Welcome back!

July’s book review comes to us from a Wednesday night book club that has been meeting for almost four years.

Book: Little House on the Prairie

Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder

Please tell our readers a little about your book club.

Book club member Saj shares, “We enjoy reading different kinds of books and hearing different perspectives. It’s a community where we learn together.”

Rush, one of the club’s facilitators, agrees that book club members are learning. “Everyone’s reading fluency is better. We’ve also expanded our vocabulary,” she says. “I come early, we socialize, talk about the theater and books we’re reading outside of book club.”

Rush and Dave playfully tease each other, demonstrating a trusting and comfortable friendship. Dave says, “Me and Rush talk about the old days. When we were growing up, we didn’t have to lock the doors, and now we do.”

The members and facilitators in this club represent a wide age range, and everyone agrees that this is one of the things that makes their group work so well.

Rush says, “We (Dave and I) were able to add needed context for [Little House on the Prairie] because people our age are more familiar with some of the older customs and parts of the book. Dave and I would say, ‘That’s how it was done in our day.’”

Dave shares, “I like when Saj reads in an accent,” and the group begins to talk about some of the books they’ve read together, including one set in England.

When asked what she likes about book club, Anna says, “I like chatting with friends.”

“Anna does a nice job reading with inflection and emotion,” Rush adds. “Also, Stephanie jumps in with well-timed sound effects.”

“I think her signature sound effect is ‘Ewwww!’ for anytime we read about something gross,” says facilitator Megan. The group enthusiastically agrees.

“Sometimes it’s hard for Stephanie to remember what page we are on, so I notice it and tell her, ‘We’re on page 153’ for example,” Dave says. Rush notes that he does this gently.

Clearly, this is a group of friends who care about and trust each other. On this night, the club is missing Stephanie, as well as Quinn, a longtime facilitator. Members share that they’ve enjoyed seeing Quinn’s two boys grow up over the years, as they sometimes join their mom for book club meetings.

The club’s newest member, Stoyan, has been attending for three weeks along with his Occupational Therapist Nancy. Nancy shares, “Everyone has made us feel so welcome.”

Back row, left to right: Stoyan, Nancy, Megan
Front row, left to right: Saj, Dave, Rush, Anna
Missing from photo: Stephanie, Quinn

What is Little House on the Prairie about?

Anna says, “It’s about a mom, a dad, and sisters.”

Saj agrees and continues, “It’s also about what it means to be a family during that time period. This family moves everything from the woods to the middle of nowhere. The book follows the triumphs and defeats of an average family trying to make a life on the prairie.”

Stoyan describes one scene. “In the story, there were Indians, and they were trying to get into someone else’s house to rob them,” he says.

“This book is very different than other books we’ve read,” Rush shares. “We’ve been reading a lot of mysteries, then a rom com. This is very different.”

Some club members recall watching the famous TV show that ran from 1974 to 1982 based on the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Dave says, “It went on the air 50 years ago. I used to watch it before the reruns. I’m not picking on others in the group,” he teases, “but they could only see it on reruns.” Dave and Rush recall watching the show in primetime.

Megan adds, “Some of the characters in the book weren’t in TV show, and some of the popular characters from the TV show aren’t in this book.” Indeed, Little House on the Prairie is the third book in a series of nine books.

Dave adds, “I want to know when the Ingalls meet Mr. and Mrs. Olsen.”

How easy is this book to understand?

“This one is unique,” Megan says. “The story is easy to follow, but some of the detailed accounts of things like digging a well or building a door are hard to follow.”

Saj shares, “I grew up learning from my grandma, but we can’t comprehend some of the details because they are uncommon for today. Like, how did they move an entire roof?”

Megan says, “While it was hard to understand parts like drilling a well, we thoroughly understood that it was hard to dig a well,” and the group heartily agrees. She adds, “The pictures give us a preview of the complex, technical processes the book describes.”

Rush agrees, “The illustrations have saved us. We also stop and talk about some of the harder vocabulary. When something is confusing, we stop and talk about it.”

When asked how hard this book is to understand, Dave says, “It’s easy. Megan and Rush are why I want to keep reading this book.”

What do you like about the book?

Stoyan shares, “I like this story and a lot of the characters. I like it because mom and I read the story. I can read with my mom. We can read together as a club.”

Anna says she likes, “the sisters’ relationships.”

Megan says to Anna, “You seemed to like reading about how the family got used to living in the wild.” Anna nods her head in agreement.

Saj adds, “We founds ways we can all relate with the family dynamic.”

Are there any parts you don’t like? If so, what are they?

Megan shares, “It has engaging storytelling, but it is deeply racist. The whole premise of stolen land is troubling. It hasn’t aged well.”

Nancy adds, “Some of the way it’s written, the vocab and the way sentences are put together, is old fashioned.”

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?

“We’ve discussed the general place of this book in society,” Megan says, “and how there would be other, more modern options to describe this time in our history.”

Rush nods and adds, “This book works [in our club] because we have such a diverse group, and with the relationships we have with each other and depth of trust, we can get in there and describe what’s going on.”

When asked if he would recommend this book, Saj replies, “Only if they have a broad audience and love of history. Everybody has a little something they relate to.”

Dave looks at Saj and says, “What Saj said.”

What book (or series) that you’ve read in book club has been your favorite so far?

• Stoyan: Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder*
• Dave: Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Saj: Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
• Rush: Nancy Drew Mystery Stories by Caroyl Keene, and The Hardy Boys by Franklin w Dixon
• Anna: Heartland series by Lauren Brooke
• Megan: Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder*

*Stoyan and Megan are newer to the group, so Little House on the Prairie is the only book they’ve read so far in book club.

Please rate your current book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

This club gives Little House on the Prairie an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Welcome back!

April’s book review comes to us from one of our newer clubs, which began meeting in September 2023.Since then, they’ve read a variety of books together, including Paperboy, Chester and Gus, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Read on for their thoughts about The Hunger Games.

Book: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Please tell our readers a little about your book club.

“It’s my favorite part of the week, even though it’s on a Monday,” shares Delaney. “You all are my friends, and we get to spend time together doing my favorite activity, which is reading.”

Seamus agrees. “It’s a great opportunity. I love being here…it’s so nice to be able to see all of these people and have something to do each week,” he says.

“I’m a huge fan of a ‘regular hang’,” says Cara. “It’s really nice; you kinda just show up and there’s no homework. [Book club] is also a good push to get out of the house and spend time in the community.”

“I love book club,” Micah says. When asked what he loves about book club, Micah shares, “I love all my friends.”

Seamus adds, “Yes, it’s great to see these nice people every week.”

Savannah shares, “We’re not just here to do a chore. We care about each other and notice when someone is missing. I also feel like our club has a good balance of socializing and reading the book.”

Speaking of the book, Micah reports, “We’re reading The Hunger Games.”

“I always enjoy the books. I’ve already read The Hunger Games and it’s nice to be able to read it again,” says Seamus.

“We have a tradition in our club where Seamus reads first,” Delaney adds. This tradition was started by fellow club member, Colin, who eagerly nominates Seamus to read first.

“You do such a wonderful job reading out loud, Seamus,” Cara says

“I’m glad you like the way I’m reading,” Seamus replies with a smile.

“You’d be really good at narrating audio books,” Delaney says.

“You think so?” Seamus asks.

“Absolutely!” the whole group agrees.

Left to right: Seamus, Cara, Micah, Delaney, Savannah
Missing from photo: Colin and Chelsea

What is this book about?

The Hunger Games is the first book the bestselling series by the same name, which also became a very popular movie series. The summary of The Hunger Games on Goodreads.com reads,

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Delaney adds, “Even though I’ve read it, I leave book club and I’m hooked all over again!”

How easy is this book to understand? Easy, medium, or difficult?

“I’d put it at medium,” says Seamus.

“I agree,” says Cara. “There’s a lot that can happen in one chapter, and she uses some pretty sophisticated vocabulary sometimes.”

“There is also foreshadowing and other parts that could be easy to miss,” says Savannah. “But we do a pretty good job of filling each other in if anyone misses a meeting.”

“We are in an entirely different world, so there’s a lot to learn,” Cara adds. “Lots of characters, lots of things happening.”

“Yes, there are a lot of characters to keep track of,” Savannah agrees.

Despite all the characters and plot twists, Micah shares that he has found the book easy to understand.

What do you like about the book?

“Most people know The Hunger Games story because the movies were so popular, but there’s so much more in the book. It’s action-packed. At the end of every chapter, I really want to know what happens next,” Cara shares. “There’s so much momentum.”

