book Clubs

Discussion Questions

Here are general questions that can be used with just about any fiction or nonfiction book, but keep scrolling for book-specific questions. 

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Fiction

1. Would you give this book a thumbs up or thumbs down? Why?

2. What have you read that was similar to this book?

3. What was your favorite part?

4. Did anything happen in the book that made you really mad or frustrated?

5. Which character are you the most like? What about the least like?

6. Did you lose interest at any point or did it keep your attention the whole time? 

7. If you could change the ending, what would you like to see happen?

8. If you could give the book another title, what would it be?

9. Do you think this book would make a better TV show or movie? Who would you cast as the characters?

10. If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?

11. What do you think about the book's cover? Does it make sense with the story or would you have picked something else? Are the hardcover and paperback covers different? What about updated or past editions?

12. Was there one big thing you took away from this book?

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Nonfiction

1. Did you know anything about this setting or topic before you read the book?

2. What did you learn that you didn't know before?

3. Did the book read like a story, a report, or something else?

4. Would you like to travel to the place(s) described in the book? Why or why not?

5. What mistakes did the people make before, during, or after the events described in this book?

6. What would you have done if you were faced with the challenges described in the book?

7. Do you believe everything the author told you or are you skeptical about anything?

8. Will you read other books by this author?

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Icebreakers

Use these fun games to help your participants get to know one another, set nerves at ease, and engage.

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Transformation  

The silliest rock, paper, scissors tournament you'll ever play. A teacher shared this great game with me that works for 6+ people.

Instructions

1. ​All players begin as an egg - Arch hands over your head to imitate being inside an egg and make a high-pitched "me-me-me" sound. I don't know why eggs make that sound, but it's more fun and silly if they do. 

2. Walk around the room to find another "egg" and play rock, paper, scissors.

3. The rock, paper, scissors winner levels up and transforms into a dinosaur.

4. Dinosaurs walk around with T-rex-style claws, making dinosaur roars until they find another dinosaur to play rock, paper, scissors.

5. If dinosaurs win, they become chickens, but if they lose, they devolve into eggs and must find another egg to keep playing. 

 

​Here is a sample transformation chain, but feel free to mix it up with book characters or other creatures!

• Egg: Hands arched over head & make "me-me-me" sound

• Dinosaur: T-Rex style claws with a dinosaur-ish roar

• Chicken: Arms bent into wings and clucking

• Superhero: Superman flying pose with an optional cry of “faster than a speeding bullet!” or "Zoom!"

• Alien: Fingers make antenna on top of head, with a “biggle biggle” type noise

 

My Name Is and I Like To...(Standing Version)  

A great game for introductions & learning names for groups of 8 or less. More than 8 can be fun, but too time-consuming.

Instructions

1. Stand in a circle. One player says, "My name is ___ and I like to ___ (insert hobby and act out a motion to represent that hobby).

2. The rest of the group echoes what was said and the motion. For example, "My name is Marta and I like to ski (bounce side to side like skiing down a hill)." 

3. The next person repeats the process, and the group repeats the first person's name and action, followed by the second person's name and action.  

4. To see a video of this game in action, check out Ultimate Camp Resource. 

 

My Name Is and I Like To...(Sitting Version)  

Exactly like the standing version, but instead of motions, each person must say something they like that begins with the same letter as their first name. For example, "My name is Marta, and I like mittens," or "My name is James, and I like Jellybeans." After each person has shared what they like, the group must repeat each one. 

 

Birth Order Line Up

Challenge the kids to line up in birth order without talking to each other.