Book Read Free

Second Chance

Page 21

by L. Divine


  the Book Club you’ve always wanted

  up and running!

  Enjoy!

  Start Your Own Book Club

  A Book Club is not only a great way to make friends, but it is also a fun and safe environment for you to express your views and opinions on everything from fashion to teen pregnancy. A Teen Book Club can also become a forum or venue to air grievances and plan remedies for problems.

  The People

  To start, all you need is yourself and at least one other person. There’s no criteria for who this person or persons should be other than having a desire to read and a commitment to discuss things during a certain time frame.

  The Rules

  Just as in Jayd’s life, sometimes even Book Club discussions can be filled with much drama. People tend to disagree with each other, cut each other off when speaking, and take criticism personally. So, there should be some ground rules:

  1. Do not attack people for their ideas or opinions.

  2. When you disagree with a book club member on a point, disagree respectfully. This means that you do not denigrate other people for their ideas or even their ideas, themselves, i.e., no name calling or saying, “That’s stupid!” Instead, say, “I can respect your position, however, I feel differently.”

  3. Back up your opinions with concrete evidence, either from the book in question or life in general.

  4. Allow everyone a turn to comment.

  5. Do not cut a member off when the person is speaking. Respectfully wait your turn.

  6. Critique only the idea (and do so responsibly; saying, “That’s stupid!” is not allowed). Do not criticize the person.

  7. Every member must agree to and abide by the ground rules.

  Feel free to add any other ground rules you think might be necessary.

  The Meeting Place

  Once you’ve decided on members, and agreed to the ground rules, you should decide on a place to meet. This could be the local library, the school library, your favorite restaurant, a bookstore, or a member’s home. Remember, though, if you decide to hold your sessions at a member’s home, the location should rotate to another member’s home for the next session. It’s also polite for guests to bring treats when attending a Book Club meeting at a member’s home. If you choose to hold your meetings in a public place, always remember to ask the permission of the librarian or store manager. If you decide to hold your meetings in a local bookstore, ask the manager to post a flyer in the window announcing the Book Club to attract more members if you so desire.

  Timing Is Everything

  Teenagers of today are all much busier than teenagers of the past. You’re probably thinking, “Between chorus rehearsals, the Drama Club, and oh yeah, my job, when will I ever have time to read another book that doesn’t feature Romeo and Juliet!” Well, there’s always time, if it’s time well-planned and time planned ahead. You and your Book Club can decide to meet as often or as little as is appropriate for your bustling schedules. Once a month is a favorite option. Sleepover Book Club meetings—if you’re open to excluding one gender—is also a favorite option. And in this day of high-tech, savvy teens, Internet Discussion Groups are also an appealing option. Just choose what’s right for you!

  Well, you’ve got the people, the ground rules, the place, and the time. All you need now is a book!

  The Book

  Choosing a book is the most fun. THE FIGHT is of course an excellent choice, and since it’s a series, you won’t soon run out of books to read and discuss. Your Book Club can also have comparative discussions as you compare the first book, THE FIGHT, to the second, SECOND CHANCE, and so on.

  But depending upon your reading appetite, you may want to veer outside of the Drama High series. That’s okay. There are plenty of options, many of which you will be able to find under the Dafina Books for Young Readers Program in the coming months.

  But don’t be afraid to mix it up. Nonfiction is just as good as fiction and a fun way to learn about from where we came without just using a history textbook. Science fiction and fantasy can be fun, too!

  And always, always research the author. You might find the author has a website where you can post your Book Club’s questions or comments. The author may even have an e-mail address available so you can correspond directly. Authors will also sit in on your Book Club meetings, either in person, or on the phone, and this can be a fun way to discuss the book as well!

  The Discussion

  Every good Book Club discussion starts with questions. SECOND CHANCE, as will every book in the Drama High series, comes along with a Reading Group Guide for your convenience, though of course, it’s fine to make up your own. Here are some sample questions to get started:

  1. What’s this book all about anyway?

  2. Who are the characters? Do we like them? Do they remind us of real people?

  3. Was the story interesting? Were real issues of concern to you examined?

  4. Were there details that didn’t quite work for you or ring true?

  5. Did the author create a believable environment—one that you could visualize?

  6. Was the ending satisfying?

  7. Would you read another book from this author?

  Record Keeper

  It’s generally a good idea to have someone keep track of the books you read. Often libraries and schools will hold reading drives where you’re rewarded for having read a certain number of books in a certain time period. Perhaps, a pizza party awaits!

  Get Your Teachers and Parents Involved

  Teachers and parents love it when kids get together and read. So involve your teachers and parents. Your Book Club may read a particular book where it would help to have an adult’s perspective as part of the discussion. Teachers may also be able to include what you’re doing as a Book Club in the classroom curriculum. That way books you love to read such as the Drama High ones can find a place in your classroom alongside the books you don’t love to read so much.

  Resources

  To find some new favorite writers, check out the following resources. Happy reading!

  Young Adult Library Services Association

  http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/yalsa.htm

  Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

  Hip-Hop!

  Teen Rap Titles

  http://www.carnegielibrary.org/teens/read/booklists/teen-rap.html

  TeensPoint.org

  What Teens Are Reading?

  http://www.teenspoint.org/reading_matters/book_list.asp?sort=5&list=274

  Teenreads.com

  http://www.teenreads.com/

  Sacramento Public Library

  Fantasy Reading for Kids

  http://www.saclibrary.org/teens/fantasy.html

  Book Divas

  http://www.bookdivas.com/

  Meg Cabot Book Club

  http://www.megcabotbookclub.com/

  DAFINA BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  850 Third Avenue

  New York, NY 10022

  Copyright © 2006 by L. Divine

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  Dafina Books and the Dafina logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-0-7582-8183-8

 

 

 


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