“She does a great job of building suspense,” says Delaney.

Micah agrees, “Yes, she does that well. There’s also cool technology in the book, like the glasses.”

Savannah adds, “Colin likes this book as well. He takes his copy home every week and likes to share it with friends and family.”

Colin, who was not present for the interview, shared later by email that he thinks The Hunger Games is “Fine. It’s okay.”

Are there any parts you don’t like? If so, what are they?

Shaking his head, Micah says, “No, I’m okay with it.”

Savannah shares, “Honestly, I feel like there are times when she talks about characters’ intellect, calling them things like ‘simple-minded’ when I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“It’s also super violent,” Delaney adds. “The fact that it’s called ‘Hunger Games’ can seem a little creepy.”

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?

“Be aware that it involves violence and killing,” Delaney says.

“Also, get ready to stick with it for a while. It’s not the longest book, but the chapters are dense,” Cara says.

What book (or series) that you’ve read in book club has been your favorite so far?

• Micah: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Seamus: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Colin: Paperboy by Vince Vawter
• Cara: Chester and Gus by Cammie McGovern
• Savannah: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Delaney: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Please rate your current book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

This club gave The Hunger Games an average of 4.3 out of 5 stars.

Welcome back to our book review series!

This month’s book review comes from one of our virtual clubs. The group formed in the fall of 2020 after the pandemic forced all Next Chapter Book Clubs (NCBC) to begin meeting online. People from a few existing clubs joined together on Tuesday nights. As they say, there was “chemistry” (this means they got along well).

Once it was safe to meet in-person again, the group decided that virtual meetings actually worked better for them. Over four years later, members and co-facilitators in this club have read an impressive variety of eBooks together. They have also become friends who look forward to seeing each other on Zoom each week and picking up where they left off in their latest book.

Book: A Wrinkle in Time

Author: Madeleine L’Engle

Please tell our readers a little about your book club.

“We read a book together,” says Drew.

Halle adds, “Right now, we are reading A Wrinkle in Time.”

“We meet on Zoom on Tuesday nights and we read all kinds of different books,” says Chuckie.

“Some of the books that we read come from movies. You know me, I’m an actor. I like to give the characters a voice,” says Michael, who keeps the reading lively and entertaining.

“I look forward to it every week. This is the most fun group I’ve ever been in. I just leave with a smile,” shares May, one of the club’s co-facilitators.

Harvey also enjoys book club, saying, “I really like it, it gives me something to do on Tuesdays.”

“I like hearing about everyone’s weeks and activities and hearing what everyone has been up to,” says co-facilitator Rachel. “Chuckie gives me a hard time about OSU sports,” she adds with a wink, and Chuckie laughs.

“I started with NCBC in 2018 as a member and became a facilitator in 2020,” says Amy, who completes the warm and steady trio of co-facilitators in this club. She adds, “When we first moved to virtual, I wondered how that was going to work. But I think we’ve done a great job learning how to use Zoom.”

Amy continues, “It’s fun to interact with everyone and learn about them. It’s also fun to invite new people to book club, even if it doesn’t pan out.” Over the years, Amy has invited several people to join book club, some of whom are interested in improving their skills. She says, “Reading skills may not be the first thing people think about with NCBC, but it helps. It’s like a side benefit.”

Thank you, Amy, for being so good at bringing people together!

Top row, left to right: Drew, Jillian (interviewer), May
Middle row, left to right: Chuckie, Halle, Harvey
Bottom row, left to right: Amy, Rachel, Michael
Missing from photo: Spencer and Jeff

What is A Wrinkle in Time about?

“There are three sisters called the three Mrs. (Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which),” Halle says. The other main characters in the book are Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and his friend Calvin.

“They are trying to get back home,” Halle adds.

“They’re also trying to rescue somebody,” Rachel says.

“Yes, their father,” Halle agrees.

Michael adds, “I did watch the movie, and they are trying to find their father.”

In A Wrinkle in Time, the three Mrs. explain to the children that the universe is being threatened by a great evil called the Dark Thing. Meg and Charles Wallace’s father resisted this evil and was captured. He is being held captive on a different planet… in a different space and time.

“I would describe this planet as earth gone terribly wrong. And now the main characters have been captured and are being held captive,” May says.

As of this interview, this is where the group left off in the book, so no spoilers!

