The Wise Owl Tween Book Club meets every month to discuss a book! The first 10 readers who register will receive a copy of the book to keep, limited to one copy per household. To make the most out of our discussion, please finish reading the book by the time of our discussion.

We will be meeting in person in the Balboa Room at Central Library, with an option to Zoom in from home.

Our book this month is The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

The book is available to check out from the library here.

The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award–winning middle grade bestseller! Basketball and heartache share the court in this slam-dunk novel in verse.

"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering," announces dreadlocked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court.

But Josh has more than basketball in his blood. He's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood from Kwame Alexander. Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.

Thank you so much to the Friends of the Children's Library for sponsoring events like these to help us bring more fun programs to our readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still sign up even though all the copies of the books have been given out?

Yes! Our budget allows us to provide copies of the book to the first 15 registrants, but anyone is welcome to read the book and join us for the discussion in person or on Zoom. You should still register (on the waitlist) so you can receive the Zoom link, reminders, or updates in case changes occur, and to be notified about the next books.

The book is also available to check out from the library here. 

What does it mean to be waitlisted?

That just means you weren't one of the first 15 registrants eligible to receive a free copy of the book, but you are still welcome to join the discussion in person or online! You should still register to receive the meeting link and updates!

When and where are books handed out?

Books are handed out the previous month so readers have plenty of time to read the book in time for the author visit! Registration opens up a few days before the month begins so we can have an idea of interest and demand. Then the books for the next month are usually handed out during the current month's book discussion.

If you are not able to make it to the discussion and need to pick up next month's book, they will be available at the Children's Research and Information Desk at Central Library. Please try to pick up books early enough to give readers enough time to finish reading by our meeting!