Walden Media — Walden Media Book Club

Do you...

Are you a 4th through 8th grade teacher, a school librarian or a children's librarian?

If so, please join our club! We’ll be hosting meetings at the Walden Media office in downtown Boston. You’ll join colleagues in a lively guided discussion of great new children’s literature—in some cases, before the books are even published! The books are free, as are dinner and parking, and you can even earn PDPs (Professional Development Points).

What is the Walden Media Book Club? Starting in October 2007, one night each month from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Walden Media will host a group of 10-15 fourth through eighth-grade teachers, school librarians and children's librarians, to discuss a book that is newly-released or in "galley" form (not published yet). Each meeting will focus on a new work of young adult literature published by Walden Media in cooperation with Penguin Books for Young Readers, including: Mike Lupica's The Comeback Kid Kids: Two-Minute Drill Ingrid Law's Savvy Lauren St. John's The White Giraffe and Dolphin Song Michael Reisman's Simon Bloom, The Gravity Keeper The commitment is to read one novel and participate in one book discussion, either per month or as your schedule allows. The Massachusetts Department of Education has agreed to allow Walden Media to award certificates of attendance for each 2-hour book club meeting. For those who attend FIVE meetings and complete a final project, the DOE will award TEN PDPs. If interested, choose from a list of nights below, and sign up online using the form on the bottom of this page. Be aware that we ask for your telephone number so that we can personally confirm with you after you have signed up. We will mail the book and guided reading questions to you in advance of the event. Click to see sample discussion questions.

Schedule for the Walden Media Book Club

All sessions are from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

January
Thursday, 1/24/08 - Savvy
This book will be published in May 2008.
Learn more about this book.
Download and print the discussion guide for Savvy

February
Thursday, 2/21/08 - Dolphin Song
Learn more about this book.

March*
Thursday, 3/20/08 - Savvy
This book will be published in May 2008.
Learn more about this book.
Download and print the discussion guide for Savvy

*Walden Media recognizes that this is a testing month and the date may need to be rescheduled or cancelled.

April*
Thursday, 4/24/08 - Dolphin Song
Learn more about this book.
*Walden Media recognizes that this is a school holiday month and the date may need to be rescheduled or cancelled.

May
Thursday, 5/22/08 - Savvy
This book will be published in May 2008.
Learn more about this book.
Download and print the discussion guide for Savvy

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is my commitment if I join?
   Read the book; make notes based on the guided questions to prepare for the discussion; attend one corresponding session at Walden Media; complete a survey about your experience after you are done.
   
   
2. How do I get the materials for the club?
   Sign up online and FREE BOOKS and a guided reading packet will arrive in the mail prior to the meeting. This packet will include a book synopsis, information on the author and 10-20 guided reading questions to prepare you for the book discussion. We will also provide location information on free parking near the Walden Media office.
   
   
3. How do the PDPs work?
   Everyone attending one session will receive a Certificate of Attendance which can be used for relicensure. People who wish to attend 5 (five) sessions can earn extra PDPs by completing a final project. An example of a project would be for you to teach one of these books in your classroom and provide a lesson plan and evidence of student work. Other examples would include developing an annotated bibliography of related texts and films, or providing feedback on student response to the book and author or connected classroom resources you have developed.
   
   
4. Do you provide food and beverages?
   Dinner is provided. Please let us know in advance if you have any special dietary needs.
   
   
5. Where are you located, and do you provide parking?
   We are located at 294 Washington Street, Boston, MA on the 7th floor. We are in the building directly across the street from the Border's Bookstore at Downtown Crossing. Please park in the One Beacon Street Parking Garage. The two access roads are State Street and Cambridge Street. Enter the garage and get your ticket stub. Bring it to the session where we will give you a PAID sticker to affix to the stub. Once you go back to the garage you must present the stub with the sticker to the payment window on level A before retrieving your car.
   
   
6. Can I get there via public transportation?
   We are within short walking distance from the State, Government Center and Park Street MBTA stops, which cover the Blue, Green, Orange and Red subway lines. We are also three blocks away from the Downtown Crossing Silver line stop. Visit mbta.com for more information.
   
   
7. How do I get to your offices by car?
   Use the map below to get specific directions from your location. The blue "P" indicates the parking garage and the blue bubble indicates the Walden Media offices at 294 Washington Street.