I recently read a posting on the GaGa Sisterhood’s site about a book of the month club that a grandmother can have with her grandchildren — especially those who live far away.  Fabulous idea!!

In this recession, a grandmother may feel a little strapped for funds if she has very many grandchildren and wants to do this with all of them.  So, I’ve thought of a variation that would be inexpensive and easy to do.  Have a virtual book club!

Together, grandma and grandchildren determine which book they read.  (I suggest that grandma pre-reads the book so that she can make sure it is appropriate.)  They check the book out at their own local library and read it during the month.  Then, create a private blog where you and your grandchildren post your thoughts about the book and respond to others’ comments.  (Be sure to have a catchy name for the blog.  That adds to the fun.)

If you’re not that technical (but come on, really, it isn’t that hard to create a blog!) grandma can call on the phone or use Skype to discuss the book with her grandchild.

Another idea is to have the grandma write a ’round-robin’ e-mail sharing her thoughts.  She sends it to one grandchild.  That grandchild sends it to the next one.  The last grandchild in the book club sends it back to grandma and then grandma sends it out one last time so that everybody can read everybody else’s comments.

Or, maybe grandma could get a binder and print up the e-mails from the grandchildren and insert them in the binder.  (For your scrapbookers out there, you could go wild with this!!)  Then, when the grandchildren come for a visit (or grandma visits them), they snuggle on the couch together and read what everyone has written.  (This would be a fun record to look back on through the years.)

Here’s a starter list of books that would be great to read with your ‘young adult’ reading grandchildren:

• A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel (non-fiction)
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Barrows (fiction)
• Speak by Laurie Halze Anderson (fiction)
• The Astonishing LIfe of Octavian Nothing, Vol I and II by M.T. Anderson (fiction — and this would be for older readers as it is quite sophisticated in the writing style)
• The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (fiction — especially fun if you’ve read Jane Eyre)
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (my favorite, favorite book!)
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen (non-fiction — and for older readers)
• The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan (fiction — for older readers)
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (fiction — for older readers)
• Book Thief by Markus Zusak (fiction — another favorite, favorite — for older readers)

Even though this idea is meant to be one way to connect with far away grandchildren,  it could also be used with grandchildren who live nearby.  For your book club meeting, you could invite them over to your house, talk about the book, eat sweet treats, and have a great old time!

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