When Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone, avid readers and writers, set out to create parent-child reading groups at their local library in Westport, Conn., most teachers and librarians advised them to keep the reading list simple and familiar. “Goosebumps” books, hastily produced biographies of athletes, and anything with a dash of bathroom humor would hold the children’s interest. “It doesn’t matter what they read as long as they read something,” the couple heard repeatedly.

Convinced that there had to be an alternative to the unambitious “make-it-easy method,” the Goldstones decided to shun pop fiction. After all, if a book lacks any deeper message and is intended only as entertainment, “there was nothing to discuss.”

Instead, the Goldstones selected books that would allow young readers to do some critical

thinking, even assigning challenging material like George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” to fourth-graders.

In “Deconstructing Penguins” (Ballantine, 224 pages, $13.95), the Goldstones draw upon the past six years of helping young readers appreciate literature so that other parents can follow their lead.

Most children are able to recite a novel’s key plot points. But can they decipher its message, its greater truths? The Goldstones have devised a clever method of helping their young book-group members (second- through fifth-graders) determine what a book is really about. Following the premise that all fiction is mystery, the Goldstones guide their “book detectives” in identifying and examining the story’s protagonist and antagonist, setting, climax, and theme. Then, the readers delve further:

“After a group comes to an agreement as to a book’s underlying message – or agrees to disagree – we ask some final questions. Did the author play fair? Did he or she throw in a character or plot twist that didn’t fit the facts? Did the characters act honestly? Were they too one-sided? Did the ending seem faked somehow? Did the author seem to understand what he or she was actually saying, or did the message seem to be different from what the author intended?”

These kinds of critical questions empowered the children, who were accustomed to accepting a book’s “implicit authority.”

The Goldstones apply their exercises to books such as E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web,” Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild,” and Florence and Richard Atwater’s “Mr. Popper’s Penguins”(hence the title).The authors depict their moderating style as casual, fun, and lively. They frequently take votes from the group, play Hangman to introduce new terms, and use role-playing to examine the concept of point of view.

While it’s one thing to sit in on an animated discussion, it’s something else to read a line-byline account of one. The Goldstones present “Deconstructing Penguins” as a series of dialogues (the authors don’t have transcripts, but have used real responses both from specific groups’ discussions as well as “an amalgam of discussions that we’ve had over the years”). This results in a sort of reading-group playbook, or a teacher’s guide in conversational form. And it becomes tedious.

Fewer Cliffs Notes-type summaries of specific books and more general observations and thoughts on reading as “a lost art,” as an elementary school administrator describes it, would do more to motivate parents and teachers to recover that art. The authors’ reflections on children’s reading capabilities and their practical advice on starting book groups are among the most interesting parts of “Deconstructing Penguins.” The Goldstones ask their groups to think about the point at which a story “opens up” and reveals its underlying theme. One wishes their own book did the same more often.

Judicious editing also would have focused the book’s strengths. A chapter on poetry seems almost out of place, as it would merit an entire book (and reading group) of its own. The authors like to insert descriptions of the cute fidgeting and personality quirks of their young group members into the narrative, but these anecdotes aren’t as cute as the Goldstones think they are. The authors are also fond of including lists generated by book group brainstorming, even the redundant and off-base contributions. This is fine for the purposes of in-person brainstorming and discussion, but it often detracts here.

Ultimately, “Deconstructing Penguins” offers much hope to parents and educators who are rightfully concerned about the state of children’s literacy. The Goldstones demonstrate that with the right approach, young readers relish deconstructing a novel – and not just “Goosebumps” stories.

The benefits of tackling more complex books go far beyond enjoyment of good fiction: Discussing these works in a group setting develops critical thinking skills, enriches parent-child relationships, and provides insight to every part of a child’s life. The Goldstones may not be able to launch a parent-child book group in your neighborhood, but “Deconstructing Penguins” may inspire you to take up the challenge yourself.