For Book Clubs
Thank you for selecting The Santa Claus Girl for your reading group. We hope your time together is engaging, enlightening, and most of all – fun! The guide below is intended to generate uplifting discussion and suggest various perspectives for examining The Santa Claus Girl story. For a reading group guide, scroll down the page.
Invite Patricia P Goodin
Would you like to invite Patricia to talk about The Santa Claus Girl at your next book club or library event? Patricia is also available for events via Zoom. Send her a request!
Ladies who lunch! A
nd enjoy reading - and each other!
It was “Christmas in July!” with members of the Book Buds book club of Milford, Michigan, who selected The Santa Claus Girl for their August meeting. Great discussion - great gals - and a whole lotta fun!
Having fun in Memphis with Cross Talk!
Good times on a Zoom call with members of the Cross Talk book club of Memphis, Tennessee!
Featured in Coweta Magazine
Great story by Gail McGlothin of book club members enjoying their December meeting, where they discussed The Santa Claus Girl. Read the full article at https://newnancowetamagazine.com/home/a-bucketful-of-holiday-eats
A merry meeting with
the 6 Weeks Book Club!
Fun times on a Zoom meeting with members of the “6 Weeks Book Club”
of Birmingham, Alabama!
Lively class discussion with LLI!
Thank you Kim Carew, class facilitator, and students at the Lifelong Learning Institute, Waubonsee Community College, Aurora, Illinois.
Great times with
“A Novel Bunch” book club!
A fun Zoom call to discuss The Santa Claus Girl with members of
“A Novel Bunch” book club, Herriman, Utah!
Girls just wanna have fun!
The “How Nice” book club.
Fun times on a video meeting with members of the “How Nice”
book club, Cleveland, Tennessee!
Making merriment with the “Book Sisters!”
Good times on a video call with members of the
“Book Sisters” book club of Olympia, Washington.
READING GROUP GUIDE
Thank you for selecting The Santa Claus Girl for your reading group. We hope your time together is engaging, enlightening, and most of all – fun! This guide is intended to generate uplifting discussion and offer various perspectives for examining The Santa Claus Girl story.
Synopsis:
“Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus”
Yes, that Virginia—who became a teacher—encouraging students through the Great Depression, World War II, and the Polio epidemic. “The Santa Claus Girl,” a novel drawn from true events, imagines Virginia’s far-reaching influence and her exceptional gift of inspiration. Set in New York City, December 1952—the height of the Polio epidemic—the story soars with the challenges faced by a young WWII veteran, who races against time, public fear of the disease, and demons from his past, to rally his community to help save the life of a little girl.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What surprised you the most about The Santa Claus Girl?
2. Virginia O’Hanlon is best known as an eight-year-old girl who wrote a letter to the newspaper asking, “Is There a Santa Claus?” How did you learn about Virginia O’Hanlon’s extensive teaching career and credentials – and her last position at the helm of New York City P.S. 401 Hospital Schools?
3. What were your reactions to the similarities between the 1952 news headlines and those of 2020?
4. Megan McGuire and John Williams, both teenagers stricken with polio in the book, have concerns about their life post-polio and their perceived loss of opportunities and status. What differences did you notice among their reactions? What similarities could you draw in today’s world?
5. How did you feel about the polio epidemic playing out within the context of a “holiday” story?
6. In the chapter, Fairy Tales, Valerie Jackson and Megan McGuire begin their discussion with banter about boys, then touch briefly on fashion and style. Their talk then leads to a deeper exchange as the two share very personal stories from their youth. What would you describe as the points of discovery in their conversation?
7. The American public, at times, seems to have a love/hate relationship with the news media. What was your take on the two reporters in the story?
8. Francis P. Church and his wife, Elizabeth, didn’t have any children. Aside from Virginia’s letter, what do you think inspired Mr. Church to write such a beloved validation of the existence of Santa Claus? Why do you think the “Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus” editorial, written in 1897, continues to be relevant – and is reprinted in newspapers, books, and online – today?
9. If you were going to tell a friend about The Santa Claus Girl, how would you describe it?
10. What was your most memorable “take away” from reading The Santa Claus Girl?