When asked how the characters got to this strange planet, Amy explains, “The Tesser is the method they use to travel through space.”

To demonstrate, Amy holds up a piece of paper and walks her fingers across the paper. Then she folds the paper, showing how this fold, or wrinkle, can help the characters travel through space and time. For more information about A Wrinkle in Time, visit the Wikipedia page HERE.

How easy is the book to understand?

“It’s been a little difficult to understand, to be honest,” Harvey says. Others in the group nod their heads in agreement with Harvey.

Amy says, “For those who are into science fiction it might be easy to understand, but visualizing what is happening in the book can be difficult.”

“I’m with you, Amy. It’s hard to picture the things in this book,” Rachel says.

“If you haven’t watched the movie, it probably doesn’t make any sense,” Michael says. “But I’d say somewhere in between difficult and easy.”

When asked how easy the book is to understand, Drew says the book is “easy to understand.”

Chuckie says, “It’s somewhat difficult if you don’t understand, but it’s a good book.”

Indeed, A Wrinkle in Time is a very good and very abstract book. This means the reader must use their imagination quite a lot when reading this book.

May shares her impressions of the book so far, “I can tell there’s a lot under the surface, a lot of deep things. It’s a book that you need to read again and again and again to get the full picture. That can be a good thing and an annoying thing. This is a book that can give you something new every time you read it.”

What do you like about the book?

Everyone seems to like different parts of the book. Chuckie says, “I liked it when they sit down at the table to eat, and they gave them a little pill.”

Michael says, “I liked it when Meg and Charles Wallace go through the woods.”

“I like the amount of detail,” says May.

Rachel adds, “When [Mrs. Whatsit] first took them to the other planet was pretty cool.”

Are there any parts you don’t like? If so, what are they?

“It was pretty strange when they touched Charles Wallace’s face to see if he was real,” Michael says.

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, would you suggest it?

Michael replies, “Yes and no. I’d suggest watching the movie first.”

“Yeah, we’ve got a lot of movie buffs in this group,” Rachel adds.

Chuckie says that he would suggest the book to other clubs. Halle shares that she has been talking with her mom about the book.

“I would suggest it, but be prepared for a lot of words you’ve never seen before. If you’re ready for that, it’s a pretty good book,” Amy says.

What book (or series) that you’ve read in this book club has been your favorite so far?

• Michael: White Bird: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio
• Halle: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
• Chuckie: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
• Harvey: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
• Drew: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
• Rachel: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
• Amy: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
• May: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Please rate your current book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

This book club gives A Wrinkle in Time an average of 4.375 out of 5 stars.

Welcome back to our book review series!

The first book review of 2025 comes to us from one of the original Next Chapter Book Clubs, which has been gathering weekly for over 19 years!

Book: The Lightening Thief

Author: Rick Riordan

Please tell our readers a little about your book club.

Co-facilitator Brittany shares, “First and foremost it’s a highlight of the week where we can catch up. It’s a great social opportunity. We really just enjoy getting together.”

There are five core members in this Friday morning book club, including Lance who says, “I enjoy it.” Also in this book club are Lucas, Matthew, Avery, and Chris.

When asked about his book club, Avery shares, “We had a Halloween party, and I was Frankenstein, and a Christmas party and hot chocolate. Oh yeah, I had fun”

Chris says, “We have fun, we read, we talk about our week. It’s a lot of fun, we have [facilitators] Mak, Brittany, and Jeff.”

For almost 19 years, Jeff has been a champion for this book club. He shares, “We socialize and read together and enjoy each other’s company. The purpose is to make everybody feel a part of the group.”

Jeff continues, “Members come in each week and the public gets to know them and they are treated like every other customer.”

From left to right: Jeff, Chris, Avery, Lucas, Colton, Brittany, Lance, Mak; Missing from photo: Matthew

Co-facilitator Mak shares, “We’re a little community. We always make sure everyone feels included, regardless of where they are. We don’t just go around and read, we provide some background and talk about the Greek gods, in the case of Percy Jackson.” Speaking of Percy Jackson…

What is The Lightening Thief about?

Chris summarizes the book. He says, “It’s about a boy who gets in trouble at school and has to fight all these monsters and goddesses. His name is Percy Jackson, and his mom has gone missing, and now they have to find his mom and fight Zeus and the Olympians.”

