May B. Book Club Kit Winner!

Winner of the May B. Book Club Kit*: Jennifer Jobin of the Merrimack (HN) Public Library

Here’s what she had to say about the Family Book Group:

Facilitated by Suzanne Wall, the Family Book Group is unique because it is child-led. Parent and child read the selected book at home together, then meet monthly, year round, for discussion. The book discussion starts off with one child providing information about the author of the book. Another child and parent will then lead the discussion with questions. The meetings conclude with a craft which is usually related to the theme and share a snack. This is a very dedicated and thoughtful group of readers, some whom have been attending this particular group for as long as five years. 

One of the parents had this to say: 

“The first time we attended a book club at the library I was struck by many things. I was impressed by the respectful nature of the group and the opportunities it provided for the participants.  Mostly, I was happy to be able to see my daughter participate in a book discussion.  It was like being able to be a fly on the wall in her classroom at school.  It is a golden opportunity to see your child in a very different setting – as an active participant in a conversation with her peers.  We have connected a lot by reading the same book, discussing the book, relating to parts of the book, etc….”

And…
It was incredibly hard to narrow things down to just one winner, so I’ve decided to add two runners up, as well.

First Runner Up**: Beth Catlin, fourth-grade teacher at Garfield Elementary in Clay Center, Kansas
Here’s what Beth shared about her classroom:

If we would win this kit, I would plan to set up the room with lamp light (battery powered lanterns — oil is not permitted anymore due to fire marshal regulations) to create a mood for the story. In January the days are, long, cold, and gray and it will reinforce what life was like in the early days of Kansas.

Second Runner Up**: Sarah Baldwin of Indonesia

Greetings from our steamy tropical island! With 23 miles of circumference and over a million people, our lives are very different from the pioneer Kansas backdrop of your latest book.  

We’ve formed a little international schooling environment with 3 teachers and 9 students. And these children LOVE to read! Our children’s lives are filled with the rich diversity of South East Asian culture, but we, as teachers, need to work a little harder at introducing them to the history of their passport country.

Thank you to everyone who entered! Your bookmarks will arrive soon…

* Kit includes the following:

• 10 copies of May B.
• discussion questions
• background on the storyline and setting
• copies of a literature-based assignment I’ve created called Where in the World Are We Reading (used successfully during my years teaching)
• ideas for social studies and poetry tie-ins (if applicable)
• bookmarks
• CD with book trailer
• interactive Skype visit

**Runners-up kit includes the following:

• 1 copy of May B.
• discussion questions
• background on the storyline and setting
• copies of a literature-based assignment I’ve created called Where in the World Are We Reading (used successfully during my years teaching)
• ideas for social studies and poetry tie-ins (if applicable)
• bookmarks
• CD with book trailer
• interactive Skype visit