All ages can enjoy national teen read week

October 19, 2009 Bill Crotty

This week is national teen read week, so use it as an excuse to pull out a few old favorites from the book shelf and pass them on to a teen you know. If you have teenagers living in your household encourage them to invite friends over for a book swap. Ask all of your guests to bring books they've already read to trade-in for new page-turners.

This works well for younger kids and adults, too. In fact, it's a cheap and sustainable way to knock a few volumes off of your reading list. At the end of the party, if there are any books left over, donate them to your local library.

For kids' book swap parties, hand out party favors like book marks or t-shirts to make it fun for them. Use your party planning skills to think up snacks with a literary twist. Bookworms in dirt - gummy worms in chocolate pudding with Oreo topping - is always a favorite among younger children.

If you find that you and your grown-up guests have similar reading tastes, you might have found the perfect group for a book club. Everyone can take turns picking a book and hosting the monthly meeting. It's a great weeknight activity and a fun way to satisfy your inner book fiend.