In The Lightening Thief, someone has stolen Zeus’s master lightning bolt, and Percy is the main suspect. As Chris said, Percy and his friends fight gods and monsters and solve riddles to try to find the real Lightening Thief. To learn more about the Percy Jackson series, click HERE.

How easy is this book to understand?

There are mixed opinions on how easy it is to understand The Lightening Thief. Lance and Avery say the book is easy to understand. However, Lucas shares that parts of the book are “difficult.”

Colton, Avery’s Direct Support Professional, says it “changes from chapter to chapter,” and the group talks about parts of the book that have been more challenging.

Mak shares, “I think it’s been pretty good overall. It does a good job of introducing the Greek myths, but there are some things we need to look up in order to give the background.”

Jeff adds, “There’s also a New York slant to it,” noting that much of the story is set in New York. In fact, the mythical home of the gods Mount Olympus is set high above New York City in this book.

What do you like about the book?

Lance shares with a smile, “We like Percy.”

Chris says, “I like that it talks about food and a casino. In one of the chapters they went to a casino.”

“Lotus was the casino in Las Vegas,” Avery adds.

Were there any parts you don’t like? If so, what are they?

While Jeff enjoys his time in book club, he shares that this particular book isn’t his favorite. He says, “It brings back memories of learning Greek mythology in grad school, and I didn’t like it.”

Brittany shares, “The part I think is challenging are some of the name pronunciations. I don’t have any background in Greek mythology.” Club members agree that many of the names in The Lightening Thief are difficult to pronounce.

However, Brittany adds, “The good part of reading it in a group is that we can do it together.”

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?

Avery says, “I think it’s a good book to read.”

Colton adds, “It’s fun to read and fun to discuss. It’s cool that it’s set in America and we recognize the places. It’s more fun that way.”

“It’s action packed!” Brittany says.

Chris adds, “I would tell them that the book has humor and a three-headed dog.”

Mak shares that this is one of her favorite series of books. For the most part, the club seems to be enjoying The Lightening Thief and all the colorful characters. Though, perhaps it’s not everyone’s favorite. Read on to find out which books have been favorites!

What book (or series) that you’ve read in book club has been your favorite so far?

• Chris: Chester and Gus by Cammie McGovern, and My Side of the Mountain by Jeanne Craighead George
• Avery: The Secret Zoo series by Brian Chick
• Lance: The Secret Zoo series by Brian Chick
• Brittany: Chester and Gus by Cammie McGovern
• Mak: The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

Please rate The Lightening Thief on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

The group gave this book an average of 4.33 out of 5 stars.

Welcome back to our book review series!

November’s book review comes from a long-standing Thursday night club that is the first of our groups to try out a romance novel. Let’s find out what they think…

Book: Love and Gelato

Author: Jenna Evans Welch

Please tell our readers a little about your book club.

Bethany says, “Next Chapter Book Club! We read and get something from the bakery.”

Jackie nods in agreement. “We read,” she says.

Bethany, Jackie, and other women in this book club have been meeting every week for the past 12 years. While they do indeed read and enjoy baked goods, they also socialize! Members and facilitators in this club look forward to the weekly chance to catch up on each other’s lives.

Sister and co-facilitator Zoe says, “It’s a group of close friends, and something I’ve been doing for a long time. It’s something consistent, something I look forward to and depend on.”

Zoe’s sister and NCBC member Molly says, “I go to NCBC, and I like it.”

“I genuinely say we really are like a family,” shares co-facilitator Christina. “I always say we’re going to grow old together. We share each other’s burdens, talk about our families.”

Christina smiles and says, “We’re a girls’ club.” Everyone agrees.

Left to right: Molly, Zoe, Christina, Bethany, Jackie, Mandy
Missing from photo: Lisa and Kelsie

Your club is about half-way through Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch. What is this book about?

Molly shares, “It’s about ice cream and love.”

In fact, Mandy dressed as gelato at last month’s NCBC Halloween Party! When asked what flavor, Mandy replies, “Lavender.”

When asked about the main character, Jackie says, “Lina is a girl.”

Bethany nods her head and adds, “Lina is in Rome, Italy. She lives with her dad, Howard.”

“Lina is also grieving her mom,” says Christina. In Love and Gelato, Lina’s mother’s dying wish was for Lina to get to know her father in Italy. Once in Italy, Lina is given her mother’s journal.

