Join the Presbyterian Youth Book Club
We're excited to announce our new Fall recommended reads for your youth group!
Featuring two new book and bible studies to use with your youth on:
- Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney — download the study guide
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green — download the study guide
Book club launches with the popular book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Tributes, Districts, Reapings and Mockingjays … The Hunger Games trilogy is ready to commence in your youth room!
Join the millions of readers, young and not so young, in entering this fantastic and powerful story of a post-apocolyptic world dependent on its young to survive. Read about the popular book trilogy!
Join other Presbyterian churches who have begun a new journey with Youth Book Groups – and use The Hunger Games as a great launch.
Click here to see the study/exploration resource – simply download and go for it! The study offered for The Hunger Games is most appropriate for a youth group, Sunday School or special gathering. There are suggestions for extending the study if you'd like to use it as a retreat focus.
For most youth book groups you'll want to do a simple discussion. Using 5-10 questions that help guide the group through the core themes of the book. We will provide those studies on this page in the future!
Suggestions for starting a youth book group:
- Consider a book group as simply a youth ministry option. Not to replace other programming but simply a way to gather interested young people together. Young people who enjoy reading and would love a chance to discuss the stories and how they impact young lives and faith!
- Approach a local book seller to see about a church discount on the current book. Let the book group, parents, and church know about the store and the deal. If you church budget allows – purchase the books in advance and distribute at the church.
- Consider meeting in homes. Home based book groups tend to cultivate a warm, intimate and cozy feel!
- Develop a simple ritual for your book group. A process that helps young people know how the time will proceed, what they can expect. For example:
Gathering Time and Conversation (15 – 20 minutes)
Book Introduction (10 minutes)
Discussion Questions and Conversation (60 minutes)
Snacks (consider thematic snacks) (15 minute)
Faith connection conversation (20 minutes)
Next book preview and distribution (5-10 minutes)
- Consider having an open attendance policy – in other words – it's recommended you read the book but not mandatory. Generally – once a young person attends a time or two and sees that the gathering really will be focused on the book, they will tend to read more intentionally. And often, if they haven't read the book, will then leave with a goal to read the book.
Upcoming book studies:
- Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
- A Wrinkle in Time
- Catching Fire – The Hunger Games trilogy Pt. II
- Mockingjay – The Hunger Games trilogy Pt. III
- Heft
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Comments
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@Ginger. Ginger, I am so happy that you are looking at doing a book group for your summer program. I think it's a PERFECT summer ministry for a church youth group. At the church where I am a member - I am leading a small group of youth through a book group. We meet at a local coffee shop, sit outside, and have a blast! We are working through a new book right now. The last time we gathered we literally read chapters out loud. Amazing experience! We hope to have the next study - for the book "The Fault in our Stars" out next month!
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Do you have any idea when the others will come out? I want to include this in my summer program!
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I'm an old lady book club member who loves the idea of mentoring a youth group book club. Guess I'll have to read all The Hunger Games books, right?