Breathingnewlifeinto BOOKCLUBS

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visit https://www.heinemann.com/products/e07685.aspx.
SONJA CHERRY-PAUL | DANA JOHANSEN

Foreword by Cornelius Minor
Breathing
New Life
Book
into
Clubs
A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR TEACHERS
HEINEMANN
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Heinemann
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© 2019 by Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Cherry-Paul, Sonja, author. | Johansen, Dana, author.
Title: Breathing new life into book clubs : a practical guide for teachers /
Sonja Cherry-Paul, Dana Johansen.
Description: Portsmouth, NH : Heinemann Publishing, [2019] | Foreword /
Cornelius Minor Gratitude—Creating a culture of reading through book
clubs—Organizing and setting up book clubs—Launching and managing
book clubs—Lighting the fire of discussion—Resources at a glance—
Living with books all year long. | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019009415 | ISBN 9780325076850
Subjects: LCSH: Reading (Elementary) | Reading (Middle school) | Book
clubs (Discussion groups)
Classification: LCC LB1573 .C447 2019 | DDC 372.4—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019009415
Editor: Holly Kim Price

Production: Hilary Goff
Cover and interior designs: Suzanne Heiser
Typesetter: Shawn Girsberger
Manufacturing: Steve Bernier
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

23 22 21 20 19 VP 1 2 3 4 5
Contents
Foreword by Cornelius Minor viii

Gratitude x
Chapter 1: Creating a Culture of Reading Through Book Clubs 1

A Vision for Book Clubs 2
Becoming a Nation of Lifelong Readers 4
Creating a Culture of Reading 7
Essential Components for Book Clubs 8
So Why This Book? 12
Chapter 2: Organizing and Setting Up Book Clubs 15

Types of Book Clubs 16
Getting the Books 22
Book Clubs Checklist 24
Drumming Up Excitement for Book Clubs 24
Talking Up the Books 26
Helping Students Choose Their Book 27
Creating the Club Groups 30
Breathing New Life into Organizing Book Clubs 31
Chapter Two Resources at a Glance 32
Book Club Bins, Grades 3–8 33
Chapter 3: Launching and Managing Book Clubs 47

Including Book Clubs Throughout the Year 48
Practicing Great Discussions 54
The First Days of Book Clubs 55
v
Making Book Clubs Go! Observing, Coaching, and Assessing 61

Breathing New Life into Launching and Managing Book Clubs 63
Chapter Three Resources at a Glance 64
Pathway Minilessons 65
3.1 Fueling Discussions with Digital Texts 66
3.2 Revving Up Talk Through Practice Discussions 67
3.3 Blogging Guidelines and Digital Citizenship 68
3.4 Making Strong Reading Plans 69
3.5 Making Strong Written Response Plans 70
3.6 Creating Club Names 71
3.7 Writing Club Constitutions 72
3.8 Setting Club Goals 73
3.9 Honoring Club Commitments 74
3.10 Revising Reading Plans 75
3.11 Rekindling Enthusiasm for Book Clubs 76
3.12 Abandoning the Book and Changing Course 77
Chapter 4: Lighting the Fire of Discussion 78

Providing Three Tools for Talk 81
Powering Up Talk in Book Clubs Through Written Response 85
Balancing Discussions: Loud and Quiet Voices 90
Breathing New Life into Discussions 93
Chapter Four Resources at a Glance 93
4.1 Teaching Three Tools for Talk 95
4.2 Increasing Depth and Breadth 96
4.3 Writing to Get Discussion Flowing! 97
4.4 Reflecting After Book Clubs Meet 98
4.5 Creating Spaces for Loud and Quiet Voices 99
4.6 What Should We Talk About Now? 100
4.7 Fueling Discussions with Sticky Notes 101
4.8 Nudging Our Way Back into the Conversation 102
4.9 Drawing Discussions to a Close 103
4.10 Strengthening Listening Skills 104
vi
Chapter 5: Journeying Through Texts with Peers 105

Living Confidently Within a Text 107
Reading with Peers 111
Writing Along the Journey 113
Getting to the Heart of Reading 115
Breathing New Life into Journeying Through Texts with Peers 121
Chapter Five Resources at a Glance 123
5.1 Journeying Through Fiction 125
5.2 Journeying Through Nonfiction 126
5.3 Keeping Track of Characters 127
5.4 Noticing Dialogue 128
5.5 Finding the Main Idea 129
5.6 Identifying Essential Themes 130
5.7 Repairing Misunderstandings 131
5.8 Critiquing a Text 132
5.9 Determining What’s Important 133
5.10 Annotating to Cozy Up with Texts 134
5.11 Identifying Perspectives 135
5.12 Slowing Down to Take in the Setting 136
5.13 Locating and Analyzing Symbols 137
5.14 Keeping Track of Events 138
5.15 Finding Character Motivations 139
Chapter 6: Living with Books All Year Long 140

