(Gr. 3rd-5th) Bluestem Book Club - "Nell of Gumbling"

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Program Type:

After School, Book Club

Age Group:

Grades 3rd - 5th
  • Registration is required for this event.
  • Registration will close on December 9, 2025 @ 9:00pm.
  • This event is for registrants grade 3rd Grade to 5th Grade.

Program Description

Event Details

Each month we will read a different Bluestem Award nominated from the 2026 list. Copies of the book will be available at the main Customer Service desk for the book discussion; please pick yours up and read the book before the meeting date. Join us as we start a new book club for 3rd-5th grade at Mokena Library! 

Registration is required.

Limit: 15 children 

Ages: 3rd - 5th grade.

Please register each child's name only.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Mokena Library at 708-479-9663, or email our Youth Services Librarians at youthservices@mokenalibrary.org

This month's book is Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life by Emma Steinkellner. 

To everyone else, the Magical Land of Gumbling is something out of fairy tales. But to Nell Starkeeper, it’s just home. Sure, the town community center might be a castle, her dads run a star farm, and her best friend Myra is a fairy, but Nell is much more interested in finding out if she’ll get the seventh grade apprenticeship of her dreams with world-famous artist Wiz Bravo.

She’s pretty sure her entire life has been RUINED when she’s instead matched with boring old Mrs. Birdneck in the town archives. And of course her perfect rival Leabelle gets to work with Wiz, and mean girl Viola won’t let Nell forget it. Meanwhile, suddenly Myra seems more into hanging out with Leabelle and saving the town from some weird strangers who keep talking about turning Gumbling into a fancy resort than being friends with Nell anymore. Can Nell find a way to save everything that makes her world magical, while figuring out where she belongs in it?

Disclaimer(s)

Attendance Policy for Children's Programs

We highly recommend registering with an email address. This is the only way you will get a confirmation email, be able to cancel and receive any updates, including cancellation of the program. Please arrive on time for the program. If you are unable to attend the program, please cancel at least 2 hours before the program begins, by emailing youthservices@mokenalibrary.org or calling the Mokena Library at 708-479-9663 and canceling with a librarian. You can also cancel through your confirmation email. After 3 times of being marked absent without cancellation notice, we will be moving future registrations to the waitlist for two weeks. This is to accommodate as many patrons as possible due to limited space and popularity of our programs.

Snacks Provided during Children's Programs

We will provide each child with a snack and drink during this fun after school program. If your child has any food allergies, please provide that information into the text box while registering for the program. We want to accommodate everyone and will have a healthy alternative snack for them. 

Register for this event