MrsK Books: Booked to Dine Book Club

Booked to Dine Book Club

MrsK's Booked to Dine Book Reviews

Book's we have read all in one place!

Welcome Readers.....

Our "Booked to Dine" book club has been meeting for many, many years. We are book connoisseurs, educators, gardeners, returning students, quilters, parents/grandparents, and cooks!

It all began one day while I read "The Book Club" by Mary Alice Munroe. It was one of those moments when you just wanted to share with your friends and you didn't want to call each one.... yep, this was prior to cell phones or texting! I continued my reading with a bit of sadness that I had no one to share with. Some of these characters were begging to be introduced beyond my inner voice. Days passed and then May began. With May as a birthday marker, I decided to throw myself a birthday party. We would dine on:

finger sandwiches = cucumber; chicken salad (without the crust)
picnic noodle salad
green salad with everything I could add (lettuce, tomatoes, celery, radishes, cheddar cheese cubes, green beans, olives, sunflower seeds, diced boiled eggs)
little dishes with Spanish peanuts/colored mints
fresh made lemonade/PG tips ice tea with lemon/ Yorkshire Gold hot tea (with a touch of wiskey) for book discussion
lemon cake with boiled icing and coconut

Invitations were written on flowery stationary, books were wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. 8 books were sent and the day of the book club arrived. The table was set with crystal, lace, hankies for napkins, flowers, and instrumental classical music was playing in the cassette player. God brought me sun, a light breeze, a great read, and a circle of women who have been, and continue to be, my inner circle of love... laughter... strength.... friendship!

Below you will find a list of our book choices (not a complete list since we only had little date calendars to write our choices on), yet it should give you some ideas.... even if some are out of print.... why not have a field trip to an old bookstore!

Happy Reading,
Mrs.K

Mary Alice Monroe

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MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”

FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)