A local preteen has launched a successful book club where kids can gather and discuss their favourite literary titles.
Caitlin Grace, aged ten years, is an avid reader who has encouraged a tribe of like-minded youngsters to meet regularly at the Sands Bowlo.
According to Caitlin’s mother, Alex Elibank Murray, Caitlin was very specific about her intention to create a book club that was made expressly for children.
“She wanted it to be run by kids, for kids – with no bossy grown-up rules, please,” Ms Murray said.
From Milkshakes to Inspiration
Other obligatory requirements included books chosen directly by the children themselves, as well as milkshakes, cakes and hot chips.
“I asked her how she wanted to advertise her club and she asked if I would make a post on the Sandgate Mum’s Facebook site – so that’s how ‘Books, Cakes and Shakes’ was born,” Ms Murray said.
Participants in the club cast a secret ballot to select the children’s book they would most like to read out of three selections taken from children’s literary awards lists.
“They have about six weeks to read the winning book in their own time and then they come together as a group to sip shakes and eat cakes or hot chips and do book-related activities,” Ms Murray said.
According to Ms Murray, Caitlin plans all the activities at home with her mum acting as “essentially an event assistant.”
The book club was able to move into the Sands Bowlo due to a generous community member and the support of the establishment itself.
“One of the mothers, Nichole Sutcliffe, put me in touch with the Sands Bowlo who were kind enough to allow us to use their space as our permanent home,” Ms Murray said.
So popular is the Sandgate-based book club that Ms Murray believes it has inspired some older kids in the community to start their own chapters.
Although ‘the books are currently closed’ for those who would like to join Caitlin’s club, Ms Murray and Caitlin urged everyone to “get some friends together and find a spot to gather” in order to start their own branch of budding bookworms.
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