Pen pals! An old idea given a new dimension through the program: in2Books. Check out it’s website: http://in2Books.com.

This carefully designed program provides intermediate students with one-on-one opportunities to discuss ideas about books with a pen pal who has read the same book. You’ll notice that the program is developed for classroom experiences.

However, the in2Books structure can be morphed into connecting your older developing reader with a grandparent, another relative, or a friend of the family! Your child experiences an authentic discussion of the book with an adult beyond you.

The letters could travel through your inbox for your inclusion into the scope and content of the discussion. As your child drafts the letter to the pen pal, you could encourage the discussion of the types of questions that are commonly found in the Third Reading: Analysis guide of Practickle.

Let us know if you try this! I’m going to try this with my five-year-old granddaughter! I don’t want to wait until she’s in third grade!