Book Clubs for Teens, Families, and Parents
by Genya Coffey
The Youth Services Department at Ames Public Library is offering four engaging book clubs this winter which offer a space for teens, families, and parents to connect through reading. Each program is free and open to the public.
Teens have two options for monthly book club experiences. Both are held in the library’s Teen Space on Friday’s after school. The Teen Silent Book Club meets on the first two Friday’s of each month at 4pm. It offers a relaxed environment where teens (6th-12th graders) bring any book and enjoy quiet reading time alongside other teens. Snacks are provided, and no discussion is required. For teens who would like more conversation, the Teen Book vs. Movie Book Club and Movie Night is held on the third and fourth Fridays of each month and gives teens a chance to explore both the book and film adaptations of a single story.
January’s featured title is The Giver by Lois Lowry. The book discussion takes place on Friday, January 16 from 4-5pm. We’ll watch the 2014 film adaptation (rated PG-13) on Friday, January 23 from 4-6pm. Teens may attend either event or both. Copies of the book can be requested at the Teen Space or the Youth Services desk. Both programs are supported by the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation.
Homeschooling families are invited to the Homeschool Book Club, which meets on the first Thursday of each month at 10am in the Teen Space. Families read the same book, then gather for discussion and hands-on activities. The book selections are geared toward school-age and middle-grade readers, but all ages are welcome. The next meetup on January 8 (note the date change from it’s usual first Thursday slot) will feature Mexikid by Pedro Martín. Stop by the Youth Services desk to get a copy of the book!
Finally, parents looking for support and community are invited to participate in an upcoming Parenting Book Club. In this special 4-session series, participants will discuss the book Until the Streetlights Come On: How a Return to Play Brightens Our Present and Prepares Kids for an Uncertain Future by Ginny Yurich (founder of the 1000 Hours Outside Movement). Meetings will be held Thursdays from January 22-February 12 at 7pm in the Rotary Room. Each session will focus on a different section of the book. Parents are welcome to attend any or all sessions, whether or not they have read the book. Copies of the book are available at the Youth Services Desk while supplies last. This program is supported by the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation.