In The Beginning

It's our 4th year in a Mother-Daughter Club, and it just keeps on getting better!

When the girls were in 3rd Grade, I heard about Mother-Daughter book clubs from a friend in Washington, D.C. These books clubs were very popular in the nation's capitol where Shireen Dodson wrote about her experience in a book titled, The Mother -Daughter Book Club: How Ten Busy Mothers and Daughters Came Together to Talk, Laugh and Learn Through Their Love of Reading.

Of course, the magic word "book" guaranteed my interest, and I was open to anything that would encourage my daughter to love books as much as I do. Then my friend explained that the real value of the book club was the opportunity to discuss issues affecting our maturing daughters in a non confrontational setting. At a Mother-Daughter Book Club you get to talk about the taboo subjects that usually set girls screaming in horror - personal hygiene, puberty, dating, etc. I was hooked, and with Dodson's how-to manual, I was armed with everything I needed to get started.

Our first book, Half Magic by Edward Eager, is also an apt description of our book club. We have shared some amazingly insightful discussions that have deepened our experience of the chosen books. The girl who hosts also selects and leads the discussion questions. The hosting duo provides the snacks, and sometimes these refreshments are as exciting as the discussion. At the Half Magic book club, we served ice cream sundaes with the same ingredients as those described in the soda fountain scene (but not the celery or marrow malts!)

We have also shared some exciting adventures.

After reading E.L. Konisburg's From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, we had to visit the Metropolitan Museum to see for ourselves how two kids could hide out in the famous museum. By the time we took the train to NYC, we had already read Ellen Potter's Pish Posh and felt that we needed a little glamour on our journey. Shopping on the Upper East Side with a stop for cosmetics at Sephoras and frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity's was exactly what we needed.

Most recently, we received a visit (via speakerphone) from Heather Vogel Frederick, the author of our current novel, The Mother-Daughter Book Club. In a serendipitous twist of fate, our host duo chose this book at a time that the Ms. Frederick's website was publicising a special invitation from the author to book clubs. It was so exciting to converse with the author of a book that we all loved. The girls lined up to take turns asking questions, and they each had several turns. Even the moms couldn't resist asking a few questions! Heather Vogel Frederick was so approachable and her responses were nearly as entertaining as her books. I think that each girl, and some moms, left inspired to do some writing.

Who knows? We could evolve into Book Babes: The Mother-Daughter Reading And Writing Club.