Virtual Book Club for Kids Ages 9 and Up
I first heard about the Poppins Book Nook from Piwi Princess on Google + Community Great Books for Kids. It sounded like so much fun that I asked the host, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, if I could join and she was kind enough to include me!
The idea is a virtual book club built around themes so bloggers can choose any book — picture book, chapter book, non-fiction, etc. — and blog on it with an activity! Doesn’t that sound like fun?!
This series will be posted on the last Monday of every month and here is the lineup of themes:
Knights, Princesses, and Castle Chapter Book
This month’s theme is knights, princesses, and castles. Oh, how to choose?!
I have an extensive princesses-that-don’t-need-rescuing list but I decided to go with a chapter book that is both a retold fairy tale (actually many fairy tales) and includes princes, knights, princesses, and castles. It’s one of my favorite chapter books I read last year because it’s so darn funny.
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (The League of Princes) by Christopher Healy
I love retold fairy tales and this one is hilarious to boot. Imagine if the princes in fairy tales had personalities both flattering and unflattering. And the princesses — Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White — reminded you of girls in Middle School ranging from Mean Girls to super sporty.
Now, have the princes and princesses unite against an evil witch that threatens all their respective kingdoms. Add in the comedic antics of a Shrek movie and you get this hilarious page-turner that modernizes fairy tales of yore. This is sure to be an animated movie but don’t expect Disney to option this book! [chapter book, ages 8 and up]
(Click on the image of a book to view it at Amazon or here for Barnes and Noble)
Activities for The Hero’s Guide for Saving Your Kingdom
There are a lot of characters to keep track of. Let’s start by reviewing all of them in the Who’s Who section.
Because this is a chapter book that screams middle school social scene in the worst way — cliques, bullies, and general social mayhem — let’s start with a personality quiz thoughtfully provided by the author.
Which Prince or Princess are YOU?
Then to start a book discussion, let’s pick people in real life that remind of us any of these princes or princesses. Who did you pick and why?
Finally, let’s make duct tape swords. It’s easy. Just use duct tape, aluminum foil, paper, tape, and scissors.
Here are some that my daughters made that used copy paper to build forms and then duct tape to cover and strengthen the sword. They are surprisingly sturdy. It might not be a coincidence that girls used paper forms and planned out their swords in advance of the duct tape.
These duct tape swords were made by boys who used just aluminum foil and duct tape.
p.s. Here is another picture book about a knight of the Round Table.
Sir Morien by Holly Black and Kaliis Smith, illustrated by Ebony Glenn
Prince Morien’s story takes center stage as a Knight of King Arthur’s Round Table. He is the Moorish son of Sir Aglovale and his mother is a princess in northern Africa. Prince Morien grew up never having known his father, so he decided to start a quest to find him. Along the way, he met other knights, and fought them, besting everyone, until the day he fought Sir Lancelot. They tied. Together with Sir Gawain, they set off in search of Sir Aglovale. When they discovered King Arthur was being held captive in a castle, they rescued him and discovered Sir Aglovale there too. It was a joyous reunion and Prince Morien was invited to join the Knights of the Round Table. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
What a fantastic idea! Sounds like lots of fun. I love the duct tape swords to get boys involved in the theme and what girl would not want to choose her favorite princess,
Hi Barbara,
You can never go wrong with duct tape crafts, it seems!
I love the idea,my boys will have fun reading it
Hi Viren,
It is such a fun and funny chapter book and I hear that it’s going to be movie!
I just finished reading that book a couple weeks ago – such a fun read!
Sounds fantastic! We are already getting ready to make swords before I finish commenting 😉 Thanks!
Looks like a fun book, and even the pictures remind you of middle school attitudes! Sounds like it might be a good book to talk about personal character development as well. We’ll have to be on the lookout for it!
Hi Ashley,
I really loved the book for both turning fairy tales upside down and for just sheer comedy. It’s Shrek-like. Expect a movie from Pixar, I’m thinking!
Oh, my 12 year old daughter would LOVE that book! I’ll be sending a request for an inter-library loan today! Thanks, Mia.
Hi Erin,
I hope she likes it. It is a really fun and funny read. Please let me know what she thinks once she’s read it. Thanks! I love to get kids’ opinions!
Pinning! I need to have this for my dragon slayer boys :).
Thx
Thanks Mari and thank you to your young knights!
I have never heard of that storybook so I am putting it on my library book list for later this week. Your duct tape sword is so creative and fun!
Thanks Jill! We had fun making them!
Knowing my daughter she would choose to make and use swords instead of choosing a princess! But anyway, this is a great kids’ event that will keep kids interested in books. We all know that reading books may not be too popular nowadays.
Hi Maria,
I love girls with swords and shields! My girls made swords and daggars and actually theirs were more sturdy than the boys plus had more features like wrist guard. No reason why girls can make and play with swords!
We are all, as children’s book bloggers, trying to entice kids away from screens. It does work! Kids will read if you just keep at it.
I love this book, and can’t wait for the sequel! Thanks for sharing at The Children’s Bookshelf.
Hi Mom and Kiddo,
Me too! And the movie too! I can’t wait for an animated Dreamworks movie!!
Fun idea. I love the personality quiz and who’s who idea. I can’t wait to see what else you come up with for the book club. Thanks for linking up to The Children’s Bookshelf!
Thanks Bethany,
I can’t take credit for the personality quiz and the who’s who but it is a fun feature for a super fun book.
Those swords are strangely realistic and I love the sound of this book for my kids!
Also love the sound of this book club. Do I sign up on Google+? I would llike to participate!
Hi Ann,
Go to Enchanted Homeschooling Mom and get her email address from her blog and ask her. I think she’s very open to adding more bloggers. It’s a lot of fun! The next theme is Wizards!!!
wow the pics are mazin
Thanks Jannet!