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You are here: Home / All categories / Family Dinner Book Club: Where the Sidewalk Ends

Family Dinner Book Club: Where the Sidewalk Ends

April 1, 2015 • 8 Comments

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Family Dinner Book Club is celebrating National Poetry Month!   This month we are featuring  Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein.

We invite you to get a copy of the book and begin reading it with your family.

Then, use the great ideas below to plan your menu, make table decoration crafts, talk about the book and complete a family service project.  We have everything you need!

This month's Family Dinner Book Club selection is Where the Sidewalk Ends!

Full Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.  Your support of Growing Book by Book is greatly appreciated.

Just to review a bit… Family Dinner Book Club is a monthly book club for your family.  On the 15th of each month, we share the title of the book that is being featured.  Then, on the 1st of each month we provide all the details for your special club dinner.  Sarah from Daisy at Home shares a special menu to compliment the book.  And, I will share conversation starters and a service project for your family.  Sarah and I will take turns showcasing table decoration crafts to make with the kids.

We invite you to share a picture from your dinner with us anytime during the month on our Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page.

Now, on to preparing for book club this month!

Family Dinner Book Club: Where the Sidewalk Ends

The Book

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

A fun collection of poems and drawings are awaiting you in this book!

Family Dinner Book Club

Table Topics

Here are six conversation starters to get your dinner book club rolling.  Just click on this link (Where the Sidewalk Ends 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!

  • Do you think poetry is easy or challenging to read?  Why?
  • Do you think the pictures added to the poetry? Do you think that the poems would be as funny without the illustrations?
  • What similarities did you notice amongst the poems?
  • Which poem was your absolute most favorite?  Why?
  • Pick a number between 10-170.  Now, lets turn to that page and reread the poem we find.
  • Let’s read “Snowman” again together.  Now, let’s each illustrate the poem on our dinner table paper.

Family Service Project

Reread the following poems: Hug o’War, Listen to the Mustn’ts, No Difference and Love.  Talk about each poem together.  As a family decide which one speaks to your family the most.  Ask your kids, “Can you think of a service project we could do this month inspired by one of these poems?”

Plan your project and set a deadline to complete it.

Table Decorations

We are all about simple for table decorations!

Cover the dinner table with white craft paper.  Set out pens or pencils for each person to sketch before, during or after dinner.

making table decorations for Where the Sidewalk Ends for Family Dinner Book Club

Following the theme of “Band-Aids” poem, create place cards with band-aids.

making more table decoration crafts  for Where the Sidewalk Ends

Next to each place setting write a list of polite words from the poem, “I’m Making a List.”  During dinner each person can cross off polite words they say during dinner.

For a centerpiece have each child decorate a box with things they have collected.  This is inspired from “Two Boxes” and “Hector the Collector”.

 Menu

Head over to Daisy at Home to get your Where the Sidewalk Ends Dinner Menu!

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 our special Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page.

 

 

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8 Comments Filed Under: All categories Tagged With: where the sidewalk ends

About Jodie Rodriguez

Jodie Rodriguez is a mom of two young boys and an early childhood/elementary educator with over 20 years of experience. Jodie's passion is helping parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else interested in nurturing and reaching ALL of our youngest growing readers.

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  1. Samantha @ Stir the Wonder says

    April 12, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    What a fun idea! Thanks for linking up at the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop! We hope you join us again next week!

    Reply
  2. Lucy Jennings says

    April 6, 2015 at 11:58 am

    What a fun idea to use craft paper for the tablecloth, and draw on it! And the list of polite words is great too. I just found your site through the Monday Linky Party, and am so glad I did!

    Reply
    • Jodie Rodriguez says

      April 6, 2015 at 8:50 pm

      Welcome Lucy! So glad you found me too. Enjoy browsing and discovering!

      Reply
  3. Heather H says

    April 6, 2015 at 10:51 am

    I love this!! Where the Sidewalk Ends was one of my favorites as a child. I’ve been sharing it with my 8 year old, so I think I’ll have him pick out a couple of his favorite poems to read to his little sisters at dinner. Now I have to dig out those band-aids that nobody likes . . .seems like a good way to use them up 🙂

    Reply
    • Jodie Rodriguez says

      April 6, 2015 at 8:51 pm

      Thanks Heather. Hope your family has a great time!

      Reply
  4. Julie Kirkwood says

    April 2, 2015 at 6:43 am

    Love, love, love this, Jodie!

    Reply
  5. Sarah says

    April 1, 2015 at 10:18 am

    Such a fun book to share with the family! The bandaid place cards are perfectly silly to complement the book, and I can’t imagine a more fun dinner than being able to color on the tablecloth. I love the idea of getting the kids to help think up a family service project. It will help them take ownership!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Where the Sidewalk Ends - Family Dinner Book Club - Daisy At Home says:
    April 1, 2015 at 10:08 am

    […] children, and will hopefully be a fun and interactive activity for the whole family. Head over to Growing Book by Book for some talking points to get the conversation started, easy table crafts, and an idea for a […]

    Reply

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