ABSTRACT
Many of us can likely conjure up an image of a book club discussion even if we have not participated in one. As teachers, we may picture children sitting around a table, fidgeting in their seats as they wait their turn to talk about a story they have read. Or maybe we picture adults around a table with coffee, tea, and refreshments on the table while people question, argue, and comment with a book in hand. This notion of a book club is part of what Raphael and her colleagues portray in their work with Book Club for children and adolescents, and it is also part of what Raphael and Florio-Ruane had in mind when implementing Book Club for adults. But, this image of people talking about a book with one another provides only the barest essential of what a book discussion might be. Book Club,
whether for children, adolescents, or adults, requires thoughtful planning, support, and encouragement, as well as a great deal of effort.
