With schools closed or only partially open, you may be struggling with providing safe and productive interactions for your child with friends and classmates. One solution is to create a pandemic book club for your child and his or her friends or classmates. This will keep your child reading in the absence of traditional classroom reading and will also provide some interaction between classmates. Depending on your city and comfort level, your child’s book club can be virtual or in pandemic pods.
Pandemic pods are the nickname for small groups of 3–6 children who get together for homework with a parent or tutor. Your pandemic pod can also meet virtually if that’s more comfortable or safe. You should also consider the following when forming your pandemic pod:
- Is everyone around the same reading level? Check this so that all children can finish the book between meetings.
- Give children between 30 and 60 days to finish the book, depending on the amount of reading they’re additionally assigned in school.
- Not sure how much to read daily? The recommended reading is 30 minutes per night for grades 3–4.
- Meet with parents to come up with comprehension, discussion, and reflection questions. If possible, read the book before doing so.
- When your child finishes the book, meet virtually or safely in person with the kids and parents to discuss the questions created by parents.
- 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 your Kids’ Pandemic Book Club for grades 3–4 level reading:
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White: This classic story of love and friendship is a great book for your book club. This is a beginning chapter book, so your third or fourth graders should be able to read comfortably and independently.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Auggie, born with facial constructive differences, struggles to fit in. This is a more advanced chapter book, but tells the story of being yourself and acceptance. Wonder is an excellent addition to your book club, and will inspire reflective thinking in your children.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan: This is a coming-of-age novel that follows Esperanza as her family is forced to flee from their ranch in Mexico and travel to California. This eye-opening story will educate and inspire children about rising above challenges and adversity.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl: A classic chapter book of imaginative and colorful storytelling, this is one of Dahl’s most popular children’s novels. Explore your child’s own imagination in accompaniment with this book, and bring the story to life with yummy treats at your pandemic book club meetings.
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks: This is a more advanced chapter book, but an entertaining tale of little figurines come to life; most notably, a small Native American figurine befriends a little boy. This novel explores racial stereotypes and prejudice and how they can be overcome.
How Tia Lola Came to Stay by Julia Alvarez: After Miguel’s parents split up and he moved to Vermont, his Tia Lola came from the Dominican Republic to lend a hand. Miguel is initially embarrassed by his tia, who doesn’t exactly fit in, but he soon realizes the importance of his culture. This short novel is a great illustration of diversity, living in two cultures, and cultural identity.
Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne: This is not one novel but a series of chapter books that follow Jack and Annie, two siblings, as they travel through time. In any given story, they might be sailing the seas with Blackbeard or sitting at the round table with Camelot. This is a fun and classic chapter book that kids love.
If Kids Ran the World by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon: Written by two-time Caldecott medalists, this book tells the story of kindness in a world where kids are in charge. This book celebrates diversity, kindness, forgiveness, and charity. The end of the novel also includes ways that kids can help others in today’s world if they’re inspired by the story.
Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster: Follow along with Milo, a young boy who embarks on a journey through a magical tollbooth. The world he enters is nothing like the one he left, and is full of imagination and interesting people. Explore imagination in your own world after reading this classic story.
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner: If your children like adventure and mystery, they’ll love this chapter book series! Follow four siblings as they solve mystery after mystery, and fill your children’s head with curiosity and a drive to discover.
Once you have picked out your book for your book club, it’s recommended that you and other parents read it first. Doing so will give you a better grasp of the novel and the issues it explores, giving you a chance to approve it before your child reads it. Now that you’ve read it, create some questions that explore different parts of the novel. For example, if you pick Wonder, your questions could look something like this:
- Why does Auggie think he doesn’t fit in?
- What could Auggie’s classmates have done differently to show more compassion?
- How do Auggie’s parents use humor and comedy throughout the book?
- Have you ever felt like you haven’t fit in? Explain.
- Have you ever noticed someone else who had a hard time making friends? What did you do in that situation?
- What would you have done if you were Auggie? Would you feel the same, or would you feel differently?
- What do you think the main message of Wonder is?
Providing a mix of comprehension and reflective questions to your pandemic book club will help your children not only understand the book, but the message it’s trying to deliver. Fleshing that out in a discussion will help children carry this message (in Wonder’s case, about being yourself and showing compassion to others) into the real world, and will translate in their thoughts and actions.
If your child is having difficulty reading by him- or herself, turn book club reading into a family activity, reading aloud to your child. This will help your child process the issues or information being presented more effectively.
