FernFolio

The forty-odd members of the Girls’ Book Club have been fortunate to receive their first books of this year through the kind efforts of Tessa Griffin, of Canadian Children’s Book Clubs. After lengthy debate, girls chose five novels, Dusssie, by Nancy Springer, Dancing Through the Snow, by Jean Little, The Royal Woods, by Matt Duggan, Molly Moon, Micky Minus and the Mind Machine, by Georgia Byng, and The Thrilling Life of Pauline de Lammermoor, by Edeet Ravel. As facilitator of this endeavour, I am reading my way through these five novels, taking copious notes as I go, so that we can engage in some interesting and thought-provoking discussion and plan some fun and, possibly, meaningful activities.
I have loved the four books read to date, including Molly Moon, about which I knew nothing before last night, but which I am enjoying thoroughly and which has got me thinking about genetic manipulation, knowledge and wisdom, and physical versus inner beauty. I particularly adored Dusssie, a book that all adolescent girls might do well to read because of its examination of the what makes a person worthy of love. The Royal Woods, with its themes of love and loss and anger toward those who are important to us, urban sprawl, and the dreams and aspirations of new Canadians, is both tender and funny. Min’s outward appearance of cold-heartedness and disinterest are in striking contrast to her inner longing for family and love and acceptance in Dancing Through the Snow. I anticipate that Pauline de Lammermoor will be equally gripping and thought-provoking!
While we await the arrival of our first books, the Girls’ Book Club is going to investigate body image. We will start by looking at the Dove commercials and then, if we have time, celebrate our own bodies in the manner of Wendy Ewald’s marvelous The Best Part of Me: Children Talk About the Bodies in Pictures and Words.
FernFolio Editor