Last week we announced plans on our blog to launch a reading group (for adults), here in the Crow’s Nest, where we’d discuss a different children’s book (or group of books) every month – sometimes a book we publish, but often books by other publishers.
The response was really fantastic (we received far more requests to attend than we have spaces), and we’re very pleased to be able to share a few more details with you all today.
The first book we’ll be discussing, on Thursday June 13, will be Wonder, by R.J. Palacio – a fantastic, moving novel and the winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in the 5 – 12 category.
If you’ve written to us expressing your interest in the reading group, you should receive an email within the next 24 hours confirming whether you have a place in the first month’s group. If you haven’t made it this time around, please don’t be too discouraged – the first date has been incredibly over-subscribed, and we’ll try and make sure everyone has a chance to attend in coming months! If you are offered a place, we’d be incredibly grateful if you could write to confirm attendance, as if you’re unable to make the June date we’ll offer the space to someone on the waiting list. We’re also working on a few ways of expanding the reach of the group to as many people as possible online – we’ll be able to share more news shortly.
Although we’re still planning the exact format for the evening, we did want to give everyone a few discussion points to think about in advance – here are some of the things we might cover:
1) How successfully do you think Palacio conveys different narrative viewpoints?
2) In 19th century children’s books, disability is often (a) temporary, and (b) a means for redemption. How are changed attitudes to disability reflected in Wonder?
3) How does Palacio relate individuals’ socio-economic circumstances to their inner characters?
4) Did you find Wonder to be sentimental, or affirming?
5) This book ends with a prize-giving. Which characters do you think should have been awarded prizes?
If you have other questions, we’d love to hear them!
You can buy Wonder online here – and we’ll have more book group-related news shortly, so keep an eye on this blog. And if you have any other questions about the event itself, send me an email at [email protected].
