We walked into BookClub not exactly sure what to expect from the small Wicker Park storefront. What we found was a warm space perfect for beating the winter blues in Chicago.
If you go
1211 N. Wood St., Chicago
(773) 278-2665
And to make our visit even more perfect, one of our favorite classic books, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, was the featured story and craft for that weekend’s Kids BookClub.
The women behind BookClub, founders Amanda Love and Kyra Termini, set out to create a place where literacy and visual arts come together, where Love says you can be around other people with the same interests or have space to do your own thing, such as using the letter press to create a book or stationery.
Starting this month, the daily Bookworms program, for ages 2 to kindergarten, expands to include stories in English, French and Spanish. Next month, Love says they hope to add storytime in Mandarin.
On Monday afternoons, one of our faves, The Storybook Mom, is a special guest reader and once a month, storytelling chamber band Lucky Trikes visits to take reading to a whole new level.
Older kids get their own BookClub on the weekends.
The programs are not drop-in, so sign up in advance to avoid disappointment.
Thankfully, kids don’t get to have all the fun. BookClub also hosts an Adult BookClub on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a perfect excuse to curl up with a good book under a warm blanket—at least until April.
