"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" {by Betty Smith} Book Club Ideas

DECEMBER BOOK CLUB

 

"Who wants to die? Everything struggles to live. Look at that tree growing up there out of that grating. It gets no sun, and water only when it rains. It's growing out of sour earth. And it's strong because its hard struggle to live is making it strong. My children will be strong that way."             

    

We had our usual FEAST of all of our favorite foods which was UH-MAZING!

I LOVE all of my BEAUTIFUL book club girls!
Muuahh!

Libby did a superb job Moderating this book, guiding us through the many different topics that were relevant to the story and helping us to love the characters of this endearing book even more.

Libby had a fun quiz to kick off her discussion and Brittanie won the cutest piggy bank, in honor of Katie's tin can piggy bank!

 

 

After we STUFFED ourselves silly and discussed the book in detail, we were about to move onto the Book Club Boutique portion of the evening when suddenly I felt all eyes on me as Angie came into the room holding a big bag full of something. Angie proceeded to tell me that everyone had gotten me a small gift which was in the bag and the each member had submitted a word to her that was put into a subway art print. Each word represents what book club means to them.

I instantly teared up when I began reading the beautiful words...I will treasure this gift forever.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Here I am (looking like a goober, yes, I used the word goober), trying to express how much I love my gift.

 

As if the hand stenciled bag and gorgeous word print wasn't enough, inside the bag were these wonderful, thoughtful, gifts given by each of the girls who KNOW what I like!

 

Can't get over how ROCKING that bag is!!

After the boutique portion of the evening was over, we moved onto the "Favorite Things" white elephant gift exchange which is always a riot!

 (There is quite the story to go along with that pashmina scarf that Mandi claimed!)

 And boy did I luck out this year with the gift exchange!

Check out the GORGEOUS book wreath that Rachelle made that I made sure to end up with.

Hello, great gift for a book lover like me to win right?

 

All in all, it was a perfect evening.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was a beautiful book to read, especially as our December book because it made each of think about what happiness means and what's really important.  You don't have to have much to realize you have it all, and that's what Francie taught me.

 

"People always think that happiness is a faraway thing," thought Francie, "something complicated and hard to get. Yet, what little things can make it up; a place of shelter when it rains - a cup of strong hot coffee when you're blue; for a man, a cigarette for contentment; a book to read when you're alone - just to be with someone you love. Those things make happiness."              

 

Click HERE to read our book clubs full review of this book.