Getting Started
Good age to start: Around 9 most girls can read challenging books independently, and they probably love spending time with their moms and other friends.
Who to invite: You could begin with a core group of two or three girls and their moms who each invite two or three others. Try to make sure all the girls are at a similar reading level.
How often to meet: Schedule enough gatherings to help the group establish and maintain a connection, but not so many that members feel overwhelmed while keeping up with school, work and other activities.
Where to meet: Decide whether you'd prefer to rotate between homes or find a public meeting place like a community room at the local library or a nearby coffee shop.
Choosing books: Check with the school librarian or a local bookseller for ideas. Don't force girls to read books just because they teach a lesson; book club needs to be fun above all or girls won't want to continue.
Books for 9- to 12-year-old girls to read with moms
» "Flipped" by Wendelin Van Draanen
Juli and Bryce have totally different perspectives on the same events. When they finally share their views with each other, they find new insights about the person they thought they knew. Bonus activity: rent the movie and talk about how the stories are told differently in print and on film.
» "Tortilla Sun" by Jennifer Cervantes
Izzy learns a lot about her family's heritage and herself when she spends a magical summer with her grandma in an adobe village near Albuquerque, N.M. This is a beautiful tale of family heritage, ethnic traditions, dealing with grief and finding acceptance.
» "Trauma Queen" by Barbara Dee
This teen-embarrassed-by-her-mom story has a twist: the mom is a flighty artist other kids think is cool while the teen is ultra-responsible and conservative. Trauma Queen can be laugh-out-loud funny while it explores family relationships.
Books for teens to read with moms
» "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
Jenna wakes up from a yearlong coma with no memory of her past life. As she pieces her life back together she discovers the price she has paid to go on living after an accident. This futuristic mystery addresses issues of scientific and medical ethics.
» "Monsoon Summer" by Mitali Perkins
The last thing Jazz Gardner wants to do is spend the summer in India while her family helps out at an orphanage. Her encounters with the local people, and a touch of monsoon madness, just may convince her she's right where she wants to be.
» "North of Beautiful" by Justina Chen Headley
Terra Cooper wants to escape her small-town life, where her true self is as carefully concealed as the port-wine stain birthmark on her face. Terra's journey of self-discovery helps her find the true meaning of beauty and learn to trust in herself.
Source: Cindy Hudson, an author who runs the web site, motherdaughterbookclub.com.
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