Family Dinner Book Club: Xander’s Panda Party

It is time for us to share all the details for the April Family Dinner Book Club!  This month we are featuring the book, Xander’s Panda Party by Linda Sue Park and Matt Phelan.  We hope that you’ve been enjoying reading the 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!

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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.  Jill from Enchanted Homeschooling Mom shares art and craft ideas for decorating your dinner table.  Sarah from Daisy at Home shares a special menu to compliment the book.  And, I will share conversation starters 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:  Xander’s Panda Party

Table Topics

I’m pleased to share six conversation starters to get your Xander’s Panda Party book club rolling.  Just click on this link (Xander’s Panda Party 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!

• There are lots of interesting words in Xander’s Panda Party.  What new word did you learn from the story?  Let’s try to see how many times we can use the word during our dinner conversation.
• Not long ago, pandas were dangerously close to extinction.  What does extinction mean?  Can you name some animals that are extinct?
• Xander does a lot of thinking to help solve his problems.  Where do you do your best thinking?
• If you were going to throw a party, what kind of party would you design?
• Some of the animals feel excluded from Xander’s party.  Talk about a time when you have felt left out from being a part of something.
• What were some things that Xander learned about animal classification in the story?

Adapting for Different Ages

Though Family Dinner Book Club works very well for children ages 4-8, you can adapt the club for younger and older children.  Younger children may enjoy other picture book stories about zoos including Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell or Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Ratham.  Older children may prefer to read a chapter book on their own and then discuss together as a family.  The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is a beautiful book about animal friendship.

Table Decorations

For lots of table decoration ideas, head over to Enchanted Homeschooling Mom for her Xander’s Panda Party Inspired Storybook Decorations for Your Family Dinner Table.  Jill shares ideas for table decorations for you special dinner.

Menu

For your yummy Xander’s Panda Party 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!

Check back on May 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 or on our Facebook page.