If you have grandkids, you likely know that it can be difficult to catch their pop culture references! Fear not, there’s no need to start watching reality shows and flipping through gossip magazines. Instead, ask your grandkids if they want to read with you. Dig into the same book in your own personal book club and then discuss what you’ve read. Here are a few options to get you started:
Harry Potter
With the big news about “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’s” debut as a play in London, many people are getting into Harry Potter again before the script is released this Fall. This seven-book series follows young wizards from the moment they are admitted into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry until they graduate and move on to saving the world. Kids love the series because of its rich characters and mysteries – you will too! Plus, because these are longer books, you’ll get to spend more time with your grandkids as you work your way through the stack!
Anything by John Green
Teen and preteen kids, often girls, are loving everything by author John Green. Start with “Paper Towns,” a novel that has been on the NYT Best Seller list for 44 weeks. It’s about Quentin Jacobsen, a student who falls in love with his dangerous neighbor Margo Spiegelman. They end up on an adventure together that consists of following clues and their hearts. It’s the perfect teen indie drama.
Along the same lines, check out, “Looking for Alaska.” Miles is obsessed with famous last words and spends his days reading at boarding school. Upon meeting Alaska, the girl down the hall, his life flips upside down as they head into the “great perhaps,” an idea posed by famous poet Francois Rabelais.
“The BFG”
If your grandkids have access to the internet, they’ve likely seen commercials and trailers for the upcoming film, “The BFG.” Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, this movie will follow a giant and his unlikely friendship with a little girl. While it will be fun to see the movie in theaters, why not check out the book first? You’ll find yourselves laughing at Dahl’s unique writing style and memorable characters.
“Ms. Marvel”
For kids and teens that are more interested in awesome artwork than a plethora of words, why not dig into a comic book? This exciting story follows Kamala Khan, a girl from Jersey City who suddenly realizes she has super powers like the heroes she reads about each week. This coming-of-age-with-magic story includes beautiful graphics and a great tale of a Muslim girl learning how to navigate a totally new universe and regular life simultaneously.
Read separately and then come together with your grandkids to share favorite lines, moments or panels. Or, read together aloud so you can help one another improve your vocabularies and comprehension skills. Parents will be thrilled that their kids are working on reading and you’ll have fun while doing it.
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CHC