The Best Questions to Ask at YA Book Club
YA Book Club is intended to be a place where teens and young adults can discuss books they’ve read, books they want to read, and books they want others to read. Anyone can ask a question at any time of anyone, about any book. Front-page questions will be answered by the blog’s members. The idea is that it’s a place to meet new people and discover new books.
If you’re in charge of the next Young Adult Book Club meeting, you can’t skip the fun part: picking the next book! These days, there are hundreds of titles to choose from, but if you can narrow the list down to a few options, you’ll be in good shape. (And if your kids are in charge of the meeting, you may want to volunteer to help them narrow the list, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.)
Table Of Contents
- What Do You Want to Ask the Author?
- Which Characters Are Coming to Your Dinner Party?
- Could You Relate to the Book’s Perspective?
- What Would Happen If You Changed the Setting of the Book?
- Do you prefer to have a different theme?
- Do you read the book first or listen to the audiobook?
- Did the Book Give You All The Feels?
- Do you prefer to book talk or get into the book right away?
- Where Would Your Besties Fit in the Novel?
- Do you like to take breaks during a book?
1. What Do You Want to Ask the Author?
As you start the book club, what types of questions do you want to ask the author? Here is a list of questions to get you started:
1) What inspired you to write this book?
2) Which characters are your favorites and why?
3) Did you find it hard to write from a woman’s point of view?
4) Where did you get the idea for the plot twist at the end of the book?
5) What is your favorite part of the book?
6) Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?
2. Which Characters Are Coming to Your Dinner Party?
You really can’t have a dinner party without inviting some interesting characters, and I know that better than anyone. So, who are we inviting to our next book club meeting? Well, if you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to invite a stubborn protagonist like Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird or Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby . However, if you’re the type to like a little less drama in your life, you might want to invite a character that has a bit more depth, like Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman or Mildred Rogers from The Yearling .
3. Could You Relate to the Book’s Perspective?
Can you relate to the book’s perspective? In every book club, there’s always that one person who’s a little too enthusiastic about the book.
“The book rocked!” they exclaim.
“I could relate to it personally!” And then there’s everyone else.
We’re not saying we didn’t enjoy the book, but it wasn’t our favorite. We didn’t hate it, but it didn’t make us go, “Whoa!” And for some of us, the perspective wasn’t even a new one. It’s difficult to admit that you don’t enjoy the same thing as everyone else, especially when everyone else is convinced that they’re the only ones who don’t get it.
4. What Would Happen If You Changed the Setting of the Book?
Setting is a very important aspect of a book, but what would happen if you changed the setting of the book?
Would the book still make sense?
Would it still be the same book? Would it still be the same story?
Would it need to be a different book?
These are all questions that come to mind when we discuss the setting of the book.
5. Do you prefer to have a different theme?
Most book lovers will tell you that they live in a book-filled realm; the characters and worlds the pages reveal are often more real and exciting than the real world. And sometimes, readers wonder what their favorite books would be like if they were set in a different time and place, or if the protagonist were a different gender or race. So, what if you could change the setting of one of your favorite books? What would happen?
6. Do you read the book first or listen to the audiobook?
As a result, one of the biggest debates in the bookworm community is whether you should read the book first or listen to the audiobook. While there is no right or wrong answer, per se, the choice you make could have a major impact on the way you view the story.
7. Did the Book Give You All The Feels?
Did the book give you all the feels? We’ve all been there. You’re reading a book when suddenly your heart starts pounding, your pulse quickens, and you find yourself on the edge of your seat.
It’s a rare feeling we’ve all had, but one that’s hard to replicate. That is, until we read The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Who knew a book about the search for true love could be so entertaining? He’s hilarious, and I was laughing out loud by page two. (When I finally got to work, I was still laughing, much to the confusion of my coworkers.) The book is delightful, and I loved every page of it.
8. Do you prefer to book talk or get into the book right away?
I find that I tend to prefer book talk when I’m reading a book that I know a lot of people are excited about, or if I see the book being talked about everywhere online.
That way, I get my own feelings about the book out of the way first before having a discussion about it with others, which helps to make my contribution to the discussion more meaningful and thoughtful.
However, for less popular books that I’m reading primarily because I’m interested in learning more about the topic, I do enjoy diving right into the book instead of spending too much time on the pre-discussion and background information.
9. Where Would Your Besties Fit in the Novel?
Have you ever been in a book club and thought to yourself, “Hey, they’re all discussing the characters and plot rather than me — I should be in a different club!” Well, whether you want to be in a club full of your best friends or you’re just looking to meet some new people, I have the perfect solution for you: the Where Would Your Besties Fit in the Novel? book club. The idea behind this book club is to pair people with characters from your favorite book.
10. Do you like to take breaks during a book?
Yaking breaks from long books. Whether you’re reading a short story collection or a doorstopper epic, I think we can all agree that there are times in every book when you should just put it down.
Reading is an activity that is often perceived as solitary, but nothing could be further from the truth. It’s the people you share books with that make it truly worth it. (FYI, that’s not a subtle hint to invite me to your book club. I’m already in several of those. 😉)
