Book Club in a Bag: Lumberjanes

Take-and-make kits; craft kits; programs to go: whatever your library calls these programs in a bag that have become a staple of no-contact offerings, one thing is fairly standard: these kits are well loved, but they take time to make. I love creating materials for kits and thinking about how a family might interact with program materials at home. I’ve introduced a new pair of kits for ages 6-11: Book Club in a Bag (also known as Leap Off the Page, since we already have book club kits at our library, and the original name became confusing). This week: Lumberjanes!

The Book Club in a Bag kits look a bit different from some of my previous kits. Instead of focusing on just one book universe, these kits each feature four characters, hopefully some old favorites as well as some new, diverse characters.

In May, these featured characters or books included (links provided as the bag contents are shared on Book Cart Queens):

• Ages 6-8
  • Narwhal and Jelly (Blen Clanton)
  • Sadiq (Siman Nuurali)
  • Pete the Cat (Eric Litwin and James Dean)
  • Zoey and Sassafras (Asia Citro)

• Ages 8-11:
  • Tristan Strong (Kwambe Mbalia)
  • Last Kids on Earth (Max Brallier)
  • Two Truths and a Lie (Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson)
  • Lumberjanes (Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Brooke Allen, Grace Ellis, Kat Leyh, Faith Erin Hicks)

Each bag contains some repeated resources:

• List of kit contents
• List of books in the featured series
• List of readalike books
• Discussion questions
• Swag item (button, sticker, bookmarks)
• 1-3 crafts, games, activities

Lumberjanes Kit

The Lumberjanes Kit can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. Most of this kit can be re-created simply using a printer, with the addition of extra items depending on your budget.

Want to use make a Lumberjanes Kit at your library? Download the PDFs at the links below, or write a comment or send an email (bookcartqueens@gmail.com) for editable files.

Lumberjanes General Materials

Each bag contains some of the same basic materials, and the Lumberjanes kit is no different.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF featuring all kit activities here.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing all book titles here.

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing readalikes here.

The Lumberjanes readalikes bookmark features these titles:

• The Avant-Guards Vol. 1 by Carly Usdin
• The Backstagers Vol. 1: Rebels Without Applause by James Tynion IV
• The Creature of the Pines by Adam Gidwitz
• Giants Beware! by Rafael Rosado
• Goldie Vance Volume 1 by Hope Larson
• Martian Ghost Centaur by Mat Heagerty
• Moonstruck Vol. 1, Magic to Brew by Grace Ellis
• Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
• Princeless Vol. 1: Save Yourself by Jeremy Whitley
• Secrets of Camp Whatever by Chris Grine
• Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
• The Weirn Books: Be Wary of the Silent Woods by svetlana Chmakova

Slideshare not working? Download the PDF listing discussion questions here.

The Lumberjanes Discussion Questions included:

• The very first page of the first book has the original name of the Lumberjanes’ camp inscribed at the bottom. It reads “Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Girls” with the word “girls” scratched out and replaced with “hardcore lady-types.” Why do you think the word girl was scratched out?
• How would you describe each of the five main Lumberjanes? Who is your favorite? Why?
• Why do you think they included so many snippets from the Lumberjanes manual and information about Lumberjanes badges?
• In the “Message from the Lumberjane High Council” in Volume 1 it says: “…Whether you are a dancer or a misfit, career girl or a social elite, you have a place at this camp — no matter how different you feel.” How does the story and the characters reflect this?

This bag also included a sticker, printed on Avery circle 2.25″ white sticker label paper.

Slideshare not working? Download the ready-to-print sticker sheet here.

Lumberjanes Crafts, Games, and More

Someday, I really want to create a Lumberjanes activity book with activities related to each badge. That didn’t happen for this kit, but I did make an awesome, ready-to-print mythical creatures card game. Playing cards were printed double-sided on cardstock.

Download the cards:

Slideshare not working? Download the playing cards here.

Download the Instructions:

Slideshare not working? Download the instructions here.

The kit also included a Friendship Bracelet activity: