Ainsley Arment - Wild and Free Book Club

WILD + FREE BOOK CLUB . Copyright 2021 by Ainsley Arment. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of
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FIRST EDITION

Cover design: HarperCollins
Illustrations: Gisela Goppel
Cover photograph: Kristin Rogers

Design adapted by Nancy Singer
from the series design by Janet Evans-Scanlon

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been
applied for.

Digital Edition MAY 2021 ISBN: 978-0-06-306825-4
Version 04092021
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-299821-7

CONTENTS

From the Mixed-Up Files of
Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler 69

The Lion, the Witch and
the Wardrobe 102

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of
NIMH 123

Collaborating with Great
Authors 134

The Vanderbeekers of
141st Street 179

A s a child, I spent countless hours in the woods behind my house, getting lost in an imaginary world. There was a giant rock that I used to pretend was my fortress, which kept me safe from the lurking wolves and other wild animals. My parents read to me a lot, and these stories became the impetus for endless hours of imaginative play. From secret worlds to seafaring expeditions, all of my play re- volved around literature.

As I got older and became less interested in adventuring, reading still remained a favor- ite pastime. I often took my books outside to a quiet place in the yard or even to a perch in my favorite tree. Books are their own kind of portal. Something magical happens when you read a good book, and there is nothing like getting lost in a story that makes you wish you could live there for a time.

As a bibliophile, I have a huge passion for helping kids fall in love with books and getting them hooked on literature while theyre still young, so theyll come back again and again wanting more. Not every child falls in love with reading at the same age. Some do right away, but for others, it can take years. If you have a child who pre- fers anything and everything except read- ing, you are not alone. Sometimes children fall in love with experiences before they fall in love with words.

Book clubs are a great way to bring a book to life, whether your child enjoys reading or not. Children dont have to love reading to develop a love for literature. Its a gift you can bestow on them through consis- tent exposure and creative experiences.

When I hosted my first book club, I had no idea how much my children and their __________

friends would love it. We were reading Treasure Island and celebrated the book with adventure games in the backyard, discussion questions in the living room, and pirate snacks around the dining room table. The kids left the gathering bursting with excitement and asking when we would do it again. I overheard a few children beg- ging their mother to finish reading the rest of the book to them when they got home.

You dont have to be an amazing organizer to host a book club. And you definitely dont need to be well read or have an En- glish degree. The goal is to get kids and their parents reading great books together and encourage others to join you in bring- ing the story to life. While it takes some __________

time, effort, and planning to get ready for a book club, its more than worth it.

Ive collected twenty-eight of my favorite book club ideas from Wild + Free moth- ers using some of their favorite books and activities. I hope this makes it easier for you to establish a book club so your family and friends can enjoy literature together. Among these books, arranged alphabet- ically by title, youll find something for everyone. From adventure tales to animal stories, from classics to modern favorites, youre sure to find stories and activities that will delight, educate, and inspire. If you do host a book club, be sure to tag your photos #wildandfreebookclub so we can share in your experience.

AINSLEY ARMENT

Editor | @ainsl3y

E xperiencing books through book clubs helps bring these stories to life and ensures that they stay rooted in our chil- drens hearts for a lifetime. Although you can use the material in this book exactly as its presented here, this book is meant to be a source of inspiration for your cre- ativity. Feel free to adapt your gathering based on your own ideas and context. Heres how to host your own book club.

BEFORE THE GATHERING

Give your attendees plenty of time to read the book. Send out invitations four to six weeks before the event. Provide the details, including the book title, date, time, and location.

Encourage your guests to read the book before the gathering, perhaps choosing a time each day to read a chapter aloud. Children of any age can participate in read- ing aloud, and even the younger ones pick up on so much.

About a week or two before the actual gathering, send an email to the attendees __________

with a list of food items needed so that each family can sign up to bring something. Cast the vision for the theme and invite the children to come dressed in character. I find it helpful to send a reminder email the day before the event.

Gather any needed supplies and invite your guests to help with the preparation. Not everyone will jump at the opportunity, but you may be surprised by their enthu- siasm to help. Not only will their participa- tion make your job easier, but preparation is more fun to do together!

Prepare any themed music, food, and decor to welcome attendees to the gath- ering. Part of the fun is helping the children feel like they are entering the world of the book. You can have your kids help you with preparing and setting up the decorations.

DURING THE GATHERING

As guests arrive, gather the kids in a cozy spot and start the discussion by asking them to share a favorite scene, character, or part of the book. Children are always eager to participate and share! Then ask the kids __________

questions about the book, starting with the simplest ones. Use the questions included here or some of your own.

After the book discussion, move on to the activities, crafts, and games. You can always return to the food table for more treats if youd like, and then hand out part- ing gifts as the children are leaving.

VIRTUAL GATHERINGS

You could also host a virtual gathering by reading a book with friends or family members in another location and then celebrating together with online games, video chats, and even dressing up!

THE
ADVENTURES OF
TOM SAWYER

BY MARK TWAIN

W hen you read a book like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , its impossible for the images and feel- ings not to linger in your heart and mind for days and even years to come. A book full of stories of a child going on his own adventures is sure to spark ideas for your own kids! By giving children space to explore, discover, and live out their own adventures in an unstructured way, their imaginations can fully take flight, and they can enjoy the wonder of learning.

THE GATHERING

This is the perfect book club to host at a local park or near a creek, where the chil- dren can wade ankle-deep into the water and catch tadpoles. Nature is a portal to a whole other world of imagination and ex- ploration. Certainly, Tom Sawyer would not have had half of the adventures he did without time spent on the river or in the cave on a secret island with Huck and Joe.