A Pandemic Book Club is just one solution to children’s decreased social interaction, but this is a great opportunity to discuss real-world issues with children. Include both classic novels, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and other novels that explore diversity, like Esperanza Rising or Wonder, to provide a well-rounded after-school curriculum for your child. Whether virtually, social distanced, or in pandemic pods, providing this activity for your child will be fun, engaging, and educational.
Be sure to check out How to Make a Virtual Kid’s Book Club for Grades 5-6
For more educational ideas and resources for grades PreK–8, subscribe to Evan-Moor’s free education newsletter.
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.
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.
Amy Michaels is a former teacher turned homeschooler. She creates fun learning activities based on popular children’s books. Connect with her at BookBrilliantKids.com
Kindergarten is an exciting and challenging grade to teach. As a parent, you are already your child’s first teacher. As you expand your role into an academic one, keep in mind that kindergarten-age children need a lot of guidance and direction as they engage in learning. They also need flexibility and opportunities to be creative and express themselves through a variety of hands-on activities. Their love of learning and your love for them is sure to result in many fun learning experiences at home. These tips and ideas will help you create your own homeschool kindergarten curriculum and schedule as well as foster your child’s love of learning.
Start the day with a morning mindfulness routine and transition into alphabet and number songs. The songs and chants provide a strong foundation for learning numbers and letters.
Creative Time
Exercise
Social and Emotional Learning
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr., and John Archambault: Introduce young children to alphabet letters and sounds or give them practice saying and identifying each letter/sound combination with this beginning reading book.
Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw and Margot Apple: This funny, rhyming picture book tells the story of a flock of sheep who get stuck in the country.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff: This is a cute picture book with fun and colorful illustrations about a mouse.
Franklin and the Tooth Fairy by Paulette Bourgeois: Franklin is a popular children’s character who faces relatable issues for young children. In this story, he is frustrated because his friends are losing teeth and he is not.
My First Bob Books: Pre-Reading Skills by Lynn Maslen Kertell: Get young children interested in reading with this beginner reading series. No reading skills are necessary to start with these beginner books.
Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.
Start the day with a positive attitude. Take time to create positive morning experiences that start your children off on the right foot. A few ideas could include:
If you are looking for a little extra to supplement your current curriculum, check out Evan-Moor’s 
No One Is Perfect: Teaching our children to embrace failure as a learning opportunity rather than a mistake helps them accept their mistakes and to keep challenging themselves to try new things. If we teach our children to be afraid of mistakes, they won’t want to try new things and embrace their creativity. I love the quote by Thomas Edison, who said, “Have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Instead of using perfection as a measurement tool, use improvement. Create some goals with your child for the week/month in areas he or she wants to improve. Have an honest discussion about something he or she would like to get better at. Examples could be: 
Challenge Yourself: Part of teaching children to embrace challenge is helping them understand the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. Often, some of the most rewarding experiences in life come from hard work, commitment, and perseverance. 
No Comparison: The secret to a happy life is to not compare yourself to others. The quicker children learn this habit the better. Recognizing personal strengths in themselves and in friends can help your child understand the futility of comparison. Help your child identify three things he or she does really well and three things that are more difficult.
No Fear: Part of developing a growth mindset is accepting that it is normal to feel fear, but how we deal with that fear is the determining factor in success or failure. Teaching children to challenge their fear and persevere despite it is a great life lesson. Teach your child coping strategies for managing anxiety-producing activities. 
Gratitude: Every day can be a good day if you choose it. Fostering a thankful and positive attitude has an enormous impact children’s happiness. Learning early on that happiness is a decision and not an outcome is a wonderful gift. One exercise for fostering gratitude is to choose three things each day to be thankful for. “Happiness depends more on the internal frame of mind of a person’s own mind than on the externals in the world.” -George Washington
One summer my daughter attended a summer camp that taught her the rose, rosebud, and thorn challenge. She loved it so much that we continue the tradition every evening before bed. It gives us the opportunity to do a self-check-in about the day and our emotions.
A curiosity project is basically a mini research project, in which children use inquiry-based research about whatever topic they’re interested in to create a presentation on that topic. The topic can be anything they’re interested in: dolphins, superheroes, WWII, skateboarding, soccer, painting, etc. As long as children are interested and curious about their subject, they will be motivated to research it.
Music education is an easy subject that is often overlooked by parents, but it is a very important subject to teach. Children with access to music education achieve higher academic scores, advanced social skills, and an overall confidence boost, so it is a subject that should be included in our teachings, whether in the classroom or at home.
Lisa Vitarisi Mathews is Evan-Moor’s executive editor. She has over 20 years’ experience in PreK–8 education, and has worked closely with teachers across the United States through Evan-Moor product training and workshops.