Bookers Anonymous (11/2025)

​BOOKER'S ANONYMOUS
"Where Readers Become Leaders"
(MEETING #1)

By Timothy Bell

Purpose of Bookers Anonymous:
- Bookers Anonymous is a student-led book club built for thinkers, dreamers, and doers. Our mission is to build stronger readers and critical thinkers who understand that reading is both a right and a revolution

Membership Requirements:

Members will be held to a higher standards, in which they must represent the club with the upmost respect.

Members can not have any discipline/behavior infractions.

Maintain a scholarly GPA. (3.0)

-Be consistent in participating in the Book Club activities

A legacy of Literacy and Liberation Throughout history, African Americans were once forbidden by law to read or write. Slave Codes in the 18th and 19th centuries, such as South Carolina's 1740 Act and Alabama's 1833 Code, made it illegal to teach enslaved people literacy. Those who defied these laws faced punishment, yet our ancestors risked everything to learn. Reading became a quiet act of rebellion --- a path toward freedom. So what's your excuse?

South Carolina 1740 Act

The South Carolina 1740 Act, also known as the Negro Act of 1740, was a comprehensive slave code passed in response to the Stono Rebellion of 1739. This act systematically stripped enslaved people of basic rights, prohibited them from learning to read or write, restricted their movement and assembly, and gave white enslavers broad authority to punish or kill enslaved people deemed rebellious. 





Key provisions of the act:

• Prohibited literacy: It became illegal to teach an enslaved person to read or write, with harsh penalties for those who did.

• Restricted movement: Enslaved people could not leave their plantation without a pass (a "ticket"). A white person had the right to stop, examine, and even kill an enslaved person who was not complying.

• Limited assembly and earnings: The act prohibited enslaved people from gathering in groups or earning their own money.

Alabama's 1833 Code

he Alabama Slave Code of 1833 reinforced existing laws that restricted the lives of enslaved people and free people of color, with key provisions including the prohibition of teaching anyone to read or write, the severe punishment and potential re-enslavement of free Black people who entered the state, and restrictions on assembly and religious meetings. The laws were implemented to maintain social control and further strip enslaved individuals of their rights and autonomy. 


Key provisions of the Alabama Slave Code of 1833

• Education: Any person who attempted to teach a free person of color or an enslaved person to spell, read, or write faced a fine of $250 to $500 upon conviction.

• Free people of color:

  • Free Black people were prohibited from settling in Alabama and were given 30 days to leave.

  • Those who remained after the grace period could be arrested, whipped (up to 39 lashes), and sold into slavery if they still did not leave.

Reading is a passport to new worlds. It strengthens vocabulary, focus, empathy, and confidence. It turns questions into power and ideas into change.

Meet Karoline, a bright young Black girl who loves to read — her name inspired by South Carolina, the same state that passed the Negro Act of 1740, which once made it illegal for Black people to read, write, or earn money. But times have changed — and now, we’re reclaiming the power of literacy through Bookers Anonymous, a book club founded by Mr. Bell to help elevate the reading levels of our student body. Bookers Anonymous will meet twice a month after school from 4–6 p.m., giving scholars a safe space to grow, discuss, and discover the power of words. Each member will be assigned chapter work from our featured novel, which acts as their golden ticket to join the next meeting. At every session, scholars will face off in competitive, scholarly games alongside staff members — testing comprehension, creativity, and teamwork. And for those who truly shine, there’s an overall competition for a monetary prize — because knowledge does pay. 

Join Karoline and the rest of the readers at Bookers Anonymous, where we turn pages, build futures, and honor those who once weren’t allowed to read at all.

Book Club Alerts/Communication:

ALL Updates and assignments will be posted in Google Classroom, "Bookers Anonymous (11/2025)
Google Class Room Link: https://classroom.google.com/c/ODMwMDM5MTA3Mzg4?cjc=cvfhnw7b

Ice Breaker(Part 1): 80's R&B Challenge

Game Link: https://youtu.be/QBYWtt-N_DM?si=aPSZurNYWTezmbwh
Game Assignment: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XQ9e_h-xpPlDJRTvILw4_MUKSktLhMIkkuK-w3V07Go/edit?usp=sharing

Game Instructions: Working with your "social partner", each book club member gets a chance to show off their musical range of intelligence. The following songs took place during one of the most iconic eras for rhythm and blues music, the 80s. Each song will play for approximately 30 seconds, with a 1-min discussion period within your group.

Ice Breaker (Part 2): Pseudo House Black TV Show Theme Song Challenge

Game Link: https://youtu.be/AoutOOC_Ua4?si=y6PwBRlqiWwmeBAh
Game Assignment: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ona6CL6_s1sPAFQLu30IZmO4xFiKEqMmfKx9CfVYues/edit?usp=sharing

Game Instructions: Shoutout to the all the TV Show/Movie Buffs in the room! This ice breaker will challenge your memory on iconic TV shows that might have influenced your upbringing.

Open Ended

Name a situation or moment, when your love for reading was enhanced or lessened?