Zoe continues, “Lina is reading her mom’s journal, trying to understand her mom’s life and the kind of person she was. She plans to go back to the United States after the summer to finish high school.”

But there’s a wrinkle in the story. “Lina just started hanging with a boy named Ren,” Zoe says.

Jackie shares, “Ren is from Florence.” Together, we wonder aloud if Lina will be distracted from her plan by the new boy.

How easy is this book to understand?

The reviews are mixed, with one person saying, “Not the simplest, but easy to follow,” and another person saying, “It’s been easy to understand, but some parts are confusing.”

Zoe says, “It is sometimes confusing when reading the mom’s journal.” She describes how it can be difficult to know if they are reading Lina’s thoughts or her mom’s journal. We’re thankful everyone is there to help each other.

What have you liked about the book so far? 

Bethany says, “I like Lina.”

With a smile, Mandy says, “I like the British guy.”

Are there any parts of the book you haven’t liked? If so, what are they?

“There were some awkward parts,” Mandy says.

“Like all the mansplaining,” Christina responds, and several people laugh.

Another person notes that it was difficult to read a particular part of the story that describes a historic sculpture depicting sexual violence. In a follow-up email, co-facilitator Kelsie commented on the difficult passage. Kelsie says, “I feel like it was a good discussion point for our group on a very sensitive topic.”

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?

“They should read it,” Jackie says.

Mandy agrees, and says, “I think they would like it.”

What book that you’ve read in book club has been your favorite so far?

• Bethany: Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Jackie: Charlotte’s Web, by EB White
• Mandy: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
• Christina: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi
• Molly: Harry Potter series, by JK Rowling
• Zoe: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi

Please rate Love and Gelato on a scale from 1 to 5 stars. 

This club gives Love and Gelato an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Welcome back to Rate & Review Books with NCBC! 

August’s book review comes from another long-standing club in the Columbus area. This Tuesday night Next Chapter Book Club has been gathering for nearly 20 years!

Book: Conceal, Don’t Feel

Author: Jen Calonita

First, please tell our readers a little about your book club.

Ken shares, “We talk about everybody’s day and catch up with friends.” With many of these members nearing 20 years in the club, they know one another well and have become friends indeed.

“It is a good book club. Very nice group of people,” says Kristin.

Co-facilitator Christine started as a club member and was eventually trained to co-facilitate the group. She says, “It’s fun. It’s very much a place to connect.”

Another member, Eric, helpfully keeps a journal of what happens in the story. He says, “We read a book and discuss it with my notebook. I keep a summary at the end of each chapter. It’s a great experience.” Thank you for helping your book club stay on track from week to week, Eric!

Peter shares, “We read Gulliver’s Travels.”

“That’s right, Jack Black was in that movie,” Eric adds.

“Yes,” Peter says. “We watched the movie at my parents’ house.” Like several other book clubs, this group will sometimes gather to watch the movie version of a book they’ve read. Most of the time, members will still enjoy the book more. Though, in this case, Jack Black may have put this movie over the top!

Left to right: Christine, Liz, Eric, Kieran, Peter, Ken

Since a few people were missing for the first group photo, we are sharing two photos this month.

Left to right: Ken, Christine, Peter, Kristin, Natalie, Liz, Brittany, Kieran

What is Conceal, Don’t Feel about? 

Peter says, “It’s a book about what if Anna and Elsa never met each other.” Conceal, Don’t Feel is one of Disney’s Twisted Tales. In these stories, one important detail is changed, which creates a whole new story.

Eric adds, “Elsa has gloves that conceal her powers. It helps her. Sometimes her powers can get out of control. Her sister Anna has fire powers. Anna is remembering back when she was a child with flowers everywhere. There were so many flowers it looked like snow.”

Kristin shares, “I’ve enjoyed all the chapters so far and really like reading about Olaf.”

How easy was this book to understand?

Kieran says, “I think it’s very easy to understand.”

“The book is very well written,” Kristin adds.

“There are always new words to learn,” Christine says. Isn’t that the truth, Christine? In Next Chapter Book Clubs, when clubs come across a new word, they usually stop briefly to talk about what it means, and sometimes someone will look it up on their phone.

Thinking about the movie Frozen, Ken shares, “The music helps me to connect with the book.”

What did you like about the book?

