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How to Run a Book Club with Middle School Students

By Book Clubs, Reading Program No Comments

by Harper Collins under CC BY-NC-ND

How to Start and Run a Book Club for Middle School Students

Engaging Readers Through Meaning, Discussion, and Voice

Book clubs in middle school is to provide a platform to discuss identity formation, deeper analysis, social connection, and academic growth. Teenagers at this point in life are ready to go beyond the surface and engage with literature through inference, theme exploration, and multiple perspectives. With guided facilitation, a book club becomes a safe and stimulating place where every student has a voice. Here is a blog post on How to run a book club for primary school students.

 Step 1: Define Purpose, Scope, and Tone

Begin by deciding the intent of your book club:

  • Are you building reading stamina and joy?
  • Exploring diversity and identity?
  • Practicing their communication, language, and thinking skills.

Clarify the time:  Will you meet weekly or bi-weekly? Will students read at home or during club sessions? Consider a flexible tone—while fostering serious literary conversations, allow room for humor, empathy, and personal connections.

Step 2: Select Books That Invite Inquiry and Interpretation

Middle school readers crave relevance and  relevant. Choose books that are developmentally appropriate but layered enough to provoke questions. Empower students to co-create norms and choose themes (e.g., survival, justice, environment, identity, belonging). You make the initial selection, give them a little hook, trailer, mini-highlight of the book and let the students select the book they want to read.

Librarians can focus on:

  • Strong character development
  • Complex moral dilemmas
  • Multiple perspectives
  • Social justice themes
  • Literary devices (symbolism, foreshadowing, irony)

 Middle School Books (Some recommendations)

Title Author Themes
Ghost Jason Reynolds Identity, resilience, sports, trauma
The Giver Lois Lowry Utopia, memory, choice, conformity
Starfish Lisa Fipps Body image, bullying, voice
Brown Girl Dreaming Jacqueline Woodson Verse, identity, civil rights
Wonder R.J. Palacio Kindness, disability, courage
Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year Nina Hamza Self-discovery, humor, cultural identity
Queen of Fire Devika Rangachari Feminism, historical fiction, leadership, bravery
Savi and the Memory Keeper Bijal Vachharajani Climate fiction, memory, environmental grief, healing
The Grand Chapati Contest Asha Nehemiah Humor, problem-solving, cultural quirks, civic life
Year of the Weeds Siddhartha Sarma Resistance, indigenous rights, activism, justice
The Night Diary (Indian-American) Veera Hiranandani Partition, identity, resilience, dual belonging
No Guns at My Son’s Funeral Paro Anand Conflict, extremism, identity crisis, Kashmir
Nabh Goes Missing Richa Jha Sibling bonds, family mystery, inner strength

Student-Led Book Clubs

Students can run the book clubs while the Librarian uses this time to check with each group. To ensure a smooth student-led book clubs, clear instructions must be set up on how students in the group might thoughtfully and responsibly participate.

  1. Setting up Groups: Each group of students can be divided according to the choice of book or reading level based on the needs of your program. It is best to work in collaboration with the English/ Language arts teachers in the class.
  2. Schedule Timings: Depending on your availability, you can conduct this once a week, for a month, during your library class or in partnership with your English/Language arts teachers. You may also schedule a special book club after school for those students interested in reading or developing a love for reading.
  3. Assigning roles and responsibilities: To have students run the book club, each of the students can be assigned a role: Discussion Director, Literary Lens leader, Connector,  Vocabulary Detective, and Summarizer. (See document)Middle School Book Club Roles Template

 Beyond Summary: Deepen Discussion with Literary Analysis Prompts 

Yes, librarians must learn and become equipped to run this book club, start small and with only one class.

