter the marketplace of ideas or rescue their fellow citizens from injustice. Encouraging the love for reading is likely not only to improve the economic quality of life, but also to deepen and enrich life shared together in society.”
I hope this series has inspired you to:
GET CAUGHT READING!
Next Month: National Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month
General Disclaimer: The writer has used her best efforts in preparation of this information. No representations or warranties for its contents, either expressed or implied, are offered. Neither the publisher nor the writer shall be liable in any way for readers’ efforts to apply, rely or utilize the information or recommendations presented herein as they may not be suitable for you or necessarily appropriate for every situation to which they may refer. This information is for educational purposes only. If you would like to contact Rev. Lester, write to her c/o P.O. Box 121, Brookfield, WI. 53008.