Virtual Book Club for grades 5-12

book club 5-12 Aug 2025

Virtual Book Club

Our virtual do-it-at-home book clubs for all ages continue! The best part? Everyone who participates gets to keep the book!

Pick up your free book and activity packet by visiting the library. Every book will come with a blank review form, a few questions you can think about, and a small craft or activity that ties into the book. All we ask is that you read the book: do as much or as little of the rest of it as you want. No matter how much you do, the book is yours!

The books are:

  • Grades 5-8: Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales) by Nathan Hale. "In 1914, the world’s biggest countries (and some of its smallest, too) were gearing up for a massive fight. Land, history, geography – each country went to war for different reasons and with different resources. But most ended up the same: sending their young men to fight for their lives in the mud, on the sea, and in the air... World War I, “The Great War,” or “The War to End All Wars,” was fought along thousands of miles of frontline trenches, with mechanized weapons, and dangerous new weapons like machine guns and mustard gas. It left behind a world that was scarred, angry, and traumatized. Its horrifying lessons are still being examined today."
  • Grades 9-12: Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo. "As the enemy lurks in the darkness, Thomas struggles to stay awake through the night. He has lived through the terror of gas attacks and watched friends die by his side. But in the morning, Thomas will be forced to confront an even greater horror. As the minutes tick by, Thomas remembers his childhood spent deep in the countryside with his mother, his brothers, and Molly, the love of his life. But each minute that passes brings Thomas closer to something he can’t bear to think about – the moment when the war and its horrific consequences will change his life forever."

We will have a post for each book on https://www.splyouth.org for anyone who wants to discuss the book or comment on any of the questions or activities. If you’d prefer not to go online, fill out the included review sheets and get them back to the library, and we can post your comments for you! Even better, everyone who either posts on our site or brings back anything included with the book – even if it’s just a picture of the craft you did – will also get a small prize at the library!

See the books for grades K-3 and 3-5.

Want to learn more about what's going on for youth at the library? Visit splyouth.org! Featuring posts discussing books, activities, submissions from kids, and more!