Each month, we'll read and discuss a different upper elementary novel! This book club blends pleasure reading and novel study-- we'll discuss what we love (or dislike!) about the book, as well as theme, symbolism, characters, and structure.

2024 Selections:

January: A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga

February: The Wondercurrent by J. R. Parks

March: The Last Beekeeper by Pablo Cartaya

April: Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A. F. Steadman

May: Grounded by Aisha Saeed, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, and S. K. Ali 

June: The Last Human: A Novel by Lee Bacon

July: The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

August: New Kid by Jerry Craft

September: The Last Wild by Piers Torday

October: Took by Mary Downing Hahn

November: The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez 

December: Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen

As a professional author, I love talking about books with students-- and I especially love urging them to dig deep and think about books beyond a simple "I liked it" or "I didn't like it". This class seeks to engage students in meaningful discussion about books while also touching on literary devices like symbolism, foreshadowing, tone, and voice.

We will read modern books that should appeal to a multitude of readers-- even reluctant ones! While I love the classics as much as the next person, I think it's important for students to see that reading "smart" isn't just for dusty old books-- and that spotting literary devices can feel like cracking a secret code that helps you love and understand books on a deeper level.

**Students should attend the first class having read approximately one-third of the chosen book.**

While reading ahead isn't "against the rules", please encourage your student not to get too far ahead, lest they risk accidentally revealing spoilers to the other readers. Please note that we read one book per month/per session, and that it is the student's responsibility to acquire and read the first one-third of the chosen book before class begins. These books are widely available wherever books are sold or borrowed, as well as in e-book format.