My daughter's first choice in books is any in the fantasy area.

It's my last choice.
In fact, other than Narnia and a handful of

The truth of the matter is, with five kids, four of whom are independent readers, I can't possibly read all of the books they are currently reading. Too many books. Not enough hours. So, how can I create a lovely literary culture in my home when everyone is reading books that I've not read myself?

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Well, culture is created in everyday choices. It's what sets one family apart from all the others. It's a demonstration of what is important to you. And I think what most folks just don't understand sometimes is that in a digital, screen-driven age, a literary home doesn't just happen. A home where books are a part of the family rhythm and culture has to be built on purpose.

Let me explain...

If we were the hunting family, we'd buy guns, schedule trips to the woods, and have discussions about hunting seasons past and present. If we were the musical family, we'd have instruments, go to concerts, and have discussions of the latest tunes on the radio. We'd build those cultures on purpose by prioritizing our purchases, our time, and our discussions.

But, we're not the hunting or the musical family.

We're the reading family. So, we buy books, read together, and have discussions about all of our favorites.

Creating culture on purpose really is that simple. All you need is stuff, time, and great conversations. You stir all of these together and get a family flavor. A culture.

The great conversation

that's not a conversation. A conversation is deep and meaningful with both participants tugging and being tugged by one another.

A conversation happens with a spark...one well-chosen question or statement that gets the words flowing.

Here are twelve simple questions you can use to jumpstart a lovely conversation with your kids about ANY book...from Green Eggs and Ham to War and Peace. Pinky swear.

10 Discussion Questions for ANY Book

Even if you haven't read a book yourself, you can still have a lively discussion about it. You just have to learn to ask the proper questions. So often, we, as parents, default to the canned question, "How did you like the book?" Naturally, we receive the equally canned answer, "It was good." But,not a conversation. A conversation is deep and meaningful with both participants tugging and being tugged by one another.A conversation happens with a spark...one well-chosen question or statement that gets the words flowing.Here are twelve simple questions you can use to jumpstart a lovely conversation with your kids about ANY book...fromtoPinky swear.

1. What new idea or information did you learn from this book? 
2. What was the most upsetting part of the book?
3. Were you satisfied with the way the book ended? Why or why not?
4. If you were to write the book, how would you change it?
5. Which character did you most identify with? 
6. How could that character change to develop the story better?
7. How does reading the story now, in this moment of history, change the story from the author's moment?
8. What emotion do you think the author wanted you to feel after you finished the book?
9. What led you to believe that?
10. What is the biggest point of tension in the book?

Head here to print out the quick-start questions. Keep them at the ready for the next time your child finishes a book.

A final word

As with anything in life, you can have too much of a good thing. Be careful about over-discussing a book. We, as homeschoolers, have a tendency to make a "lesson" out of everything. Sometimes it's OK for your kids to enjoy a story simply for the sheer enjoyment of it. When we always default to a Q&A session or we bombard them with comprehension-style questions, we unwittingly cloak reading in the words ASSIGNMENT, which is the very opposite of the culture we are trying to build. 

Looking for some good book suggestions?

Once a month I email a book list to the members of the Biblio-files community . Every title on the list has been personally read and vetted by me and has been compiled by age range in order to help you navigate the library with your kids. In addition, I also include a few books that you should be aware of--books that contain explicit language, sexual agenda, graphic violence, etc. so that you can make an educated decision when/if your kids should ever be interested in reading any of them. What's more, members are invited to join me in a private Facebook group where we help each other find just the right books for our kids. We'd love to have you join us!

It's my last choice.In fact, other than Narnia and a handful of Narnia-esque titles , I kind of can't stand most books in that genre. (I like to keep my feet firmly planted in reality, thank you very much!) But, I don't let that stop me from having great discussions with her about a book even if I haven't read it myself.The truth of the matter is, with five kids, four of whom are independent readers, I can't possibly read all of the books they are currently reading. Too many books. Not enough hours. So, how can I create a lovely literary culture in my home when everyone is reading books that I've not read myself?Well, culture is created in everyday choices. It's what sets one family apart from all the others. It's a demonstration of what is important to you. And I think what most folks just don't understand sometimes is that in a digital, screen-driven age, a literary home doesn't just happen. A home where books are a part of the family rhythm and culture has to be built on purpose.Let me explain...If we were the hunting family, we'd buy guns, schedule trips to the woods, and have discussions about hunting seasons past and present. If we were the musical family, we'd have instruments, go to concerts, and have discussions of the latest tunes on the radio. We'd build those culturesby prioritizing our purchases, our time, and our discussions.But, we're not the hunting or the musical family.We're the reading family. So, we buy books, read together, and have discussions about all of our favorites.Creating culture on purpose really is that simple. All you need is stuff, time, and great conversations. You stir all of these together and get a family flavor. A culture.

