Mother-Daughter Book Club Nurtures Love Of Reading

By Nancy K. Crevier

Karen Whippie, Carla Spencer, Alana Wenick, Alyssa Schankman, Dana Metzger, Andrea Hoyt, Elisa Van Buskirk, and Liz Cole will all graduate from high school this spring and will say goodbye to seven years of reading books that ranged from classics to fantasy to required high school reading material in the mother-daughter book group founded by Alana and her mother, Diane Wenick. But as this mother-daughter book club closes the cover on its final chapter, another one has just begun its journey into the world of words.

Suzy DeYoung and her daughter, Quincy, 12; Valerie Fallon and her daughter, Cassie, 11; Mary Braga and her daughter, Victoria, 12; and Sarah Burns and her daughter, Katie, 11, have been gathering at each other’s homes once a month for the past year to read and discuss books.

“I had read about a group in another town in Connecticut and thought, ‘What a great idea.’ We had only moved here a couple of years before, so I didn’t know many people yet,” said Mrs DeYoung. “I sent the idea to the library, but when I didn’t hear back I figured I was going to have to do it if it was going to happen.”

Mrs DeYoung and Quincy gathered together the other girls and mothers, all avid readers, that they knew through Girl Scouts and school. Together they have thumbed their way through a book a month ever since.

The books have covered a wide range of subjects that touch on timely, relevant issues as well as those that focus on coming of age issues. Some are chosen purely for pleasure and fun, such as one of the Harry Potter books they read this winter.

The Chocolate War, The Outsiders, and The Secret Life of Bees are novels written by contemporary writers, but the group has tackled classics that include A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Jane Eyre, as well.

“It’s not hard to read a book each month,” said Katie, “but Jane Eyre was so long.”

Victoria and her mother lucked out that month when the only available copy at the library was the abridged version. “[Victoria] said she read it in a week,” said Katie, “and we all thought, ‘How did she do that?’”

 “I like to read a lot of different books,” said Quincy. “I don’t really have a favorite author, but my favorite book we’ve read so far is probably The Outsiders.”

For the girls, the book group is a chance to share ideas about their reading and to get others’ opinions. The mothers enjoy the discussions, but it is the opportunity to spend time with their daughters that they relish.

“It’s a great relationship builder,” said Mrs Braga and Mrs Fallon added, “There are not that many chances to hear [our daughters’] in-depth thoughts on different subjects. It expands the genres, too, of what they would otherwise read.”

Mothers and daughters agree that reading and discussing books together gives them an opening to discuss sensitive topics they might not otherwise talk about. It also gives them the chance to sample tasty desserts inspired by the book of the month.

“Whomever is hosting is also responsible for preparing a delicious dessert relevant to the book of the night,” said Mrs DeYoung. “For example, for The Secret Life of Bees we served apples and honey and cupcakes with black and yellow icing.” Pirate’s Treasure Cake, a double layer cake of strawberries and whipped cream, accompanied the reading of Piratica by Tanith Lee.

What is on the menu for this month? Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay might be served up with, what else? Angel food cake.

These girls and their mothers enthusiastically endorse mother-daughter book groups as a way to work in one-on-one time, but are not looking to expand their own group right now. “When the group is not too big, everybody gets a chance to talk,” said Quincy.

The group might be small, but their aspirations are large. Katie has suggested the group look into reading Great Expectations next. Olive’s Ocean and The Scorpion House are also on their “must read” list.

“The most difficult part of selecting a book now,” said Mrs Burns, “is finding one that the girls have not yet read.”