The best way to get inspired to write is to read, and to read lots of different kinds of books! SCBWI PA West is launching a book club with a monthly online zoom meeting to discuss our reading. We would love to have you join us!
• We will be focusing on Newbery Award Winners (ages range mostly from early readers to teen) and picture books handpicked by the regional team.
• We will alternate each month between either 1 Newbery award winning book or 2 non-Newbery picture books.
• Learn more about the Newbery award here and find a list of all award winning books by year here.
• Book discussions will touch upon themes, character development, voice/tone/format, literary significance, social/political/domestic issues and the strengths (or weaknesses) of text, illustrations and book design.
• We recommend that you check books out at your local library or on library loan apps like Hoopla and Libby, where you can take out an ebook or audiobook with a valid library card and read or listen to it on your phone.
• Book club zoom sessions will be 1-2 hours. All links to meetings will be posted on this page.
July 7 2026 7 pm EST - Session 31 - Hello, Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall + The Arrival by Shaun Tan
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/95715290331?pwd=nwdehKXjJ18LXf3Q96HD5caeYcj5dS.1
Meeting ID: 957 1529 0331
Passcode: 912131
Aug 11 2026 7 PM EST - Session 32 - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/94357182355?pwd=PoQbSqeMFzNnWUBL59Lg7LJBdF0cjK.1
Meeting ID: 943 5718 2355
Passcode: 219203
Sept 8 7 2026 7 PM EST - Session 33 - Watercress by Andrea Wang + Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/91673150693?pwd=JO7xNpohG8ww5JAzwUvGPhZLaYZGb2.1
Meeting ID: 916 7315 0693
Passcode: 834389
Oct 13 2026 7 PM EST - Session 34 - When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/92309785440?pwd=Pm4GPD71jPOIChriqmB0COVsSrO2He.1
Meeting ID: 923 0978 5440
Passcode: 322495
Nov 10 2026 7 pm EST - Session 35 - Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak + There's A Nightmare In My Closet by Mercer Mayer
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/95698231148?pwd=goBHtbaI0wLi3a0JoE2jbWnuxu2Hcx.1
Meeting ID: 956 9823 1148
Passcode: 375881
NOTE: No Dec 2026 Virtual Book Club.
Jan 4 2027 7 PM EST - Session 36 - The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/94134312295?pwd=wNcNg8UAjrYxh9iIpkMxiw7DbDyuQh.1
Meeting ID: 941 3431 2295
Passcode: 416264
Feb 8 2027 7 PM EST - Session 37 - The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson + The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and David Small
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/96543112412?pwd=vmbxlilPc70Q5Ov9FOa9ijtzemzm9n.1
Meeting ID: 965 4311 2412
Passcode: 682183
Mar 8 2027 7 PM EST - Session 38 - Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/95393005743?pwd=lPIkXuV3dm32HqFFW1CaTq7i2O6LHc.1
Meeting ID: 953 9300 5743
Passcode: 637626
Apr 5 2027 7 PM EST - Session 39 - Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love + The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/91742735882?pwd=OuvgEmaLTSlu7p330Tadc1k1i3QvWJ.1
Meeting ID: 917 4273 5882
Passcode: 077599
May 3 2027 7 PM EST - Session 40 - Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/92261234195?pwd=i4biHbHwy04QMFDaE11nbbkabbIRUN.1
Meeting ID: 922 6123 4195
Passcode: 166017
June 7 2027 7 PM EST - Session 41 - Drawn Together by Minh Lê and Dan Santat + My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Peña
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/92638144700?pwd=sbdqRMs1bGoV5Zwbdlj1rm7YOuCcvc.1
Meeting ID: 926 3814 4700
Passcode: 219767
July 5 2027 7 PM EST - Session 42 - The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/97872687783?pwd=nCBxyjyaHipyyeYJVWUvfPoNSb526u.1
Meeting ID: 978 7268 7783
Passcode: 532657
Aug 9 2027 7 PM EST - Session 43 - A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker & Kady MacDonald Denton + Ice Bear by Nicola Davies & Gary Blythe
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/94525758132?pwd=RuC8FX5FpbMyn4FBcItabDIm85nf6L.1
Meeting ID: 945 2575 8132
Passcode: 701836
Sept 6 2027 7 PM EST - Session 44 - Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/93591327816?pwd=q56CubZDK08XjbFx559aTC2Pwa554R.1
Meeting ID: 935 9132 7816
Passcode: 863410
Oct 4 2027 7 PM EST - Session 45 - A Different Pond by Bao Phi + Flotsam by David Wiesner
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/95488481162?pwd=faMJ6a3yPu3SRcRZS1xj5QIPtT6d95.1
Meeting ID: 954 8848 1162
Passcode: 299896
Nov 8 2027 7 PM EST - Session 46 - The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly
https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/93688632438?pwd=qZkMEXCAqNBcRFI1YPaSSMvAalwafX.1
Meeting ID: 936 8863 2438
Passcode: 932011
NOTE: No Dec 2027 Virtual Book Club.