Kristin likes that “it’s another variation of the Frozen story.”

Eric gives the book high praise, saying, “It’s written perfectly.”

Summing things up, Kieran says, “We like it so far.”

Were there any parts you didn’t like? If so, what were they?

While Kristin says, “I have nothing to dislike,” Peter points out one character they do not like.

“Prince Hans,” he says.

“He’s the bad guy,” Eric adds.

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?

“I’d recommend it. It’s really interesting and has great imaginary things,” Christine says.

Eric says that he would “definitely” recommend the book to other book clubs, and Kristin adds, “Enjoy!  You will like it.”

Ken gives a recommendation for joining a book club, saying “I love reading books.  It makes me happy to be here.” We are so glad to hear that, Ken!

What book has been your favorite so far?

It can be hard to pick just one book after reading so many together!  Some members give their top two books.

• Ken: Percy Jackson, series by Rick Riordan
• Peter: Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Frankenstein, original story by Mary Shelley
• Kieran: Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling
• Eric: Conceal, Don’t Feel, by Jen Calonita, and Percy Jackson, series by Rick Riordan
• Kristin: Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo, and Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Christine: A Whole New World, by Liz Braswell (a Disney Twisted Tale about the Aladdin story)

Please rate this book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

This club gave Conceal, Don’t Feel an average of 4.83 out of 5 stars.

Welcome back to Rate & Review Books with NCBC! 

Our July book review comes from the Next Chapter Book Club that meets at the Gahanna branch of the Columbus Metro Library.

Book or series of books: Henry Huggins

Author: Beverly Cleary

First, please tell our readers a little about your book club.

Right away, James issues an invitation for folks to “Come join us!”

“It’s fun, friendly, and we have a movie night after we read a book,” says Meggen.

When asked what he would tell people about his book club, Julian says, “There’s great people.”

Paige, the club facilitator, echoes these comments, saying, “We have a great community. We all bring different strengths, and we have a lot of fun!”

While this club began meeting in the Gahanna area in 2022, some of its members have been participating in NCBC for over ten years. One of those members is Reinah, who shares, “It’s fun to have it in the library because you can always get yourself a card, and you can come here and check out your own book if you want.” Great point, Reinah!

From Left to Right: Julian, Paige, Meggen, Reinah, James

What happens in Henry Huggins?

Julian shares, “Henry had a bunch of guppies and a dog named Ribsy.” In this book, Henry Huggins is looking for some excitement when he meets a lovable and energetic dog, who he names Ribsy.

Reinah adds, “He found the dog on the street, and the dog never stopped following him and became his pet.”

James shares one of the many funny parts of the story. “Henry brought the dog on the bus and he was running around. He had to hide him a box,” he says.

“There was a dog show and Henry’s dog competed in the show,” adds Meggen.

“Yes, and he won most unique dog,” says Paige.

To read more about this book, visit Henry Huggins on Goodreads.com.

How easy was it to understand?

Everyone in the club agreed that the book was very easy to understand.

What did you like about the book?

“I liked how [Ribsy] always followed [Henry] to school, and he’d be right there waiting for him after school,” shares Reinah.

Meggen says, “I like how Ribsy got rescued by Henry. He called his mom and said, ‘Can we have a dog?’”

When asked if his mom agreed right away, James answers, “I don’t think so.”

Reinah says, “Henry’s mom said, ‘I’ll let you have the dog if you can bring him home on the bus.’ The bus driver caught him, so Henry carried him in a box.”

Were there any parts you didn’t like?

Members in the club shake their heads to show that there weren’t any parts of the book they didn’t like.

However, Reinah mentions, “One thing I don’t like is when people spill things on books.” Like many NCBC members, some of the books in the NCBC library, including Henry Huggins, have been around for almost 20 years!

If another club was thinking about reading Henry Huggins, what would you tell them?

Paige says with a smile, “We laughed a lot.”

Julian says, “Give it a try,” and then he notes that he would like to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid in book club. Others in the group seem to like this idea.

What has been your favorite book so far?

• Meggen: The Bungalow Mystery and The Riding Club Crime, both Nancy Drew Mystery Stories by Carolyn Keene
• Paige: The Bungalow Mystery, a Nancy Drew Mystery by Carolyn Keene
• Julian: The Riding Club Crime, a Nancy Drew Mystery by Carolyn Keene
• James: Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
• Reinah: The Riding Club Crime, a Nancy Drew Mystery by Carolyn Keene

Please rate this book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

This club gave Henry Huggins an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Welcome back to Rate & Review Books with NCBC! 

