Have you ever considered bringing an outside expert into your mother-daughter book club meeting? Inviting a guest can energize your group and get everyone excited about your upcoming gathering, but how do you decide whom to invite?
The author is the most obvious answer, and with just a little research you can probably find the author of a children’s or young adult book who lives near you or may be traveling in your direction. Some authors even say they are willing to talk to Mother Daughter Book Clubs by phone. Contact local writer’s organizations to check for authors who live nearby.
But you can also bring in others who may also enhance the reading experience. For instance, if you read a book on historical fiction like Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer Holm, you could ask someone from your local historical society to join you for the discussion. She could possibly even bring along pioneer tools or other implements from the time period that can help bring history to life.
Youth librarians are usually very good at helping people dig to get a greater understanding of what they’ve read. Hold a special meeting at the library to tap into the resources there if you regularly meet at home.
With just a little thought, you can probably come up with someone to invite as a guest for most books that you read. It’s just a question of deciding when your group may need a little boost or would enjoy the change of pace that a guest can bring to your meeting.
Cindy Hudson, author of Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs. Photo by David Kinder