Celebrating Book Clubs: Inspiring Students to Read! 142
Book Clubs Beyond the Classroom 147
Onward! Breathing New Life into Book Clubs 151
Chapter Six Resources at a Glance 153
Pathway Resources 154
6.1
Planning a Book Talk 155
6.2
Storyboarding a Book Trailer 156
6.3
Designing an Interactive Poster 157
6.4
Visualizing a Vignette 158
6.5
Book Bistro Information Card 159
To download and 6.6 W
hat to Read Next! Book Bistro Sheet 160
print digital versions of the 6.7
Voting Sheet for Mock Newbery /
reproducible forms found in this book, Mock Caldecott Clubs 161
visit the online resources at
References 162
http://hein.pub/newlifebookclubs-login.
vii
Foreword
by Cornelius Minor
When I was a kid, I used to love it when my aunts came over for my mom’s
book club gatherings. They would come by the carload. This group of
radiant women would enter the house and fill it with warmth. And food. And
laughter. And hugs. And brilliance. And stories. And the kind of grown-folks’
talk that kids like me always wanted to hear, but could never understand.
I would hide out at the top of the stairs—long after I had been
sent to bed—straining my ears to pluck a phrase or a sentence from the
affable, brainy cacophony of sound emitted by my aunts and their books in
the dining room below me. If I was lucky, I would catch the recitation of an
entire passage of text or the telling of a deeply personal anecdote.
If you know Liberian women, you know that these women were
not my aunts by blood or by marriage. They were my aunts because they
went to college, attended church, shared offices, endured husbands, and
navigated life with my mother. They were my aunts because when they
occupied the same space as my mom, worries were shed, challenges were
overcome, and doubts were erased.
Those stolen moments at the top of the stairs were my early intro-
duction to the reality that my mom—the spiritual and physical center of
my family—was not just a caregiver, problem-solver, or juice-box purveyor.
She is beautifully and completely human. Similarly, children are not levels
or behaviors or the complicated pasts that sometimes follow them into our
classrooms. We do not group them to keep them quiet. And quiet does not
mean “good.” Each young person that we serve is beautifully and com-
pletely human. Dana and Sonja know this.
They teach us what years of eavesdropping on my aunts taught
me—that book clubs are not merely about books and discussion protocols.
They are about the humans that come to them, the people that we become
when we are in them, and the powerful people that endure—long after we
put the texts down—because we have read together.
Book clubs are not quiet. They are not passive. They are not about
filling in the blanks, answering the question, or being the “recorder” or “dis-
cussion leader.” Book clubs are about finding meaning in texts and finding
community in others. Dana and Sonja know this.
viii
Though I did not have the words for it at the time, I loved seeing
my mother come to life around my aunts. When they came over to talk, my
mom seemed taller, happier, more alive. This is what book clubs do. They
make us more alive.
Dana and Sonja’s work is powerful because beyond guiding us into
the structures, routines, and lessons that ensure meaningful reading and
purposeful talk, they expertly guide us toward crafting the experiences that
give children multiple opportunities to live as readers, as thinkers, and as
members of a community. Dana and Sonja understand that whenever our
society has been confronted with big questions, well-read young people
have always been the answer.
The Declaration of Independence was written by well-read young
people. Well-read young people fought and won the right to vote for
women and African Americans. Well-read young people founded the
NAACP, GLSEN, and many of the organizations that force us to examine
what we mean when we say freedom for all people or education for all
children.
Though adults consistently fail to act on gun control, climate
change, healthcare, or income inequality, well-read young people continue
to speak out. On every issue, they are present. In a world that has not
learned to listen properly when kids speak, Dana and Sonja teach us how
to give kids the tools and supports to keep reading, thinking, and talking
anyway. They know that kids who read powerfully, think critically, and listen
empathetically to each other will change the world. Just like the generations
of well-read kids before them.
ix
1: Creating a
Culture of Reading
Through Book Clubs My advice to teachers
is to give your students
as much freedom as
possible in book clubs.
—MIA, FIFTH-GRADE STUDENT
W
hen you think of an adult book club, what images
come to mind? Chances are you’re picturing a
comfortable space such as your home or that of
another club member. Perhaps the gatherings
are at a quaint café or in a beloved restaurant. You might know
the members of your club as your close friends or colleagues.
Or possibly the club members are from a Meetup that you’ve
just joined, and you are interested in getting to know some new
people. You might also picture food (savory or sweet bites of
something prepared just for the occasion) and continuous drinks
(coffee, tea, wine). And in this comfortable space, the conversa-
tion is fluid. At times some members turn to another close by
to share something that may or may not be spoken out loud to
the entire group. Discussions fluctuate from the beginning of the
book to the end in no particular order; between statements and
questions, and characters and setting. There are agreements
about ideas as well as disagreements that result in spirited con-
versations. Finally, a hallmark of an adult book club is that it is a
place where the members completely lose track of time.
1
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i nto Book Club s
A Vision for Book Clubs

