Writing a novel (or other long-term project) can be a hard, lonely business. Good news: it doesn’t have to be!

Novel Support Group is for any 7th-12th grade writer who’s ready to pour their story onto the page (or screen) alongside a support group of other writers doing the same thing. Instruction will be limited; after a group check-in and warm-up activity, students will spend most of class time working on their manuscripts. As they work, they can bounce ideas off one another and ask Mrs. Kristin questions about character, plot, pacing, and world building. When they feel ready, students are welcome to invite the group to critique and/or workshop their work. Novelists/anthologists/screenwriters at all stages of writing (beginning, middle, or end) are welcome.

This is an ongoing class. NEW SIGNUP PROCEDURE: Sessions can be purchased individually or in groups of five or 11 (buy ten, get one free!). Students are welcome to come and go as they please; they can sign up for one session to see if they like it, drop out for a bit when life gets busy, then come back when they’re ready to dive into their work again. Mrs. Kristin will keep track of their sessions with a punch card.

Mondays, 7:00–8:30 p.m. Please check the calendar to confirm that we’re meeting.

Mrs. Kristin’s book clubs are more like college classes than adult book clubs. She teaches kids how to think critically about what they read; even the youngest book clubbers are introduced to the concepts of themes, symbols, figurative language, and voice, all in age-appropriate language. We debate opinions and find textual evidence to support our ideas. We also read some really great books.

Three Thumbs Up is a genre- and format-spanning book club for incoming 5th–6th graders. We’ll be reading some of Mrs. Kristin’s favorite middle grade books, the first of which is a graphic novel.

Book list:

• Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

• Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones

• Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl

Open to rising 5th–6th graders.

Dates: June 16, July 15, August 5; 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Students are responsible for acquiring their own books. Books are not included in the cost of class.

Mrs. Kristin’s book clubs are more like college classes than adult book clubs. She teaches kids how to think critically about what they read; even the youngest book clubbers are introduced to the concepts of themes, symbols, figurative language, and voice, all in age-appropriate language. We debate opinions and find textual evidence to support our ideas. We also read some really great books.

Sneak Attack! is a book club for incoming 5th–6th graders who love stories about spies, detectives, and sneaky adventures.

Book list:

• Framed! by James Ponti

• The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Open to rising 5th–6th graders.

Dates: June 17, July 16, August 6; 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Students are responsible for acquiring their own books. Books are not included in the cost of class.

Mrs. Kristin’s book clubs are more like college classes than adult book clubs. She teaches kids how to think critically about what they read; even the youngest book clubbers are introduced to the concepts of themes, symbols, figurative language, and voice, all in age-appropriate language. We debate opinions and find textual evidence to support our ideas. We also read some really great books.

Five-Star Favorites is the upper-middle grade/YA book club full of Mrs. Kristin’s favorite reads from the oft-overlooked middle school years.

Book list:

• Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos

• Science Fair by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

• Mexikid by Pedro Martin (local author!)

Open to rising 7th–9th graders.

Dates: June 9, July 7, July 28; 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Students are responsible for acquiring their own books. Books are not included in the cost of class.

Mrs. Kristin’s book clubs are more like college classes than adult book clubs. She teaches kids how to think critically about what they read; even the youngest book clubbers are introduced to the concepts of themes, symbols, figurative language, and voice, all in age-appropriate language. We debate opinions and find textual evidence to support our ideas. We also read some really great books.

Here There Be Dragons is a fantasy book club for incoming 7th–9th graders. We will not be discussing books about squirrels, nor books that look like they’re about dragons but are really about squirrels. We’ve been burned before and we’re still pretty mad about it.

Book list:

• Fireborne by Rosaria Munda

• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

• The Last Dragon Slayer by Jasper Fforde

Open to rising 7th–9th graders.

Dates: June 10, July 8, July 29; 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Students are responsible for acquiring their own books. Books are not included in the cost of class.

Mrs. Kristin’s book clubs are more like college classes than adult book clubs. She teaches kids how to think critically about what they read; even the youngest book clubbers are introduced to the concepts of themes, symbols, figurative language, and voice, all in age-appropriate language. We debate opinions and find textual evidence to support our ideas. We also read some really great books.

Bangers Only is the high school book club featuring some of Mrs. Kristin’s all-time favorite books from the “adult” section of the library. These are the books she recommends over and over again to adults and teenagers alike. This particular trio covers sci-fi, horror, and memoir. Two of the books are found on most AP English Lit prep lists.

Book list:

• The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

• Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

• Maus (Parts I and II) by Art Spiegelman

Open to rising 9th–12th graders.

Dates: June 2, June 23, July 21; 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Students are responsible for acquiring their own books. Books are not included in the cost of class.

Mrs. Kristin’s book clubs are more like college classes than adult book clubs. She teaches kids how to think critically about what they read; even the youngest book clubbers are introduced to the concepts of themes, symbols, figurative language, and voice, all in age-appropriate language. We debate opinions and find textual evidence to support our ideas. We also read some really great books.

Now THAT’S Funny is the high school book club featuring hilarious books from the “adult” section of the library. (They do exist!) While we snort over literary slapstick and a moon made of molten cheese, we’ll also be learning how to find the deeper meaning in humor.

Book list:

• When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

• A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

• Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Open to rising 9th–12th graders.

Dates: June 3, June 24, July 22; 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Students are responsible for acquiring their own books. Books are not included in the cost of class.

Falling in love is easy; writing about it is hard. In this five-day camp, students will focus on capturing the emotions and sensations of falling in love, from unrequited crushes to longing glances across crowded ballrooms. Then we’ll send up some big ol’ red flags and tear those sweet relationships to shreds as we study conflict, heartbreak, and every teenager’s best friend, angst.

Open to incoming 8th–12th graders.

Dates: July 20–24, 1:30–3:30 p.m.

Sometimes the best part of writing is all the stuff the reader doesn’t see: secret scenes, characters that don’t make the cut, and setting details that go deeper than the Marianas Trench.

This week is for the world builders, those writers who love to create the places, peoples, cultures, and creatures that give a story a grounded sense of place. We’ll tackle everything from trade and topography to magic and maps. Don’t worry: when your brain gets fatigued, there will be plenty of reference books, games, and conversation to help spark new ideas.

Whether you’re knee-deep in a story already or want to build something new, you’ll walk away with the start of your very own Wible** (World Bible) and the templates to make more Wibles for future endeavors.

Open to incoming 7th–post-12th graders.

Dates: July 13–17, 1:30–3:00 p.m.

Amp up your Dungeons & Dragons game with a week of RPG prep. We’ll kick off the festivities by creating memorable characters, then ease our way into campaign elements like setting, plot twists, and red herrings. While we won’t be dedicating any class time to gameplay, you’ll have plenty of time to swap stories and get to know other D&D enthusiasts.

Open to incoming 7th–12th graders.

Dates: June 15–19, 1:30–3:30 p.m.

Fan fiction is old. Like, probably as-old-as-Mrs. Kristin-old. We’ll spend our week getting weird with fandoms and genres old and new as we try out unfamiliar techniques and pick a peck of prompts from the Baby Chick of Destiny. Along the way, you’ll pick up tips and tricks for making your prose shine, keeping readers interested, and preventing your own writerly burnout.

Open to incoming 6th–12th graders. Don’t worry if you took our spring fan fiction class; this week will be totally different!

Dates: July 27–31, 1:30–3:00 p.m.

Don’t know what to write? No problem. Release the pressure valve with The Wordshop’s Night Writes. Half writing-prompt-a-palooza, half creative smack-down, attendees will spend part of the evening tackling tricky writing prompts and the rest vying for the night’s grand prize. Sign up for individual nights or select the 2026 Season Pass and save $15. (Drop-ins are welcome, so feel free to bring a friend and have them pay at the door!)

Open to incoming 9th-post-12th graders.

5 sessions, 90 minutes

Fridays, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Dates: June 5, 19, 26; July 17, 31