Recently in our Mother Daughter Book Club we were able to meet a Duke grad/NC Author, Christy English. Although her historical fiction books were not appropriate for the girls this age, she suggested a book to read for that particular month that had an impact on her when she was around 11 or 12 years of age. It was the Caldecott book, The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley.
This was such a neat experience for my tween and the two other girls who were able to attend. My tween loves to read and write and being able to talk to a published author was very exciting. Although the girls did not like the genre of book choosen, we were able to talk about why she liked it as it had a female heroine. We talked of other books they read that they felt had a female heroine in it.
Questions ensued about when she first started writing, did she keep her writings, how she started the whole process, why the genre she writes about, etc. The mothers were just as curious and had questions about the whole process and it was fascinating. It was good to have the girls realize that the authors behind the books are real people and have gifts given to them with words. Even Christy said, “it is like the characters picked me to be their voice and tell their story.”
When we started this book club two years ago, we had no idea of outstretching benefits the girls would have. Many thought it was social. However, it has become one of learning of different genres of books, getting to know people more and their interests, it has been learning of different historical periods, it has been enhanced reading and analytical skills, it has been progressed AR skills, it has been amazing. It has allowed my daughter and I another connection of sharing and fills a void in my life that I once had in book clubs prior to children. It has given me a renewed appreciation for reading and books.
Have you ever taken your child to meet an author or illustrator? Have you had a chance to meet an author? Have you ever dreamt of writing a book?
