Finding a productive activity to stave off your child’s pandemic-induced boredom just got easier! Make your very own pandemic kids’ book club with your child’s classmates and friends! This is a fun activity that will keep children busy, entertained, and provide quality reading time that they may not be getting with online or hybrid schooling. The first step to forming your own book club is getting a group together, which can be done virtually or in pandemic pods.

Pandemic pods are small groups of 3-6 children that get together to do homework or discuss a book with a parent or tutor. It is rising in popularity to provide students with safe social interaction with classmates and an imitation of a traditional school setting. Pandemic pods can meet virtually according to your county’s safety regulations, but regardless of how you meet, here are a few things to consider when creating your pandemic book club pod:

• Ensure that the children in your pandemic pod are around the same reading level so that they can all comfortably finish the assigned book.
• Give children 30 or more days to finish the book, depending on how much reading they are additionally assigned in school.
• If you’re struggling to set a pace for your child, the recommended reading for grades 4-5 is 30 minutes daily.
• Meet with parents remotely to discuss comprehension and reflective questions that you can ask your child when they’re done with the book.
• If possible, read the book before your child does.
• When the children finish the book, meet safely or virtually to discuss the questions, both comprehensive and reflective.
• Make Book Club a fun experience by providing themed snacks or treats, asking friends to dress like a character, suggesting a related art project, or watching a related movie.

Below are 10 suggestions for the 4th-5th grade reading level book club:

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan: This book series brings history and fantasy to life in an entertaining book series. The book follows 12-year old Percy as he discovers that he is part of a world he thought was fake: Greek mythology. Percy brings the reader on adventures and his quest to save the day; this book series is great for readers who like fiction.

Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis: This is a seven-book series that follows four siblings as they stumble into a world of knights, adventure, and magical animals. This is a fantasy book series that never fails to entertain children. After your child has read the book, reward them with a movie viewing party of the film adaptation!

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: This autobiography tells the story of Malala’s incredible heroism, just a young girl who stands up to the Taliban in a fight for women’s rights. This is an incredibly inspirational true story that will inspire children everywhere to stand up for what’s right, and is especially impactful for young girls in their own journeys.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen: Thirteen year old Brian is left stranded in a Canadian forest after his two-man plane goes down and he is the only survivor. Equipped with just a hatchet and his wits, Brian must fight to survive long enough to be rescued. Follow his efforts in this exciting survivalist novel.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds: Ghost is just a young middle school kid, running away from his problems and his past. When he is placed on an elite track team with other kids who are vastly different from each other, he must fight his past to compete in the Junior Olympics. This is a great story of diversity, adversity, and embracing one’s past.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: This classic chapter book that brings magic to life is always a hit for kids. Follow 11 year old orphan Harry as he discovers his real identity, and it leads him on countless adventures in the magical world. This seven book series will keep your child entertained for months, and is paired with excellent film adaptations as rewards for reading!

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper: Meet Melony, an 11 year old genius who has cerebral palsy. Despite having a photographic memory and being the smartest kid in school, Melony struggles to show or tell anyone because of her disability. This is an excellent addition to your book club and educates children on disabilities and empathy.

Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene: Nancy Drew is a hometown detective, famous in her small city for her ability to solve crimes and mysteries that left the police stumped! With her best friends by her side, Nancy takes on mystery after mystery in this massive book series.

Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon: Meet the Hardy Boys, the male counterparts of Nancy Drew. The Hardy Boys are two brothers who take on their own mysteries in their hometown and other cities who ask their help. If your child enjoys this series or Nancy Drew, check out the crossover stories called Super Mystery.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell: In the 19th century, a 12 year old Native American girl is left stranded on a small island off the coast of California. This historical fiction novel tells her story of survival, and is loosely based on a true story of a brave young woman named Juana Maria.

Once you’ve selected a book for your kid’s book club, it’s recommended that you read it first. In addition to being able to come up with better questions for your book club, it also gives parents a chance to understand the issues presented in the book, and approve it for your children. To prepare for the book club, come up with a list of questions, some comprehensive and some reflective, so your child can not only understand the novel but learn from it in a real-world sense. Some examples of questions for Harry Potter are:

• Why is Harry so surprised when everyone in the magical world knows his name?
• Why did Harry grow up with his aunt and uncle? How did they treat him?
• Was it better for Harry to grow up not knowing who he was? Why or why not?
• What was Harry’s reaction Christmas morning when he woke up with presents? Why did he react this way?
• Why was Hermione upset, and how did she end up in the bathroom with the troll?
• Have you ever known someone who had a hard time making friends?
• How can you do little kindnesses to make someone’s day better?
• At the end of the book, how did each of the trio’s talents come into play? What does that tell you about how everyone is different and unique?

Make reading time easier or more fun for your child by turning book club reading into read-a-loud for the family! This will also help them understand the book better because they can ask questions as they read.

Pandemic Book Club within your pandemic pods is just a supplemental form of social interaction for children during COVID, but it can be highly beneficial. In addition to achieving the recommended reading time per day, your child will get to interact with the reading in a fun and new way. With a mix of classic novels, like Nancy Drew, adventurous fiction, like Percy Jackson, and books that teach real-world problems, like Ghost, your child will learn valuable lessons through reading.

Be sure to check out How to Make a Virtual Kids’ Book Club for Grades 3–4

 

For more educational ideas and resources for grades PreK–8, subscribe to Evan-Moor’s free education newsletter. 

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Christine Wooler has experience working with children as a youth soccer coach and summer camp counselor. She is currently studying English Literature and journalism in college. She enjoys exploring educational topics that help students have fun while learning.