When we picture book clubs in our classrooms, we envision many of the
same wonderful components of adult book clubs. We imagine small groups
clustered together in cozy spots around our room. Perhaps they are seated
on the carpet, at a table, or at a group of desks. Some may be gathered
beneath their club banner or in a makeshift cardboard clubhouse. In our
mind’s eye, we see our students making reading plans with their club,
talking about books, and asking each other questions. In this hum of activ-
ity, we hear joyful laughter and
see new friendships created. We
feel the positive energy in the
classroom as clubs meet. We
picture our students engaging in
the same adult experience that
we admire, and we feel proud of
our students’ level of prepared-
ness and their eagerness to take
part in their club’s discussion.
As we imagine book
clubs in our classrooms, we envi-
sion our students doing the work
we’ve been teaching. They are
putting their learning into action.
Some groups of students talk in an animated manner as they set reading
goals and cheer each other on. We hear words of encouragement such as,
“We can do this! Let’s read twenty pages tonight and make five sticky notes.”
Our students are in charge of their reading lives, and they feel empowered to
challenge themselves as readers and work collaboratively as a team.
While we dream of having book clubs in our classrooms that provide
the joyful experience of adult book clubs, we’ve also found that there can be
hiccups. Sometimes our clubs are roaring successes, and at other times, the
clubs fizzle and fall apart. Over the years we’ve heard from fellow educators
who have faced similar challenges with book clubs. “They’re too complicated
to manage.” “Are the kids really reading?” “Are their discussions really deepen-
ing their understanding of the text?” We’ve also heard from teachers who’ve
never tried book clubs because of their worries about time and rigor. “I don’t
have time for this!” “What do I teach in book clubs?” “Are my students just
doing their own thing?” “How do I assess their understanding of the book?”
We admit it. We’ve experienced frustration ourselves. We’ve come
close to throwing in the towel when it comes to book clubs. Stepping
back to examine all of our concerns, a common theme emerges: a fear
2
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Thr o u gh B ook Cl ub s
of letting go. Although we want our students to have control over their
reading, we have concerns. As teachers, it’s our job to make sure that all
of our students are learning and growing, and it’s easier for us to imagine
this happening underneath our watchful eyes where we can anticipate
pitfalls and plan pathways for success. Sometimes it’s challenging for us
to imagine that, independently, our students will make the best decisions
about their reading. We worry that they will not hold themselves account-
able; have on-task, meaningful conversations about texts with their peers;
and take the clubs seriously. The truth is that we can’t always re-create our
image of the ideal adult book club in our classrooms. For instance, not all
club members will keep up with the reading. During conversations, some
members will get off topic. Some voices will be louder than others, and
others may not speak at all. At times, club meetings may seem like total
chaos! Although we may worry about giving up control to our students,
there are ways we can avoid and repair these challenges.
Over the past twenty years of teaching students in elementary and
middle school, we’ve tried many approaches to teaching readers—whole-
class texts, leveled reading groups, literature circles, and independent
reading. We’ve experienced successes and failures in all aspects of our
teaching. However, over the course of our teaching journey, we’ve kept
one piece constant—we’ve always had book clubs. The reason is simple: to
nurture students’ love of reading and their desire to share the experience
with others. Despite our hectic daily lives, adults join book clubs. We are
exhausted at the end of the workday. The gym (or the sofa!) beckons. There
are errands to run and children to pick up from soccer practice. Yet, we
make time for book clubs. We join book clubs because we long to be part of
communities of readers. Books, friends, and thoughtful, rich conversations.
And isn’t this passion for reading exactly what we want for our students? A
space where they share ideas, take risks, and nurture a culture of reading?
Book clubs create close-knit communities of readers and thinkers and help
students become lifelong readers.
To be honest, our vision for book clubs continues to be a work in
progress. It is informed by our own experiences and our ongoing dialogue
with fellow educators, as well as our research. Together, this has become
the fountain of knowledge that we draw upon. And we’d like to share our
vision with you. No matter your reading curricula, we’d like to show you why
book clubs should become an essential part of your school year and how
to make that happen. Whether you’re looking to breathe new life into book
clubs or begin implementing them in your classroom, we invite you to join
us on this journey.
3
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Becoming a Nation of Lifelong Readers

