Book Group

The secretary at my school does this cool idea with her grand-daughters. Every year she buys all of the girls the same book (the girl's join Grandma's Book Club when they turn a certain age). She gives them time to read the book and then they all go together on a book outing. The first year they read The Secret Garden and then she took them to an English-style garden here in Utah. They also had a tea party where she explained different rules of etiquette, and they discussed the book. They take lots of pictures and she makes a little scrapbook of the pictures for all of the girls to remember the outing and the book.
I loved the idea, so I've begun to do this with my nieces. Every year for Christmas I buy a book for all of my nieces who are 12 or older. They then have until summer to read it. I started with Little House in the Big Woods (Laura Ingalls Wilder) last year. The girls read the book and then we went to Wheeler Farm. (I had also thought about going to Pioneer Park; that would have been fun also). We discussed the book, made old-fashioned rag dolls, and ate old-fashioned candy. The girls seemed to like it and I really had a good time with them.
This year I've purchased Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett for them and will take them to an art museum in the summer.
Some other ideas:
Esperanza Rising--go to a Mexican market and make tamales together.
The Misadventures of Maude March-go to a western museum or rodeo.
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler-go to a museum.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane-go to the Build-a-Bear shop.
Peeled-go to an apple orchard.