"The Little Kids" is perfect for your next book club selection.
This book offers readers an opportunity for reflective practice about their own upbringing through a series of short stories.
Does your book club want to have a spirited discussion about family dynamics? How about leadership and teamwork? Perhaps how rituals help to form strong family bonds? If any of those are of interest, you should consider "The Little Kids” for your next book club choice.
Some readers will find the stories to be nostalgic. A look back when a neighborhood meant more than houses simply located near one another. Some might have a hard time relating to living in a household of 10-12 people most of their young lives. Whether you can relate, or it seems like a whole different world, the conversations that come out of it will be enlightening and entertaining.
Here are just a few excerpts and discussion question ideas. One is a quote from the chapter itself and the other one author's reflection on the lesson she learned from a different chapter story.
Excerpts:
Chapter 1. The Dinner Table
"All the kids in the neighborhood had a dinner signal. Because there were so many of us in the neighborhood. we could be playing at any of the houses within a quarter mile of our house. ...Our signal was the dinner bell. Our father installed a blue bell on the wall outside of the door nearest the kitchen. It was complete with a clanger and dangling rope for maximum ringing power. When we hear that dinner bell, it was like the starting bell of the Kentucky Derby."
Possible Discussion Questions:
- What were some rules and rituals around your dinner table?
- Was it noisy or quiet…what did you talk about at the table?
- How often was everyone there for dinner, and how often did additional people join?
Chapter 8. Food: Samantha's Perspective
"To this day, I am deathly afraid of spices. Since us kids were never allowed in the kitchen to help cook, I never really learned how they all work together. I am afraid I will ruin whatever I am cooking by using the wrong thing."
Possible Discussion Questions:
- When you were a child, was the kitchen a place for you to engage in the preparation of meals or baking?
- Do you live to eat or eat to live? How did your upbringing impact your relationship with food?
- How did your tastes and preferences in types of food change once you were out of the house? Once you were in a serious relationship?
- If you could travel to one place in the world just for the food, where would it be?
If you are in search of a new book for your group, consider "The Little Kids: Life Lessons from Our Perspective." If you want to invite the authors to be part of a conversation virtually or in person (depending on the location), contact them here. We would love to hear your feedback!
