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Deconstructing Penguins: Parents, Kids, and the Bond of Reading
by
Lawrence Goldstone (Goodreads Author),
Nancy Goldstone
“Books are like puzzles,” write Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone. “The author’s ideas are hidden, and it is up to all of us to figure them out.” In this indispensable reading companion, the Goldstones–noted parent-child book club experts–encourage grownups and young readers alike to adopt an approach that will unlock the magic and power of reading.
With the Goldstones help, par...more
With the Goldstones help, par...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
May 3rd 2005
by Ballantine Books
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This is a great how-to book for leading book discussions, especially with children. It is neat to learn from books at multiple levels. I can see how discussing the books we read can really make the impact they have on our lives more solidified and applicable.
I was also impressed that book discussions with children AND parents together can have an even greater impact.
One statement that really stood out was that it DOES matter WHAT children read. Some say that it doesn't matter what kids read as l...more
I was also impressed that book discussions with children AND parents together can have an even greater impact.
One statement that really stood out was that it DOES matter WHAT children read. Some say that it doesn't matter what kids read as l...more
Deconstructing Penguins by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone (Ballantine Books, 2005) has the attractive subtitle of “Parents, Kids, and the Bond of Reading.” Given my love of reading classic and quality literature to my son, this sounded like it would be a perfect fit for me.
Once I began reading, however, I found that the Goldstone’s focus was on discussing children’s literature in a parent-child book group setting. Although I did enjoy reading their thoughts about the deeper meanings behind various...more
Once I began reading, however, I found that the Goldstone’s focus was on discussing children’s literature in a parent-child book group setting. Although I did enjoy reading their thoughts about the deeper meanings behind various...more
I found this book amazing! The authors lead a parent-child bookclub, and in the book they show how they make it work well. I appreciated so much about what they said--the walk through on the parent-child book club sessions(being visual, it was almost as good as "seeing" it to me), and the great explanations of book basics: protagonist, antagonist, point of view, setting, climax, and poetry, as I've never heard them! To me, this book is about searching for meaning in meaningful books (and some ar...more
The authors are experts in leading book clubs for kids, especially for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. I think their major point--that kids should read good books, not just any books--is an excellent one. They give some examples on how to approach book discussion with kids, using Animal Farm, Charlotte's Web, and few other childhood classics. Although I have not tried their approach in real life (yet), at least in theory I am very impressed with their approach. And their tips are not just for kids al...more
There is a reason good literature is good. It has something to offer, a perspective to change, a different point of view to explore.... If you are going to read a book, you might as well gain from it all that was intended. This book teaches you how to do that. This book shows you how to find meaning and merit in books you read with your children beginning in the second grade. I also see that the skills this book teaches helps can help me appreciate all good books. I want to teach my children to...more
This is a great book about reading critically for fun with grade school kids.
The authors are book collectors who have been conducting a popular parent-child book club series in a public library in Connecticut. This book describes their experience with the book clubs and shares their program. Each chapter incorporates brief summaries of the books they shared at their meetings and a description of how they focused their discussion to help readers think critically about the books. They lean very heavily on classic titles for young people, and they take issue with the premis...more
This book is awesome! I have been wanting to begin a parent/child book club and now I feel much more ready to do so. But not only that, I have come across definite tools that I can use in my own reading. After reading this book, I have decided the "theme" of my book club will be something along the lines of Law & Order. Because this book describes how we are first detectives, finding out which "suspects" (characters) are the protagonist and antagonist, assessing the "scene of the crime" (set...more
This book takes you through protagonist and antagonist characters(it's deeper and more subtle than I ever realized), how to discover a fiction author's reason for writing a book, how to run a parent/child bookclub, AND a bunch of individual books that they love to read with elementary-age school kids and why (I really love booklists). I didn't know Jack London was a socialist. These authors say that Buck going to be head of the wolf pack was London's way of saying that employees are suppressed a...more
Love the ideas for teaching protagonist/antagonist, setting, climax, etc. I like their premise that every work of fiction is a "mystery" of sorts and it is the reader's goal to solve the mystery of what is really being conveyed through the story. Makes me wish I ran an elementary book group but will definitely be using the suggested read-alouds at home.
