1. Watch your language! Try to avoid words like "awful" or "idiotic"—even "like" and "dislike." They don't help move discussions forward and can put others on the defensive. Instead, talk about your experience—how you felt as you read the book.
2. Don't be dismissive. If you disagree with someone else, don't refer to her as an idiot. Just say, "I'm not sure I see it that way. Here's what I think." Much, much nicer.
3. Support your views. Use specific passages from the book as evidence for your ideas. This is a literary analysis technique called "close reading."
4. Read with a pencil. Takes notes or mark passages that strike you—as significant or funny or insightful. Talk about why you marked the passages you did.
Modified from: http://www.litlovers.com/run-a-book-club/lead-a-book-club-discussion
1. Read the front and rear jackets of the book, including information about the author. This can give you a more rounded picture of the book while reading.
2. Always read the title page, introductions, table of contents, prefaces and any notes from the author. These will help familiarize yourself with the content of the book and its origins.
3. Check to see if there is a glossary, index, or any other information at the back of the book that you can use while you are reading.
4. Read the discussion questions for the book (provided on this research guide--use the tabs above). That way you can be prepared to look for those topics/sections as you read.
5. Find the right place to read your book. Some people need complete silence while others can read in any environment. Only you know what your best reading environment is, so find it and use it!
1. After you have read the book, you may want to re-read it, or skim it again, adding to your notes and highlighting. Pay special attention to sections relevant to the discussion questions.
2. Keep all of your notes with (or in) the book so that you can go back and review it. Bring the book & these notes to your book discussions.
3. You may also want to make a list of characters and descriptions for the characters to better help you remember them.
4. If there is a confusing timeline in the book, you may want to create your own timeline on paper to help you understand the sequence of events. Choose the top ten events from the book and put them in order.
Here are some ground rules for reading. You don't have to do any of these, but don't be afraid to do any of the following. In fact, we encourage it!
It's okay to....
Unless otherwise specified, suggestions here have been adapted with permission from: http://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/44162