While thinking about the value of book clubs, we began by asking our-
selves: Are we a nation of lifelong readers? The answer is complex. To
address this question, we looked at how students feel about reading, as
well as how they are performing in reading in the United States. “To Read
or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence” (National Endow-
ment for the Arts 2007) offers statistical data on the nation’s reading
trends, and the results are alarming. According to this 2007 report, Amer-
icans were reading less. Only 33 percent of thirteen-year-olds read daily,
and 19 percent of seventeen-year-olds did not or rarely read for plea-
sure at all. And yet, for 65 percent of seventeen-year-old students, the
amount of reading done for school or homework remained constant from
data gathered as early as 1992—about fifteen pages per day or fewer.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assesses the
reading performance of fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders in both public
and private schools across the country. The results are compiled by the
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). In 2015, eighth-grade
reading performance scores decreased from 2013. And by twelfth grade,
students reading at or above the basic performance level was slightly
lower in 2015 than 2013. The 2017 results published in April 2018 demon-
strate little change in the average reading performance assessments for
fourth and eighth graders.
The ubiquity of technology and the impact this has on children’s
lives adds further complexity to whether or not we are a nation of lifelong
readers. In 2017, CNN (Howard 2017) and NPR (Kamenetz 2017) reported that
children are spending more time in front of screens. Children eight years old
and younger spend more time on screens (about forty-eight minutes each
day) than reading or being read to (about thirty minutes per day). These
data demonstrate what James Steyer, CEO and founder of Common Sense
Media, calls “a seismic shift” that is “fundamentally redefining childhood
experiences” (Kamenetz 2017). He asserts that the nation is just beginning
to understand the implications of this. As both reading and blended-learning
educators, we are concerned about these data. With our students busy
after-school lives being packed with sports practice, music lessons, and
more, combined with hours each day exploring social media, playing video
games, and watching television, how are kids finding time to read? Accord-
ing to the research, it seems, quite possibly, that they aren’t. These results
imply that when it comes to our students, additional work is needed to
become the nation of readers we hope to be.
4
Adolescence is a critical time for reading. Although it may be

challenging for educators to affect the reading lives and identities of nine-
and ten-year-olds, it can be even more difficult to develop the reading
identities of middle and high school students. This, however, is not a new
challenge. Nancie Atwell addressed this phenomenon in her book In the
Middle. She writes, “Reading necessarily takes a back seat as teenag-
ers’ worlds become impossibly full. . . . When reading doesn’t happen at
school, it’s unlikely to happen away from school, which means it’s unlikely
to happen at all” (1987, 156). To transform the reading lives of our stu-
dents, educators will need to consider the ways we value and make space
for reading in our classrooms.
Research has helped educators gain both general and nuanced
understandings about the teaching of reading. Such research has informed
reading instruction in terms of the best practices to strengthen students’
skills, document reading gains, and improve reading attitudes. However,
there have been tensions and contradictions in the field around reading
instruction over the decades. Some of the misunderstandings are perhaps
a result of lack of awareness of important reading research findings. For
example, researchers have found that when an emphasis is placed on
the volume of reading in literacy curricula, through independent reading,
students’ reading fluency and comprehension improves. Richard Allington
argues, “There is a potent relationship between volume of reading and
reading achievement” (2012, 53). When kids read more, there is an increase
in reading achievement. Lucy Calkins urges, “The single most important
thing we can do to turn schools around, making them into places where
youngsters thrive as readers, is to clear out the time and space so that chil-
dren can learn to read by reading” (2010, 7). One way for students to make
gains in reading achievement and become the lifelong readers we desire
them to be is through book clubs.
We have mapped the research field and, in Figure 1.1, have summa-
rized six major findings that highlight what is important about book clubs
and how students benefit from them.
5
i nto Book Club s
B E NE F ITS F IN D IN G S
Book clubs improve students’ attitudes toward

Engagement reading, especially when students have choice and
autonomy.
Book clubs are opportunities for students to

Reading Skills practice reading and for the transference of
instruction, which strengthens their skills.
Book clubs are spaces where students can

deconstruct and critique norms and social
Critical Literacy constructs, as they learn from various perspectives
and develop empathy for others.
Book clubs help students have more in-depth

conversations over time as bonds between peers
Discussion
strengthen.
Book clubs allow students to see themselves in a

Self-Discovery text, examine their own lives, and explore their
identities.
Book clubs honor the ways kids engage with

Technology technology and how they choose to read and
respond.
Figure 1.1 The Benefits of Book Clubs
As a result of our research, three major points jumped out at us.

First, several terms have been used interchangeably with the phrase book
clubs. These include: literature circles, book groups, reading clubs, learning
clubs, and literature study groups. For some educators, there are nuances
between each of these terms, and for others there may not be. We like
book clubs best because, frankly, it’s kid friendly. Second, the research
emphasizes two defining principles of a book club: choice and ownership.
Students in a book club must have autonomy and the power to choose
what they read. Therefore, we define a book club as a space where a spe-
cific group of individuals meet physically and/or virtually for a fixed period
of time for the purpose of reading and discussing a self-selected text.
Third, although strengthening students’ skills is paramount to teachers,
particularly as we educate children in a standards-driven era, the research
shows that the benefits of book clubs extend far beyond reading com-
6
prehension. We value book clubs because of their indelible influence on

students as they develop as critical thinkers, lifelong readers, and change
makers in the world.
Creating a Culture of Reading

How did Oprah Winfrey get America excited about reading? She formed
a book club. Perhaps you too were a member. From 1996 until present,
Oprah’s Book Club is the biggest and most successful book club the world
has ever seen! In essence, she changed the culture of reading in our
country by changing what and how we read. As a result, millions of people
discovered, or rekindled, a passion for reading. Libraries are frequented by
readers who want to borrow a copy of the latest “O” book they’ve placed on
hold. Books sales have catapulted to the delight of booksellers and authors.
It is as if the entire nation has been under a potent, pleasurable spell that
compels it to read, read, read! It is also one of our first models of a digital
book club as members connect with one another around the nation and
beyond. From 1996 to 2002, not only could we view Oprah, our reading
guru, on television with the author of the O book of the month, guiding
us through the richness the book has to offer, we could also participate
in global conversations with members through digital platforms we could
access from our kitchen tables or from bed. And we continue to participate
in O’s Book Club digitally today.
But how did Oprah accomplish this? She did so by creating a culture
for reading through book clubs. Culture is how people connect and come to
understand each other better. When we help students to nurture a culture
7
i nto Book Club s
for reading in their book clubs, they will delve into the stories of others
and realize that they are their own. Book clubs break the barriers of isola-
tionism. They inspire students to examine their lives as well as think about
others different from themselves.
Book clubs are where students fall in love with reading, but we
value book clubs because it is in these spaces that we witness humanity
at its best. Through the process of reading and responding to texts, stu-
dents come to understand each other better. They reflect on who they are,
where they hope to be, and the ties that bind them together. The attitudes,
traditions, values, and goals established in book clubs often become the
principles that guide the way students live their lives. As such, we can invite
students to record the story of their book club in a journal or on a blog—
the laughs, the struggles, the triumphs, and the lessons learned that will
stay with them.
Essential Components for Book Clubs