This was a great book - really helped me see how to more effectively analyze and discuss children's books with my kids. Great book for homeschooling mom's (especially like me who are untrained in literary analysis) who want to help their kids (and themselves) get more out of the books they read together.
If you have children and are interested in being able to discuss literature with them at some point in their lives - get this book! The author and his wife have led book clubs with kids, doing some pretty intense literary analysis - starting in second grade. They give great examples of how to begin this type of analysis: identifying the protagonist and the antagonist, the climax of the story, and the deeper messages in the story, all in a way that is very straightforward and fun. They also give...more
Wow...I am thrilled to find and read this book, but dismayed that this has only come into my life at this point. It makes literary analysis so accessible, even for younger children. I feel like I have cheated my older kids out of a lot of rich reading opportunities by not delving deeply into certain books. Plus, I would have done bookclubs differently for them too.
This was a fantastic book. Easy to read and helpful for discussing literature with your children. I would recommend it to anyone looking to expand their child's (and their own) love of good books and deepen their understanding of them.
I've picked this title up a few times. I like some of the ideas, but it is much harder to put into practice the way the authors describe (unless you have access to a large enough group of willing parents and children who enjoy reading).
Just finished this. Love the way the authors approach a book club for kids. I can't wait to try it. I wish there was some discussion on how to use the methods one-on-one with your child versus only in the group setting.
I get to lead our homeschool groups youth book club and this book really helped me think about how to approach discussing books. It changed the way I discuss books with the kids as well. I know I will revisit this one again.
loved this quick read on how to help kids analyze books in an apealing way. I don't really do much analysis and loved the explanations and the reasons given for looking at the deeper level. Makes me want ro lead a book group...
Good book about having conversations about books with kids, although I think the concepts apply to all ages. I would love to be able to ask these kinds of questions--the authors make it look so easy!
A book that shows families and parent/child book groups how to appreciate the creativity that goes into a book. College students should read this to know what their professors are up to. :)
wonderful!! So easy to read and has made me look at books in a much different light. I feel a whole world of literature opening up to me, if only i had the time to read!!
Book about teaching kids (and their parents)to read books with understanding. Helpful reading list suggestions at the back (although some of their choices seemed odd to me).
Loved this book! A friend recommended it as we are starting a parent-child book club together. I've led discussions like that before and never had much luck getting kids to delve very far into a book. Immediately after reading Penguins I sat down with my 7 year old and had a long conversation with her about a book we'd just finished. She understood the theme, had many insightful comments and understood the various elements of a story. We met as a book club a couple of days later and I had the sa...more
How to discuss literature with children - will be more useful when my daughter is a little bit older
Enjoyed the stories of lit analysis in discussion groups. Wished there were more practical how-to's included.
I think we will have better conversations about the books we read. I doubt I will use this technique with every book I read with my daughter but for a few we will. Its good to be able to pick apart a book to find the meaning and main characters but sometimes you just want to enjoy the story.
Good, but way too technical for me.
The authors take you on their continued journey of leading parent-child book clubs. It is a must read for anyone that interacts with children and wants to help them become more thoughtful readers. I think it is also good for teens and adults too to see how book analysis can be done.
I wished they gave more details about the process of their analysis and still include the results of the analysis by showing it applied to the books they've covered.
I wished they gave more details about the process of their analysis and still include the results of the analysis by showing it applied to the books they've covered.
Dec 09, 2008
Laura
marked it as to-read
Good ideas for book club?
Returned unfinished. It seemed that after the initial few chapters explaining how they got into parent-child book groups, each chapter was about a particular book. I skimmed the one about The Giver, because I really, really did not like that book. They very simply, yet thoroughly, analyzed the plot and problems and implications. I was impressed. I will definitely be checking this book out again, and the blueprint for understanding a book will stay with me. Highly recommended.
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Lawrence Goldstone is the author of fourteen books of both fiction and non-fiction. Six of those books were co-authored with his wife, Nancy, but they now write separately to save what is left of their dishes.
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and Berkshi...more
More about Lawrence Goldstone...
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and Berkshi...more
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Mar 31, 2010 10:08am