Good Books Young Troublemakers Book Club for Middle School Students

When: Saturday, November 16th | 4 PM
Where: Dog-Eared Books Loft

“Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” – Congressman & civil rights activist John Lewis

SPONSOR A MONTH OF GOOD BOOKS YOUNG TROUBLEMAKERS! HERE

Good Books Young Troublemakers is a book club where middle school-aged kids read great books and practice speaking up. In GBYT, we create a space for participants to reflect on identity, privilege, and power, and offer tools and practice opportunities to help prepare them to use their voices to respond to moments of injustice, both small and large. In short, we help them learn how to engage in “good trouble”!

Interested in donating to Good Books Young Troublemakers? Every donation is put towards advancing the Good Books Young Troublemakers mission of using stories to help kids develop empathy, become confident allies, and engage in good trouble.

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Not only are books fun, but some stories can also help us learn how to think about injustice, use our voices–and be good troublemakers! Join Jamet and Lou to chat about Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass

Thirteen-year-old Ellen Katz feels most comfortable when her life is well planned out and people fit neatly into her predefined categories. She attends temple with Abba and Mom every Friday and Saturday. Ellen only gets crushes on girls, never boys, and she knows she can always rely on her best-and-only friend, Laurel, to help navigate social situations at their private Georgia middle school. Laurel has always made Ellen feel like being autistic is no big deal. But lately, Laurel has started making more friends, and cancelling more weekend plans with Ellen than she keeps. A school trip to Barcelona seems like the perfect place for Ellen to get their friendship back on track.

Except it doesn’t. Toss in a new nonbinary classmate whose identity has Ellen questioning her very binary way of seeing the world, homesickness, a scavenger hunt-style team project that takes the students through Barcelona to learn about Spanish culture and this trip is anything but what Ellen planned.

Making new friends and letting go of old ones is never easy, but Ellen might just find a comfortable new place for herself if she can learn to embrace the fact that life doesn’t always stick to a planned itinerary.

The November book club pick was sponsored by a community member. But you are welcome to pick up a free copy, purchase a copy to read, or grab it from the library, and join us at Dog-Eared Books, Saturday, November 16th, at 4 PM, for the book discussion.

Dates and books for upcoming Good Trouble Book Club 2024 gatherings:

November 16 at 4 PM
Ellen Outside the Lines by A J Sass
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December 14 at 4 PM
Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith
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Previous Book Club Selections