Drum Dream Girl Family Dinner Book Club

Get ready for this month’s Family Dinner Book Club .  This month we are featuring the 2016 Pura Belpre Illustrator Award Winner, Drum Dream Girl, by Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez.  

We have lots of ideas to plan your menu, make table decoration crafts, have great conversations about the book, and complete a family service project. We have thought of everything you need!  So, get a copy of the book and join in on the fun.

Full Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.

If you are new to Family Dinner Book Club, here is a little background… Family Dinner Book Club is a monthly book club for your family.  On the first of each month, we provide all the details for your dinner.   Laura from Sunny Day Family shares easy table crafts.  And, I will share conversation starters, a menu, and a service project for your family.

We invite you to share a picture from your dinner with us anytime during the month on our Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page.  Plus, you will want to follow along there for more bonus ideas to use with the books each month.

Now, on to all of the details!

Drum Dream Girl

The Book

Drum Dream Girl is inspired by Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a young Cuban woman, who became the first woman drummer in her country.  It used to be considered taboo to be a woman drummer in Cuba, but Millo Castro Zaldarriaga changed that through her courage and determination.

More Books to Enjoy

Also, enjoy some of the books from these book lists this month.

Books About Women 

Books about Pursuing Dreams 

Table Topics

Here are six conversation starters to get your dinner book club rolling.  Just click on this link (Drum Dream Girl Conversation Starters) for a one-page PDF file that you can print and then cut apart.  Use the cards on your chosen dinner night.  You, of course, don’t have to use all of them or you may even have some other discussion points that developed while you were reading.  These are just meant to be a guide.  Happy talking!

• Drum Dream Girl is about holding on to your dreams.  What is something you dream of doing in your life?
• Find Cuba on a map or globe.  Where is located compared to where we live?
• In the 1930s in Cuba, it was thought that only boys could be drummers.  Do you think boys and girls should be able to do the same things?  Why?
• Millo’s family was very supportive of her dreams.  How does your family encourage you to do the things you want to do and learn?
• How did Millo show courage?  Can you think of a time when you were courageous?
• Let’s listen to some drumming music during dinner.  How does the music make you feel?

Family Service Project

Music has an amazing impact on our mood.  This month, play music or sing for someone.  If you play an instrument or sing, you could visit a senior living center, a neighbor, or a hospital to showcase your talent.  For those that don’t play an instrument, make your own drums or shakers and use those instead.  Or, you could write a song and record it for a family member.

Talk about the ideas above with your family and see what great ideas you can create together.

Table Decorations and Menu

During dinner this month, listen to some Carribean drumming music.  Try Trinidad Steel Drummers Radio on Pandora.

Try this yummy menu:

Cuban ropa vieja (shredded beef) 
White rice
Black beans
Fried sweet plantains (after they’re cooked, we like to sprinkle a little sugar on top or dip them in a sour cream & sugar mixture) 

Check out the table crafts at Sunny Day Family.

We hope you are inspired to create a fun and meaningful Family Dinner Book Club with your own family. Remember that we want to see pictures of your dinner.  Please share them on our special Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page.

And, join us again for another Family Dinner Book Club.