As a result of reading the research and speaking with numerous educa-
tors of grades 3–12, we believe the following components are the seeds of
success that can be sowed in the book clubs we nurture in our classrooms.
These are the components we believe are essential to creating, maintain-
ing, and sustaining book clubs: conversation, reading time, technology,
written responses, observing, coaching, and assessment. These compo-
nents are not linear, but circuitous and interconnected. They may not all be
enacted daily but will occur over the life span of a book club. In Figure 1.2
Figure 1.2
Essential you will see the essential components.
Components These components delineate what the teachers and students are
for Book Clubs
doing during the book club meeting times. Distinct yet overlapping
features of book club meetings enable educators to clearly
Written
discern what is happening during club meetings. It helps
Reading
Response to think about the process of making book clubs
function successfully as a Ferris wheel. You can see
in your mind a joyful experience filled with friends
Assessment Observation
and laughter. The wheel is a circle of intercon-
DISCUSSION nected pieces that go around and around, and
at the center of the wheel is the hub. Next, we
unpack the features of the components to make
clear the importance of each part and how they
Digital Planning
Tools work together.
Coaching
8
DISCUSSION
For book clubs, the hub is the discussion. It is the reason we form clubs,
and it is the social spark that ignites students’ enthusiasm for reading.
Whether it is talking about the text, asking questions, or making reading
goals, discussion is at the heart of every book club meeting. All spokes of
the wheel feed into the hub, and when they work together, the conver-
sation is superb. We are able to see transference and application of the
reading strategies we’ve been teaching, and we see our students take
ownership of their reading lives. Therefore, it is important and necessary to
broaden our conception of what discussion looks like. For some it may be a
quieter time and for others a more boisterous time. We also appreciate the
many ways that technology aids our understanding of a discussion, and we
know that digital tools can allow our students to have powerful exchanges.
PL ANNING
Planning is critical for the success of book clubs. For some clubs, this may
happen at the beginning of the meeting. For some, it occurs at the end.
And for others, it may be happening all throughout the entire meeting. But
one of the ways we help book clubs run efficiently is by helping students
understand the importance of planning. When clubs plan, they ask and
address many questions such as: What will we accomplish today? How will
we use our time? Are we meeting our reading goals? How can we improve
our discussions? Should we use technology to assist our work and how?
How much should we read before our next meeting? What can we do to
have more fun in our clubs? An essential component to planning is reflec-
tion. For clubs to move forward to achieve their goals involves students
looking back and determining what’s working well and what they must
alter. Although planning may look different in each book club and even
from day to day, the common components include goal setting, time man-
agement, and reflection.
READING
Also integral to a strong club meeting is reading time. We are fierce
advocates of independent reading time each day, and we believe it is
equally important for students to have the opportunity to read with each
other during book club meetings. It’s not necessary for students to read
together at every meeting. However, it is important to encourage your stu-
dents to read passages of the text together. This meaningful experience
9
i nto Book Club s
allows students to share their personal reactions to the text. They will ooh
and aah! Reading together is one of the ways that book clubs motivate
readers and create a community. When students read together, you will
observe their reading skills in action. You will see students summarize por-
tions of the text together, check for each other’s understanding, and ask
questions. When students read together, they model good reading habits
for each other.
DIGITAL TOOLS
Technology gives educators the tools they need to create digital spaces for
reading response and discussion. When we think of discussion as the hub,
we imagine a spoke of the wheel as the technology that helps all voices be
heard in the club. Digital tools such as Padlet, Kidblog, Flipgrid, and Word-
Press help teachers create blogs and message boards for students to share
their ideas. Just as Nerdy Book Club and O’s Book Club play a role in our
adult book club lives, creating spaces like these enables our students to
connect to each other, other classes, and the world.
WRITTEN RESPONSE
Another key component of book clubs is written response. Students’
written responses about the text might look like sticky notes, written
journal entries, reflections, or blog posts. Although adult book clubs do not
make writing mandatory, some members will jot notes in the margins, on
the last page of the novel, or on paper. It’s often quite interesting to see
all the many ways that adults record their thoughts and musings, and it’s
equally important to offer our students a variety of ways to respond to a
text that feel authentic to them. The ways students respond may change
from text to text and even throughout the duration of book clubs. We also
appreciate how Lucy Calkins has helped teachers rethink lengthy reading
written responses and how this can impede the reading we want our stu-
dents to do. Book clubs especially are not the time to request essays and
reports, but instead the time to expect concise, powerful bursts of expres-
sion that demonstrate students’ understanding and insights.
OBSERVATION
Equally important as the work that students are doing during book club
meetings is that of the teachers. Observation plays a key role in book
clubs, as the teacher moves around the room listening to the clubs’ dis-
cussions. The process of observing is sensory based and goes beyond
10
what we can see, and it includes what we hear, and the feeling we’re
getting about interpersonal relationships within clubs. This involves paying
keen attention to the verbal and nonverbal cues that help us to determine:
What does it feel like to be in this club? Are each of the members thriving?
During this time, we are also observing our students’ reading strategies
in action, and we are making notes about what we are noticing. These
notes become the artifacts we collect to springboard the coaching we’ll
do with a particular club. For instance, we may note that in one club, our
students are having difficulty using setting details to inform their thinking
about a character’s actions. In another group, we may notice that stu-
dents are reluctant to speak up when they disagree with an idea being
discussed. Heightening our awareness of what’s really happening in book
clubs involves teachers becoming researchers. And we know that the best
research begins with observation.
COACHING
Not only is every teacher a teacher of reading and writing, but every
teacher is a coach. In many schools, we are grateful for literacy coaches
who keep us up-to-date with everything from learning standards to current
teaching strategies to new resources. But when we think about the word
coach, the context that most frequently comes to mind is often sports.
Whether it’s softball, basketball, or soccer, teachers can apply the tech-
niques of these coaches to the type of coaching students need in book
11
i nto Book Club s
clubs. There’s practice time, when players exercise to increase stamina,

