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A Typical Camp Week

Here is a sample of what a week at Book Club Camp looks like. This is a week that took place last summer. The books and activities will all be different this year. But this should give you an idea of the range of things that happen on any given day.

Author visits vary depending on the author and content of the book. As part of the author visits, we’ve had guest musicians, life drawing lessons, writing activities, book signings, and so much more!

Sample Week

Monday

  • 9:00 – 12:00 Interactive “icebreaker” activities. Small group discussions of all the books for this week. Overview of camp guidelines and rules
  • 12:00 – 1:15 Lunch (in Riverside Park, weather permitting; otherwise lunch is eaten in our café) After eating, campers can read, play board games, or run around
  • 1:30 – 3:30 Visit from Lee Bacon, author of Legendtopia.
  • 3:30 – 4:00 Wrap-up

Tuesday

  • 9:00 – 10:00 Interactive activities (drama, movement, art, etc.,) related to the book of the day in preparation for author’s visit
  • 10:00 – 12:00 Visit from Rita Williams-Garcia, author of Clayton Byrd Goes Underground.
  • 12:00- 1:15 Lunch
  • 2:00 – 3:15 Field Trip (by public transportation) to Penguin Random House Audiobook Department
  • 3:15 – 4:00 Return to Symphony Space and wrap-up

Wednesday

  • 9:00 – 10:00 Interactive activities related to the book of the day in preparation for author’s visit
  • 10:00 – 12:00 Visit from George O’Connor, author and illustrator of the graphic novel Artemis, Wild Goddess of the Hunt.
  • 12:00- 1:15 Lunch
  • 1:30 – 2:00 Free/Quiet time
  • 2:00 – 3:30 Drawing session with George O’Connor.
  • 3:30 – 4:00 Wrap-up

Thursday

  • 9:00-9:30 Free/Quiet time
  • 9:30 – 10:00 Travel to Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art (by public transportation)
  • 10:00 – 11:30 Tour Museum with C. Alexander London, author of We Are Not Eaten by Yaks.
  • 11:30 – 12:00 Return to Symphony Space
  • 12:00- 1:15 Lunch
  • 1:30 – 3:30 Visit from C. Alexander London, author of We Are Not Eaten by Yaks.
  • 3:30 – 4:00 Wrap-up

Friday

  • 9:00 – 10:00 Interactive activities related to the book of the day in preparation for author’s visit
  • 10:00 – 12:00 Visit from Wendy Wan-Long Shang, author of The Way Home Looks Now.
  • 12:00- 1:15 Lunch
  • 1:30 – 2:00 Free/Quiet time
  • 2:00 – 3:00 “Share” Every Friday afternoon, campers get to share something: a book (or books) they love, a song, a joke or two; they can read something they have written, act out a scene with friends, teach the group something new. This is always very lovely and a great way to end an exciting week.
  • 3:00 – 3:45 End of week party: light refreshments, time to fill out a short evaluation form, collect autographs and contact info for new friends, and clean-up.
  • 4:00 Farewell!