June’s book review comes from one of our virtual book clubs, a Wednesday evening group that meets on Zoom.

Book or series of books: The Story of Dr. Dolittle

Author: Original story by Hugh Lofting, adapted version by Melissa Dalton Martinez

First, please tell our readers a little about your book club.

“It’s a fun group,” says co-facilitator Colleen. In January 2024, a hybrid Next Chapter Book Club that included Colleen, Amy, and Allie joined together with Kimberly, Derek, Abdullah, Tony, Anthony, Ahmad, Jackie, and Jillian to form the large virtual NCBC that now meets on Zoom each Wednesday evening.

Allie shares, “I like doing it over Zoom. I like not having to go back out after work.” Like members of other virtual NCBCs, Allie appreciates the convenience of being able to gather with friends from the comfort of home.

Several members of this club have been part of NCBC for over 12 years. Prior to Covid, their book clubs met in cafés and bookstores in Franklin County. In 2020, most groups transitioned to meeting virtually on platforms such as Zoom. When book clubs were able to meet in-person again, a few decided they would rather continue to meet on Zoom.

“NCBC members who have continued to meet virtually are able to avoid scheduling and transportation barriers. This means we generally have great attendance at our Wednesday evening meetings,” says co-facilitator Jillian.

After combining the two smaller clubs in early 2024, the group grew to eight members and three co-facilitators, and all have appreciated the chance to get to know more people. One club member even joins from Warsaw, Indiana. Amy sums it up by saying, “We meet nice, new people.”

Top row: Amy, Jillian, Allie; second row: Kimberly, Jackie, Colleen; third row: Abdullah; Not pictured: Derek, Anthony, Tony, Ahmad

What is The Story of Dr. Dolittle about?

“Dr. Dolittle is about a doctor that can talk to animals,” explains Kimberly. Dr. Dolittle does indeed have a special gift for being able to communicate with animals, and this takes him on some unusual adventures.

“He went to Africa and different places. I missed some meetings for cooking class and vacation. It was cool to hear about all the different places he went,” Allie says.

In this book, the simple and kind-hearted Dr. Dolittle travels to Africa to save monkeys from a terrible sickness. The journey takes many twists and turns, and Dr. Dolittle is helped by a close circle of friends, including Polynesia the parrot, Gub-Gub the pig, Dab-Dab the duck, Jip the dog, Chee-Chee the monkey, and others.

Colleen shares, “He goes around not only helping animals, but helping people too. For example, he helped the king’s son marry the love of his life.”

How easy was this book to understand?

“Overall, I think it was pretty easy,” Abdullah says.

“I thought it was sort of a weird book. Remember the pushmi-pullyu’s? I had never heard of that. Dr. Dolittle is even a weird name,” Amy says, and the group laughs.

What did you like about the book?

Co-facilitator Jackie says, “I liked the names of the animals. I like most stories with animals. Also, the traveling part was fun and exciting.”

“I liked Chee-Chee the monkey. I thought he was fun,” shares Abdullah.

“I liked the part with the dog, Jip. He found the lost uncle with only his nose,” Kimberly says. In this part of the story, a young boy’s uncle is lost on an island in the middle of the sea. Only Jip’s keen sense of smell could find him.

Were there any parts you didn’t like? If so, what were they?

Amy says, “I think all the parts were good, but someone else might have a different opinion.”

Abduallah says, “[The story] was a little different and extraordinary.” With a doctor who can talk to animals, you can say that again, Abdullah!

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?

Club members nod their heads, and Allie gives a thumbs up, showing that they would all recommend The Story of Dr. Dolittle to other NCBCs.

What book (or series of books) has been your favorite so far?

• Allie: Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and others in The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
• Colleen: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling, and The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
• Abdullah: Wonder by RJ Palacio
• Jackie: Peter Pan (Disney Short Story), original by JM Barrie
• Amy: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
• Kimberly: New Love, Spilt Milk, and Potbellied Pigs by Tom Fish and Jillian Ober
• Jillian: Wonder by RJ Palacio, and our current book, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Please rate this book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

This club gave The Story of Dr. Dolittle 4.9 out of 5 stars.