Character Analysis

  • How does the main character grow or change over time? (Cite with page numbers, examples, and description)
  • What motivates their decisions? Are their choices justified? (Explain with page numbers and examples)

Theme Exploration

  • What message or big idea is the author trying to communicate? (Explain how you concluded with evidence from the text in the book)
  • How do events, characters, and setting reinforce this theme? (Explain by describing events, characters change and how the theme was enforced)

Author’s Craft

  • Why did the author choose to tell the story this way (e.g., structure: How the story is organized – chronological, flashbacks, alternating points of view, short chapters, etc.) (Voice: Describe the the tone and style of the narrator (funny, serious, innocent, sarcastic, etc.)
  • What symbols or recurring images stand out? What might they represent?

Interpretation and Reflection

  • How did this story make you think differently about a real-world issue?
  • Which part of the book challenged your thinking or surprised you?

10 Visible Thinking Routines for Book Clubs: These routines are from Harvard Project Zero and are powerful for helping students externalize and visualize their thinking, especially when engaging with complex texts.

Routine Name Purpose in Book Club Context Sample Use
1. See – Think – Wonder Explore descriptive passages, images, or symbolic scenes Use with book covers, illustrations, or turning points: “What do you see? What do you think is happening? What do you wonder about this scene?”
2. What Makes You Say That? Encourage evidence-based discussion Use when making inferences or analyzing characters: “What’s your interpretation? What in the text supports that?”
3. Connect – Extend – Challenge Link book content to personal/world knowledge and push thinking further After reading a chapter: “How does this connect to something you know? What new ideas extend your thinking? What still challenges you?”
4. Circle of Viewpoints Examine events through multiple characters’ perspectives Role-play or journal: “I am ___, and I think ___ because…”
5. Claim – Support – Question Practice forming arguments with text evidence and critical questions Useful in debates or theme analysis: “I believe that ___, because ___. A question I have is…”
6. Headlines Summarize big ideas or themes in a few powerful words After finishing a chapter or book: “What headline would capture the main idea or message?”
7. Step Inside Develop empathy by imagining thoughts/feelings of a character Use in journals or circle time: “What does this character think, feel, care about?”
8. Color – Symbol – Image Represent abstract ideas creatively Great for thematic exploration: choose a color, symbol, and image that reflects the book’s main theme or character’s journey
9. I Used to Think… Now I Think… Reflect on changed thinking after discussion or deeper reading Use during or after book club: “I used to think ___. Now I think ___.”
10. Tug of War Explore dilemmas or conflicting viewpoints For moral choices or ethical issues: “Should the character have done this? What are the pulls on each side?”

Final Display of Student Learning after Book Discussion

Creative responses make literature come alive:

  • Literary One-Pagers: Combine art, quotes, and symbols to represent the book
  • Perspective Rewrite: Retell a chapter from another character’s point of view
  • Book Playlist: Curate songs that reflect characters, setting, or emotion
  • Debate: Hold a structured debate around a moral question in the story.

How to Start and Run a Book Club for Primary School Students

By Book Clubs, Book Talk, Reading Program No Comments

Jenn photos BY-NC-ND 2.0.

A book club for primary school students is about building community and a lifelong love of stories. Start small, let student voices guide the journey. Nurturing a love for reading in children is more important than ever today in a digital world. A well-run book club can be a powerful way to inspire young readers. Here is a blog post on how to run a book club with middle school students.

Step 1: Define Your Purpose and Age Group

Before launching, clarify your goals. Questions to ask yourself: Is it to promote reading for pleasure? Explore specific genres or themes? Support curriculum links or social-emotional learning?

Next, choose your age range carefully—reading levels and developmental needs vary widely between a Grade 2 to 5. A focus group will help tailor book choices and discussions more effectively.

Step 2: Select a Format That Works

Decide how often the group will meet—weekly, biweekly, or monthly. For younger students, shorter, more frequent meetings work better. Consider the format: will it be in person, virtual, or hybrid? During or after school? Will students read the book beforehand or read together?

Create a consistent structure for the book club. A typical session might include:

  • A brief recap of the story so far (if it is a long book)
  • Open-ended questions or discussion prompts
  • A creative response (e.g., drawing, acting out scenes, making a new book cover)

Library Classes & Book club

Book Clubs are hard to run during the Library Class without any help. Therefore, reaching out to people to help out with group clubs would help a successful book club. Often, tying up with classroom teachers would help the discussion and nurture a love for reading.

