When you’re reading a book, you’re going into a different world for a while, immersing yourself in a story or getting absorbed by the new information you’re learning. Reading can be an escape from the everyday world, helping you forget any stress you feel from your job or school pressure. For some people, reading is a private affair, not to be shared with anyone. For other people, half the fun of reading a new book is talking about it with other people. Book clubs are popular ways to get people together to discuss what they’re reading. In general, someone will suggest a book, and if the group agrees, everyone reads it and sets a date to talk about the book later. This can be a great way to learn about new books, because everyone has a different area that interests them. Even if you don’t think you’ll get into a biography of Queen Elizabeth II, you might end up being fascinated by the story of a woman who has seen and dealt with so many changes in the world. Science fiction, history, romance novels, works in translation from authors around the world – there’s no limit to what you’ll discover when you and your friends are looking for the next book to read.

Children are often more likely to enjoy doing things in groups, so book clubs are good ways to get them interested in reading. Early reading skills promote vocabulary development and make a child better prepared for school, even if the books they’re reading are “just for fun.” When helping your child set up a book club, you’ll probably do better choosing books that are entertaining stories, rather than nonfiction books. However, if a child shows an interest in a particular topic, then you should definitely support their desire to learn. There are a lot of educational books written for children that use illustrations and easier language to explain new concepts. Some of these books also have science projects or other activities included, and that’s also a great way to get kids involved and interested in learning. They’ll be inspired to read the book to find out about the activities, and use their reading skills to understand and follow instructions.

If you and your child are looking for a book club to join, check with your local library, where many book groups meet. Off-site book clubs often leave fliers with club information on bulletin boards at libraries and community centers. Whether you join an existing club or start your own, the fact that you’re doing more reading will make you a better reader.