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You are here: Home / All categories / Family Dinner Book Club: The Cricket in Times Square

Family Dinner Book Club: The Cricket in Times Square

September 15, 2014 • 7 Comments

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Time to plan this month’s Family Dinner Book Club!  This month we are featuring the book, The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden.  We hope that you’ve been enjoying reading this classic 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!

Family Dinner Book Club featuring The Cricket in Times Square from growingbookbybook.com

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 first of each month, we share the title of the book that is being featured.  Then, on the 15th of each month we share 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 table decoration ideas for your special family dinner.  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: The Cricket in Times Square

The Book

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

A cricket from Connecticut finds himself shuffled to New York via a picnic basket.  It’s there that he meets some great friends and takes in the sites of Times Square.  He also brings a great gift to a hard-working family.

Family Dinner Book Club

Table Topics

I’m pleased to share six conversation starters to get your dinner book club rolling.  Just click on this link (The Cricket in Times Square 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!

  • Which character did you like the most?  Why?
  • How did Mario’s life change from the beginning of the story to the end?
  • Would you prefer to live in the city or country?  Why?
  • If you could help out a friend with your talents, would you?
  • Why did Chester not like being famous?  Do you think everyone who is famous feels like Chester did?
  • Mario kept Chester as a pet.  What pet would you like to own?

Table Decorations

table decorations for The Cricket in Times Square

This month we are keeping the table decoration ideas simple.  The Bellinis owned a newsstand so cover your dinner table with newspaper. Make place cards with letters cut from magazines.  A simple centerpiece of apples or colored Christmas lights in a tall glass vase to represent Times Square will add the finishing touches to the table.  Listen to some lovely Italian classical music in the background while you discuss the book. The Bellinis loved Italian opera.

Menu

For your yummy The Cricket in Times Square Menu, head over to Daisy at Home.

And please snap a picture and share with us on our Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page.  We will also be talking about the book and how the club is going on the page too.  We’d love for you to join us!

We are working on planning for the future of Family Dinner Book Club.  We would love your feedback.  Please take a few moments to fill out this survey.

  Click here to take the Family Dinner Book Club Survey

Check back on October 1st to see which book we will be featuring for the new month! Is there a book you would like to see us feature this year?  Please share your ideas below in the comments on our Facebook page!

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7 Comments Filed Under: All categories Tagged With: family conversations, table topics

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. Selena @ Look! We're Learning! says

    September 23, 2014 at 6:39 pm

    Thanks for linking up with Family Fun Friday! I’ll be featuring you this week. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Patricia says

    September 16, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    My now 9 year-old son loved this book. We read the book and listened to the audiobook as well. It was one of his very favorites! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Sarah - Daisy At Home says

    September 15, 2014 at 10:59 am

    I love the newsstand theme table decorations! Perfect for this book and perfect for using things we already have around the house.

    Reply
  4. heather says

    September 15, 2014 at 10:54 am

    I just finished reading this book to my girls (ages 5 and 7) because I remembered how much my son loved reading it together when he was their ages. Such a great book. We had lots of tears at the end, but I think it is already a favorite forever!

    Reply
    • Jodie Rodriguez says

      September 15, 2014 at 10:57 am

      I know Heather. This one was super special to us. It’s the first chapter book that I’ve read all the way through with my 4 year-old. He loved it and I loved reading it again after so many years!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Fun Ways to Learn at Home with Family Fun Friday! says:
    September 25, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    […] at Growing Book by Book has a great idea for bringing learning to the dinner table – start a family dinner book club! This month, she’s featuring the book “The Cricket in Times Square” with some fun […]

    Reply
  2. The Cricket in Times Square Dinner Menu - Daisy At Home says:
    September 15, 2014 at 10:48 am

    […] hop on over to Growing Book by Book for some conversation starters to discuss the book as well as fun decorations to adorn your dinner […]

    Reply

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