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Great Group Reads 2016

October 19, 2016 Bookmark, Themed Book Lists, WNBA Great Group Reads
The Woman's National Book Association presents its list of Great Group Reads for National Reading Group Month

Reading Group Choices is pleased to share the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) Great Group Reads 2016 list, part of their National Reading Group Month initiative!

This annual month-long celebration provides an opportunity for reading groups worldwide to celebrate their accomplishments and plan for the future. It’s also a perfect time to join or start a reading group! Every October, WNBA organizes events nationwide and announces an annual list of book selections for reading groups: Great Group Reads.

Great Group Reads 2016

Blackass by A.

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How to Choose the Next Book to Discuss

October 16, 2016 Advice, Bookmark

There are so many ways groups can choose the books they will read, but how do you figure out what works best specifically for your group?

In our annual survey, which we send out to our reading groups, readers have listed a number of options for selecting books, and many groups said they had to try out a few methods before finding the right fit – kind of like Goldilocks!

Some groups might have members with busy schedules who don’t have time to host and/or prepare to lead discussion. Some members might be happy having the choices left to a committee so that they can just show up and participate.

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Reading Group Choices Interview with Ali Benjamin

October 16, 2016 Author Interviews, Bookmark
One of our recommended books is The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Reading Group Choices talks to Ali Benjamin about her YA novel The Thing About Jellyfish.

While the setting took Reading Group Choices back to middle school memories (some fond, some not so fond), the issues and struggles were ageless. We found much to discuss about grief, individuality, friendship, bullying, and the different actions that can be used in place of words. And Ali Benjamin kindly agreed to answer a few questions for us!

Reading Group Choices: You have a really interesting background as a writer in how varied it is—nonfiction articles,

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Literary Costume Ideas

October 12, 2016 Bookmark, Themed Book Lists

Here are a few costume ideas from our groups favorite books that’ll make you and your group look both spooky and smart this year.

 

New to the Scene:
Constance Kopp from Lady Cop Makes Trouble

Lady Cop Makes Trouble


The book: Based on the Kopp sisters’ real-life adventures, Girl Waits with Gun introduced the sensational lives of Constance Kopp and her unconventional sisters to an army of enthusiastic readers. This second installment, also ripped from the headlines,

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Tips for Author Skype Chats

September 21, 2016 Advice, Bookmark

A Few Tips for Successful Author Skype Chats!

1. Prepare questions for the author in advance of your meeting. You can use your own questions, and consider questions from Reading Group Choices and other sources too.

2. Meet 30 minutes prior to the Skype Chat so you can get set-up and comfortable, and ask each other any last minute questions.

3. You can choose to have a moderator with a loud clear voice handle the questions, or you can take turns asking questions. You’ll know what will work best for your group!

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Reading Group Choices Interview with Allison Amend

September 12, 2016 Author Interviews, Bookmark
One of our recommended books is Enchanted Islands by Allison Amend

We talk to Allison Amend about her novel inspired by the Galapagos, Enchanted Islands.

Reading Group Choices enjoyed following Frances, the protagonist of the novel by Allison Amend, to Chicago, Nebraska, San Francisco, and of course the Galapagos Islands. And we found it an especially fitting read for the end of the summer. We had an interesting discussion about chance and circumstance, and Allison kindly agreed to answer a few questions for us!

Reading Group Choices: Once you decided you were going to write about Frances Conway,

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