Hosting a Well-Read Black Girl Book Club: Selecting Your Book

Here, from Well-Read Black Girl (WRBG) book club founder Glory Edim, is the second chapter in the Well-Read Black Girl Ambassador Orientation and Book Club Starter Guide, which will help participating booksellers launch their book club.

Chapter 2: Selecting your book

Book selection guidelines

Each month, Well-Read Black Girl founder Glory Edim will recommend three book club selections:

• Debut novel
• Paperback
• YA

MAY
Lot: Stories by Bryan Washington
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

JUNE
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn
The Mothers by Britt Bennett

JULY
The Travelers by Regina Porter
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

AUGUST
Sabrina and Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Dear Martin by Nic Stone

A few factors to consider when picking a book for your book club include:

• Topic
• Length
• Reading level
• Price
• Publication date
• Availability on different readers (eBooks and audio options)

Don’t forget about restrictions publication date might put on your book club. For example, if you choose a new release, the book might have a long waiting list at the library. This might put the other members of your book club who can’t afford a new book in a tight spot. Be considerate and look up all options before you settle on a book pick.

Watch upcoming issues of Bookselling This Week for more chapters from the Well-Read Black Girl Ambassador Orientation and Book Club Starter Guide and visit BookWeb to learn more about the ABA-WRBG partnership.