coaches review the plays and provide pointers, and players practice the
plays applying feedback from the coach. However, once the game is hap-
pening, the time designated for practice simply doesn’t exist. The coach
can address the team throughout the game, but this happens in the course
of minutes, because the players have to get back to the game. Think about
book clubs as “the game” and it’s happening . . . now! Extended, multilay-
ered lessons have no place during book clubs. Reserve such direct teaching
for another time in your reading instruction. Instead, aim to provide a quick
strategy or suggestion, and it should take teachers five minutes or less to
do so. In short, unless a club is in crisis, we should get in and get out and let
students do the work of readers of and respondents to texts.
ASSESSMENT
Good teaching begins with an initial idea of what you are going to assess.
This backward design allows us to map the skills we hope our students will
learn by the end of a unit or lesson. In this way, book clubs are no different
from any other unit you teach. Since the clubs are run by your students,
and you are acting as an observer and a coach, it can feel as though you do
not have concrete assessments to identify your students’ learning. We’ve
experienced this feeling in book clubs. However, we have highlighted spe-
cific observational and written response strategies that will help you assess
the learning that is happening during book clubs, so you know that your
students are making progress as readers.
So Why This Book?

As full-time teachers ourselves, we’ve yearned for a book that pulls
together the research and best practices that help us have the “best book
clubs ever”! And although we found pieces of the puzzle in various places,
we couldn’t help but notice an important gap: there simply wasn’t a book
that exclusively addressed the nuts and bolts of book clubs—how to
create, maintain, and sustain them. So we decided to create this resource
for ourselves and for other educators. Furthermore, as blended-learning
educators, we desire to instruct using educational, sound methods that
infuse technology. Therefore, a blended-learning book club approach is
one that we are excited to share with educators who also care about their
students accessing technology in authentic, meaningful ways in literacy
instruction.
The research statistics we’ve discussed show we are at a cross-
roads when it comes to our students and reading. However, we cannot give
12
up. We cannot allow the dip in unmotivated readers to grow. In the years
to come we want to see a rise in the number of readers who are excited to
read for pleasure. We want our students to be passionate about reading.
How do we fight against the wave of distractions and new technology that
flood our students’ lives? How do we win what may appear to be a losing
battle? We act boldly and bravely, and we adjust. We breathe new life into
what we’re doing. We change with the times, and we seek to disrupt the
status quo. We start a reading revolution. To truly become a nation of
lifelong readers, we must create a culture of reading in our classrooms.
We believe this can be accomplished through book clubs, where students
have autonomy and are empowered to read and respond in ways that are
authentic and meaningful to them.
In addition to reflecting on the current reading research, we amplify
the voices of teachers and students from various grade levels to provide
the honest truth about book clubs. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 include minilessons
that address common pitfalls you and your students may experience, along
with pathways that can help you to overcome these hurdles. Chapter 6
includes resources to help students commemorate book club experiences.
Although there is no one right way to approach book clubs, and no univer-
sal panacea to solve the issues that will inevitably arise, we hope our book
will inspire you to join us on this journey to breathe new life into book clubs.
Here’s how the journey will continue to unfold:
Chapter 2—Organizing and Setting Up Book Clubs

There are several logistics involved in planning for book
clubs. Where do I get the books? What types of clubs can I
offer? How will I group my students?
Chapter 3—Launching and Managing Book Clubs

Ensuring that book clubs run smoothly from start to finish
requires several key minilessons. How do I fit book clubs
into the curriculum? What do students do during book club
meetings? What is my role as the teacher?
Chapter 4—Lighting the Fire of Discussion

Book clubs are energetic, loud, productive spaces. How can I
honor the authentic ways kids communicate without fear that
discussions will run amok? Which methods help students to
flourish as discussants of texts and of their ideas?
Chapter 5—Journeying Through Texts with Peers

