"Echo" Book Club Ideas

“Music does not have a race or a disposition! Every instrument has a voice that contributes. Music is a universal language. A universal religion of sorts. Certainly it's my religion. Music surpasses all distinctions between people." – Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Echo tells 3 main stories: Friedrich, Mike and Ivy. All are children of preteen age, they all live in different times, places and circumstances. We get to read each one of their stories separately, and the power of music is what connects their stories in ways you wouldn't have guessed. Each character has a discrete story that could stand on its own, but all of them are linked through time and distance by a harmonica. I know, but don’t question it—just go with it! That’s the beauty of middle grade literature; you can start with a humble harmonica and end up with a symphony that stays with you long after the last note/page.

{Decorations}

Our focus tonight was on the music in the book for our decorations. So we asked all the book club members to bring any musical instruments that thy had to display. And we made this fun Music Sheet garland to add to the decor.

If you can at least find a harmonica that is key to the book.

{Live Music}

An added bonus was finding this very talented lady. She read the book and looked up all the music that was in the story. She played all of them while we were arriving and eating. It was so nice to hear the beautiful music while we were there.

More garland above the table with sheets of music scattered on top of the table.

Book clubbies arriving and chatting before we ate.

{Food}

{Drinks}

{Side Dishes}

Perfect summer salad

Rolls

Potato Wedges

{Main Dish}

Delicious slow cooked beef

{Desserts}

Well our favorite is to have a variety of delicious desserts to choose from (or eat one of each)

Chocolate cake with Cheesecake

{Newest Baby to Book Club}

Congrats to Cami for the birth of her new baby girl Lucy. We always love to see these precious newborns.

{Disscussion}

Check out our Book Review for some questions to discuss

Book Review

Echo Author Interview

Echo Book Club Notes

{Game}

We played a fun game where someone (Ali in this case) asks everyone if they have done what she states. If you had done the thing it asked you were suppose to grab the string and pass it to the next person that also did that same thing.
There were statements such as:
I have listed Germany.
I played a sport in high school.
I played a musical instrument in my life.

It was so fun to learn more about each other and to see the colorful web of strings at the end of the game. Thank you to Ali for helping out with the game.

{Gift}

Everyone got a take home gift of this beautiful gold music note ne

cklace donated by 

Unforgettable Jules

“She said people on hard times deserved to have beauty in their lives as much as anyone else, whether or not they could pay their rent or were walking to a breadline. Granny said that just because someone was poor didn't mean they were poor of heart.” ― Pam Muñoz Ryan, Echo

{Friendship}

One of the best things of book club is getting to see each other and catch up. We love you guys.

That's it folks. Thank you for everyone that was able to make it and participate in this discussion of Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Thank you to Kelly for moderating this beautiful book for all of us.

Thank you to Britney for playing such beautiful music for us to listen to as we arrived and ate.

Thank you to Julie for opening her home to us this month and hosting. 

Thank you to Summer for all the photos

Don't forget to check out our Book Review if you haven't yet.

xoxo