March Parent Child Book Clubs

I am pretty excited about the book club books for March! They are two of my favorites! For the March Mother/Daughter Book Club we are going to read Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm. For the March Mother/Son Book Club we are going to read Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald.

Jennifer L. Holm is one of my go-to authors for good historical fiction for kids. And this book is one example of why she is a great writer (Penny from Heaven won a Newbery Honor in 2007). In this book Penny is an 11-year-old girl who tries to learn more about herself and her family—especially her deceased father. The book takes place in 1953 so there are quite a few things that kids will learn about based on that time period. For example, Penny wants to go swimming but she isn’t allowed because her mother is afraid she will catch polio. Penny is one of those characters that readers will like…because she is real. She has depth and she and her family have some wacky quirks. I’m excited to read this book and discuss it in the Mother/Daughter Book Club!

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading is a book that is humorous and has gotten some starred reviews. Basically Charlie Joe writes this book to talk to other kids who do not like to read. Charlie Joe is one of those kids who will practically do anything to avoid reading. From looking at middle school cliques to crazy antics and consequences, this will be one entertaining read!