Reading comprehension strategies help students journey
through texts together. How can I teach students to navigate
13
i nto Book Club s
fiction and nonfiction texts in their book clubs? What

scaffolding do students need to live confidently within the
pages of a text? Which methods help students to dive deep into
a text to make discoveries about themselves and the world?
Chapter 6—Living with Books All Year Long

Culminating activities are opportunities for students to
celebrate their club’s achievements. How can I create
meaningful and exciting ways to wrap up book club
journeys? How can I provide pathways for book club
experiences beyond our classroom doors?
14
i nto Book Club s
Fueling Discussions with Digital Texts

3.1 Pitfall: Club members are experiencing challenges with discussions.
Pathway: Consider using a short, engaging digital text to ignite discussion and fuel
students’ understanding of what makes a good conversation. Many special education and
English language learner teachers find digital texts particularly effective when working with
a wide variety of students. You can begin by selecting a photograph, advertisement, or short
video clip. If you decide to use a photograph, we recommend images of animals, scenic views,
or intriguing objects. You can see examples of these in Figure 3.13.
Begin your lesson as a whole class to closely examine the digital text. Ask students
to list any ideas, questions, or responses they have about the digital text. Then, create small,
random groups of students, and invite students to engage in a discussion about the digital
text in their small groups. There should be a buzz of conversation in your classroom. When
you come back together as a whole class, discuss and list all the different responses to the
digital text. Remind students that the buzz that just occurred is what we’re striving for in our
book club discussions.
Figure 3.13
Three Digital Text
Examples
66
visit https://www.heinemann.com/products/e07685.aspx. L aun ch in g a n d
M a na g i n g B ook Cl ub s
Revving Up Talk Through Practice Discussions

Pitfall: Club discussions may feel rigid at first, and students may need to practice having
3.2
authentic conversations.
Pathway: Begin by selecting a short, highly engaging text. Create small, random groups of
students. These are not the actual book clubs, but practice groups.
Provide copies of the text and read it aloud or silently as a whole class. When stu-
dents are finished, have them write or list any ideas, questions, or responses they have to the
text. Invite students to engage in a discussion about the text in their small groups.
Observe your students while they are talking, but do not intervene in their discus-
sions. Reconvene the class, and ask students, “Based on the experience you’ve just had with
your peers, what are some features of a good discussion?” (Some ideas may include sharing
different ideas, asking questions, listening, feeling heard, wanting to talk more.) Together,
create a chart titled What Are Features of a Good Discussion? See Figure 3.14 for an example.
Figure 3.14 What

Are the Features of
a Good Discussion?
Chart
67

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SONJA CHERRY-PAUL | DANA JOHANSEN

Offices and agents throughout the world

© 2019 by Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen

“Dedicated to Teachers” is a trademark of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Editor: Holly Kim Price

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

Foreword by Cornelius Minor viii

Chapter 1: Creating a Culture of Reading Through Book Clubs 1

Chapter 2: Organizing and Setting Up Book Clubs 15

Chapter 3: Launching and Managing Book Clubs 47

Making Book Clubs Go! Observing, Coaching, and Assessing 61

Chapter 4: Lighting the Fire of Discussion 78

Chapter 5: Journeying Through Texts with Peers 105

Chapter 6: Living with Books All Year Long 140

A Vision for Book Clubs

Becoming a Nation of Lifelong Readers

Adolescence is a critical time for reading. Although it may be

Book clubs improve students’ attitudes toward

Book clubs are opportunities for students to

Book clubs are spaces where students can

Book clubs help students have more in-depth

Book clubs allow students to see themselves in a

Book clubs honor the ways kids engage with

Figure 1.1 The Benefits of Book Clubs

As a result of our research, three major points jumped out at us.

prehension. We value book clubs because of their indelible influence on

Creating a Culture of Reading

Essential Components for Book Clubs

clubs. There’s practice time, when players exercise to increase stamina,

So Why This Book?

Chapter 2—Organizing and Setting Up Book Clubs

Chapter 3—Launching and Managing Book Clubs

Chapter 4—Lighting the Fire of Discussion

Chapter 5—Journeying Through Texts with Peers

fiction and nonfiction texts in their book clubs? What

Chapter 6—Living with Books All Year Long

Fueling Discussions with Digital Texts

Revving Up Talk Through Practice Discussions

Figure 3.14 What

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