Step 3: Choose the Right Books

Book selection is everything. Aim for diverse, age-appropriate titles that offer strong characters, rich themes, and room for discussion. Rotate genres—mystery, fantasy, realistic fiction, graphic novels—to appeal to different interests. Involve students in choosing books to build ownership and motivation.

Step 4: Make It Interactive and Include Children’s Choice

Young readers thrive on engagement. Use Harvard – Project Zero: visible thinking routines like I See, I Think, I Wonder, Connect – Extend – Challenge, or Circle of Viewpoints to spark thoughtful conversations. Add hands-on activities such as:

  • Book-inspired art or crafts
  • Journals with reflections or reviews
  • Character interviews or role-play
  • Connections to SDGs, learner profile attributes, or classroom units of inquiry

Encourage all voices by using talking sticks, turn-and-talk partners, or small group sharing before full group discussion. Celebrate varied contributions—reading aloud, illustrating ideas, or even making predictions.

Step 5: Keep It Simple

Start small. A pilot club with 6–10 students is ideal. Once the model works, consider expanding or creating multiple groups. Involve parents and colleagues for support—some may be keen to co-host or sponsor snacks and materials.

End each term or unit with a “Book Celebration”—where students present their favorite book moments, display their work, or recommend future titles. These moments help build a reading culture that lasts beyond the club.

Open-Ended Questions for Primary Book Clubs

Understanding Characters and Choices

  • Why do you think the character made that choice? Would you have done the same?
  • How did the character change from the beginning to the end of the story?
  • What would you say to the main character if you could meet them?

Exploring Themes and Emotions

  • What message do you think the author is trying to share?
  • Which part of the story made you feel something strongly? Why?
  • What did this story make you think about in your own life?

Making Connections

  • Does this story remind you of something you’ve seen, read, or experienced?
  • How is the world in the book similar to or different from where you live?
  • Have you ever felt like one of the characters? What happened?

Imagination and Creativity

  • If you could add a new character or chapter, what would happen?
  • What would the story be like from another character’s point of view?
  • Can you think of a different ending? What would change?

Personal Reflection

– What did you learn from this story?

– Did this book change your mind about anything?

– Would you recommend this book to someone else? Why or why not?

An Example: Bonkers by Natasha Sharma

Short Summary: Bonkers! is a laugh-out-loud story about Armaan, whose life turns upside down when his family adopts a big, goofy dog named Bonkers. Chaos follows wherever Bonkers goes—whether it’s at home, school, or a fancy hotel! Through all the misadventures, the story explores friendship, responsibility, and how love sometimes looks a little… bonk

Discussion Questions 

Understanding Characters & Choices

  • What kind of boy is Armaan? How do we know?
  • How did Bonkers change the way Armaan’s family behaved?
  • What would you do if Bonkers were your dog?

Reflecting on Themes

  • What do you think this book says about families?
  • How do you know when a pet becomes part of a family?
  • What does “being responsible” look like in the story? Do you think Armaan is responsible?

Humour & Imagination

  • What was the funniest moment in the book for you? Why?
  • If you had to give Bonkers another name, what would it be and why?
  • Imagine this story as a movie. Who would play Bonkers? What scenes would you include?

Personal Connections

  • Have you ever had a moment when everything felt “bonkers”? What happened?
  • What would you tell Armaan if you met him after the story ended?

Creative Activities 

  1. Bonkers’ Point of View

Write a diary entry from Bonkers’ perspective about one of his wild adventures. How does he feel? What does he think humans are doing?

  1. Design a “Bonkers-Proof” House

In teams, draw a floor plan or 3D model of a house that could survive Bonkers. Label “safe zones” and “disaster areas.” Explain your design to the group.

  1. Character Interview Skit

In pairs, one person pretends to be a news reporter, and the other is Armaan (or Bonkers!). Role-play a short interview after the hotel incident.

  1. Story Extension Comic Strip

Create a comic showing what happens next. What new mischief could Bonkers get into?

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