Family Book Club: January Edition

Hello, 2018! We are back with a new year and a new roundup of family favorites. These four books for January are great to read individually, or out loud to younger kids. Starting with this month’s edition, we’ve expanded upon the book club meeting ideas and discussion questions with more details about the author of the book. So go ahead and set up some family resolutions to read more this year, and learn more in the process. With everything from a funny crime novel to a sophisticated picture book about a famous boxer, there is sure to be something for everyone this month.  

About the Author: Kate Davies lives in London and once worked at the famous Buckingham Palace. While she never met the Queen, she did sell tea towels to tourists. A children’s book editor, she has been a part of the publishing industry for a long time, however this is her first middle grade novel. In her spare time, she performs improv comedy (hence the hilarity within this book) and apparently loves cheese. 

For the Meeting: Invite everyone to the meeting with a mysterious, and unsigned, note. Once gathered, serve up some tea and scones for a distinctly British feel. Adopt an English accent, if you dare, and see how long you can keep it up. Don’t be surprised if your kids pull out some bathroom humor during the discussion. 

Questions for Discussion: 

• How can being around other people inspire good habits? 
• How do some friends or classmate encourage bad habits? 
• Have you ever had to prove your own innocence or that of a friend? 
• What do you expect to happen in the next novel of this series? 

About the Author: Gene Luen Yang was born in California to Chinese parents. As a child, he wanted to grow up and work for Disney. But in elementary school, his Mom took him to the book store and he purchased his first comic book. His love for comics and stories quickly took hold and Yang has since published many comics. American Born Chinese is his first graphic novel, earning him numerous accolades and awards. Most notably, he was named to the 2016 class of the MacArthur Fellows Program (known to many as the “genius grant”). Yang was also appointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in 2016 and he continues to advocate for graphic novels as an excellent learning instrument.  

For the Meeting: Gather your family together over a traditional Chinese meal—or take out will do. Just be sure to save the fortune cookies for the end. To get everyone’s creative juices flowing, put out some blank paper and pencils and encourage everyone to draw one comic strip relating to the story. 

Questions for Discussion: 

• Was the graphic novel format an effective way for the author to tell his story? 
• What can be learned from the story about the Monkey King? 
• What is a stereotype and what stereotypes did you see in this book? 
• Have you ever been new to a situation? What was that like for you? How could you help others who new to school or a sports team? 

About the Author: Born in France, Verne went to boarding school at the age of six, wrote his first book as a teenager, and lived in Paris during the French Revolution of 1848. Originally destined for work in law by following in his father’s footsteps, Verne set out into the literary world instead. He met a blind traveler, Jacques Arago, that inspired a new genre for Verne: travel writing. He eventually took a job, married, and spent all his spare time writing and researching at the library. An opportunity to travel by boat inspired Verne’s writing and he eventually published several voyage-themed books, including From the Earth to the Moon, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in 80 Days. As his success grew, so did his love for boats. He bought his own ship, named Saint-Michel after his only son, and upgraded it twice over the years. Credited as an originator of the steampunk genre, Verne died in 1905 at the age of 77, leaving a literary legacy for generations to come. 

For the Meeting: Try a sampling of foods fit for a multitude of regions. Think cucumber sandwiches, croissants, and chutney together with egg rolls, chicken curry, barbecue ribs, and Spanish rice. No one will leave this meeting hungry. For the discussion, pull out a map of the world and plot the different points of interest for the novel. 

Questions for Discussion: 

• Considering this book was published in 1872 (before airplane travel), did you think Fogg could travel the world in 80 days when you first started reading? Why or why not? 
• How is travel in the late 1800s different from travel today? 
• What kind of cultural experiences did Fogg have on his journey? 
• Do you think author Verne would have wanted to complete a journey like this? Would you? 

About the Author: Winner of the Coretta Scott King Honor Author Award for this book, Smith always wanted to be a writer. Starting with simple poems and stories, Smith went on to be a part of his high school’s yearbook staff as both a writer and a photographer. Today, Smith works as both a children’s author and a photographer. He has more than thirty books to his credit! A strong role model, especially for boys, Smith fills a distinctive book niche with sports, music, and hero-themed pieces. Born in California, Smith now lives across the country outside New York City and moonlights as a personal trainer and Mixed Martial Arts coach.  

For the Meeting: Legend has it Ali liked baked chicken, peas, and macaroni and cheese for dinner. This makes a perfect menu for a family book club meeting. For dessert, put a candle on your sweet treat of choice in honor of Ali’s January birthday. Don’t pull out the boxing gloves for discussion, but do prepare to discuss heavy topics such as war, racism, and Parkinson’s disease. 

Questions for discussion: 

• What did you think of the writing style of this book? 
• How did the illustrations help you understand the text and information the author was trying to convey? 
• Why do we look up to Olympic athletes with such respect and admiration? 
• If you could sum up Muhammad Ali’s life in one sentence, what would it be?