Resources / Groups & Clubs

50 Book Club Questions for Any Selection

Posted by Michelle Boudin

Ready to read? And then talk about it with friends? We're making things as easy as possible with this list of book club questions that will keep your group chatting well into the night. All you need to do now is provide fun snacks — and of course, read the book!

General Book Club Questions

1. What is the significance of the title? Did you find it meaningful, why or why not?
2. Would you have given the book a different title? If yes, what would your title be?
3. What were the main themes of the book? How were those themes brought to life?
4. What did you think of the writing style and content structure of the book?
5. How important was the time period or the setting to the story? Did you think it was accurately portrayed?
6. How would the book have played out differently in a different time period or setting?
7. Which location in the book would you most like to visit and why?
8. Were there any quotes (or passages) that stood out to you? Why?
9. What did you like most about the book? What did you like the least?
10. How did the book make you feel? What emotions did it evoke?
11. Are there any books that you would compare this book to?
12. Have you read any other books by this author? How would you compare them to this selection?
13. What do you think the author's goal was in writing this book? What ideas were they trying to illustrate? What message were they trying to send?
14. What did you learn from this book?
15. Did this book remind you of any other books that you've read? Describe the connection.
16. Did your opinion of this book change as you read it? How?
17. Would you recommend the book to a friend? How would you summarize the story if you were to recommend it?
18. Was the book satisfying to read? Why or why not?
19. If you could talk to the author, what burning question would you want to ask?

Coordinate book club snacks and hosts with a sign up. View an Example

Book Club Questions About the Characters

20. Which character did you most relate to and why?
21. Who was your favorite character? Why?
22. Which character or moment prompted the strongest emotional reaction for you? Why?
23. What motivates the actions of each of the characters in the book?
24. Did the characters seem believable to you? Did they remind you of anyone you know?
25. Were the characters clearly drawn and depicted?
26. If the book were made into a movie, who would play each of the lead characters?
27. What were the power dynamics between the characters and how did that affect their interactions?
28. How does the way the characters see themselves differ from the way others see them?
29. Were there times you disagreed with a character's actions? What would you have done differently?
30. Which character would you most like to meet in real life?

Plan a book club volunteer outing with a sign up. View an Example

Book Club Questions About the Plot

31. What scene would you point out as the pivotal moment in the narrative? How did it make you feel?
32. What scene resonated with you most on a personal level? (Why? How did it make you feel?)
33. What surprised you most about the book? Why? Were there significant plot twists and turns? If so, what were they?
34. Were there any plot twists that you loved? Hated?
35. Did the author do a good job of organizing the plot and moving it along?
36. What was your favorite chapter and why?
37. What (if any) questions do you still have about the plot?

 

 

Book Club Questions About the Ending

38. How did you feel about the ending? How might you change it?
39. How have the characters changed by the end of the book?
40. What do you think will happen next to the main characters?
41. Have any of your personal views changed because of this book? If so, how?

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Book Club Questions by Genre

Mysteries

42. At what point in the book did you have an idea what was going on? What was the key clue that gave it away?
43. How did the author build the tension?
44. Did the ending answer all your questions? Did you think it was believable or too farfetched?

Memoirs

45. How honest do you think the author was?
46. What aspects of the story could you most relate to?
47. Why do you think the author chose to write their memoir?

Romance

48. Were you rooting for the couple to get together all along? Why or why not?
49. Did the plot make sense or were there some gaps/liberties taken to help get the couple together (or keep them apart)?
50. What songs did you think of while reading this book? (For extra fun: make a playlist!)

A book club can be a great way to both get you reading and get you together with friends with similar interests who you might not otherwise see on a regular basis. With these questions in hand, all you need is a good book, great food and a lively discussion.

Michelle Boudin is an investigative reporter for WCNC TV and a freelance writer.

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