The phenomenal true
story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel
some of America’s greatest achievements in space—a powerful, revelatory history
essential to our understanding of race, discrimination, and achievement in modern
America.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/5wfrDhgUMGI?si=HN3NsNQRZoP3LaXs

​​Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
Trailer: https://youtube.com/shorts/wXbzvr1Ytjs?si=Z-Mn5LRQxMwY2SnW

Poll

Which book shall we choose to inaugurate our reading journey together—setting the tone for curiosity, insight, and conversation? The title with the most votes will become our first shared text. Will it be the trailblazing story of Hidden Figures, or the profoundly moving narrative of The Hate U Give?"

• "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shette

• "The Hate You Give" by Angie Thomas

Basic Book Club Knowledge:

The following segment will challenge the following categories: the anatomy of a reading book, genre identification, basic parts of a story, and the basic parts of an essay.

Multiple Choice

Which part of a book is most responsible for setting the reader’s expectations before the first chapter even begins?
A) Index
B) Foreword
C) Glossary
D) Epilogue

• A) Index

• B) Foreword

• C) Glossary

• D) Epilogue

Multiple Choice

The purpose of a book’s preface is usually to:
A) Introduce key characters
B) Explain why the author wrote the book
C) Summarize the ending
D) Provide vocabulary support

• A) Introduce key characters

• B) Explain why the author wrote the book

• C) Summarize the ending

• D) Provide vocabulary support

Multiple Choice

Which element typically contains the publishing details, edition information, and copyright notices?
A) Title Page
B) Table of Contents
C) Prologue
D) Dedication Page

• A) Title Page

• B) Table of Contents

• C) Prologue

• D) Dedication Page

Multiple Choice

If a reader wants to understand the historical context or inspiration behind the book, they should look at the:
A) Appendix
B) Afterword
C) Glossary
D) Table of Contents

• A) Appendix

• B) Afterword

• C) Glossary

• D) Table of Contents

Multiple Choice

A story that includes real historical events but fictional characters is best identified as:
A) Fantasy
B) Historical Fiction
C) Biography
D) Science Fiction

• A) Fantasy

• B) Biography

• C) Historical Fiction

• D) Science Fiction

Multiple Choice

Which genre relies heavily on logical explanation, futuristic technology, and scientific ideas?
A) Realistic Fiction
B) Mystery
C) Science Fiction
D) Folklore

• A) Realistic Fiction

• B) Mystery

• C) Science Fiction

• D) Folklore

Multiple Choice

Which genre relies heavily on logical explanation, futuristic technology, and scientific ideas?
A) Realistic Fiction
B) Mystery
C) Science Fiction
D) Folklore

• A) Realistic Fiction

• B) Mystery

• C) Science Fiction

• D) Folklore

Multiple Choice

A text focusing on factual information, supported evidence, and real-world details is most likely:
A) Narrative Fiction
B) Nonfiction
C) Drama
D) Poetry

• A) Narrative Fiction

• B) NonFiction

• C) Drama

• D) Poetry

Multiple Choice

A story driven by suspense, clues, and an unknown question or culprit is classified as:
A) Mystery
B) Fable
C) Autobiography
D) Fantasy

• A) Mystery

• B) Fable

• C) Autobiography

• D) Fantasy

Multiple Choice

Which part of a story introduces the setting, characters, and initial situation?
A) Climax
B) Resolution
C) Exposition
D) Falling Action

• A) Climax

• B) Resolution

• C) Exposition

• D) Falling Action

Multiple Choice

The turning point of a story—the moment of highest tension—is called the:
A) Rising Action
B) Climax
C) Conflict
D) Epilogue

• A) Rising Action

• B) Climax

• C) Conflict

• D) Epilogue

Multiple Choice

9. A character’s internal conflict is best described as:
   A) A battle with nature
   B) A struggle with another person
   C) A problem within their own thoughts or emotions
   D) A conflict caused by society
   
   

• A) A battle with nature

• B) A struggle with another person
  

• C) A problem within their own thoughts or emotions

• D) A conflict caused by society

Multiple Choice

The thesis statement in an essay is:
A) A story the author uses to entertain readers
B) The author’s main argument or claim
C) A list of sources
D) A restatement of the conclusion

• A) A story the author uses to entertain readers

• B) The author’s main argument or claim
  

• C) A list of sources
  

• D) A restatement of the conclusion

Multiple Choice

The body paragraphs of an essay should primarily include:
A) Personal opinions without evidence
B) Supporting details, examples, and explanations
C) A summary of the whole essay
D) A repetition of the introduction

• A) Personal opinions without evidence
  

• B) Supporting details, examples, and explanations
  

• C) A summary of the whole essay
  

• D) A repetition of the introduction
  

Assignment(s):

Each Sunday, a new assignment will be placed in Google Classroom, in which will be due that following Wednesday before the scheduled meeting. Each assignment will reflect the "chapters" assigned to read for that week. Completion of the assignments will be your ticket to the following meeting. The chapters of the book will be placed in Google Classroom in form of a "pdf," in which you can read digitally.

Topics for Next Meeting:

-Moving forward, I will attach a meeting schedule in Google Classroom. The schedule will be approved by Ms. Rogers, in which it will not conflict with student athlete's schedules.

Possible Fieldtrips:

(1) Pine Bluff Library ( Process of Attaining a Library Card)
(2) Bill Clinton Library
(3) Barnes-Little Rock: 11500 Financial Centre Pkwy, Little Rock, AR 72211
(4) North Little Rock: 4000 McCain Blvd, North Little Rock, AR 72116