Family Dinner Book Club: Dumpling Soup

It’s the last Family Dinner Book Club of 2014.  This month we are featuring the book, Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan.  We hope that you’ve been enjoying reading this book with your family.  If you haven’t started to read or are just learning about Family Dinner Book Club, you still have plenty of time to participate!

We also have some improvements to announce for 2015.  And, we are giving you a sneak peek at our January title!  Details are at the bottom of this post.

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Family Dinner Book Club: Dumpling Soup

The Book

Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan

Marissa is making dumplings for the New Year celebration.  New Year’s in Hawaii is all about family. This story supports the diversity of our families.  It’s a beautiful story of family, customs and culture.

Table Topics

I’m pleased to share six conversation starters to get your dinner book club rolling.  Just click on this link (Dumpling Soup 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!

• Marisa’s family has a family tradition of making dumplings to celebrate the New Year.  What family traditions do we have throughout the year?
• If you could design a new family tradition for our family, what would you pick?
• Marissa experienced a lot of different emotions in the story.  Describe a time she was excited?  When did she feel nervous?
• What are you most proud of from the past year?
• Name three things you are grateful for from the past year.
• What are your wishes and goals for 2015?

Table Decorations

Michelle from Moms Are Frugal is our guest co-host this month.  She is sharing table decoration crafts that you can do with the kids.

Menu

For your yummy Dumpling Soup menu, head over to Daisy at Home.

***Family Dinner Book Club for 2015

Family Dinner Book Club is a monthly book club for your family. Each month we share all the details for your special club dinner.  We are excited to announce some changes for the new year!  Items in bold are the new changes.

1.Sarah from Daisy at Home  will continue to share a special menu to compliment the book.

2.I will continue to share conversation starters to discuss at the dinner table.

3. Sarah and I will take turns sharing easy and simple table decoration crafts the kids can make.

4. I will be sharing a family service project that your family can do each month related to the book.

5.We will continue to alternate between a chapter book and picture book each month.

6.We will announce the new title on the 15th of each month.  So, our January title is being announced today!  Sign up for my FREE newsletter and you will be one of the first to know the new title each month!  You will also get a FREE planner each month for dinner club via the newsletter.

7.  Everything for your dinner club will be ready for you on the 1st of each month.

8.  Our Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page will be more active with lots of tips and ideas each month related to the book we are reading.  Give us a “like” on Facebook and check in each day at 7:30 pm (CST) for something to inspire you and your family.

January 2015 Family Dinner Book Club Title!

To kick off the new year we are going to read Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater.

This Newbery Honor Award book is a funny tale of a painter who wishes he would have seen more of the world.  He is fascinated with the poles and writes a fan letter to Admiral Drake.  The Admiral in returns sends him a penguin and the funny tales begin.  Popper’s colony quickly grows and they end up taking their show on the road.

I know this is a lot of information.  Here is what you need to do now!

• Sign up for the FREE  Growing Book by Book newsletter.
• Give us a “like” on Facebook.
• Decide when you are doing your December Family Dinner Book Club.
• Get your copy of Mr. Popper’s Penguins for the January Family Dinner Book Club.

Happy Reading!