A small reading group for children, designed to help them develop a lifelong love for reading, and an opportunity to participate in social reading.
Summer Camp 2025
Join us for Little South Tampa Book Club summer camp! Our camp features engaging reading sessions, followed by lively group discussions led by the kids themselves. Plus, daily swimming, two snacks, lunch, games, and creative activities that boost reading comprehension, disguised as fun! Don't miss out!
June 9 - June 13
"Illustrations Adventure" Camp
$380
June 16 - June 20
"Science Explorers" Camp
$380
June 23 - June 27
"Wild Readers" Camp
$380
July 7 - July 11
"Science Explorers" Camp
$380
July 14 - July 18
"Movie Magic" Camp
$380
July 21 - July 25
"Harry Potter" Camp
$380
What We Do
Little South Tampa Book Club offers small group book clubs for children, designed to help them develop a lifelong love for reading, and an opportunity to participate in social reading. Children will meet weekly to engage in an interactive read-aloud, work on reading comprehension skills, and enjoy fun reading-related activities. This is a great opportunity for your child to become confident participating in small group academic settings, connect with other children while sharing and exploring ideas, perspectives, and connections to books, and make friends!
About Us
Tell Me More...
Our book clubs meet weekly in South Tampa. Each book club costs $35 per week and are one hour long. Book clubs are led by Mary DeBevoise Carlson, and a team of awesome teachers. Learn more about me, below!
Meet Mary Carlson
Hi! I’m Mary Carlson, Owner of Little South Tampa Book Club. I’m a wife, a mom to two inspiring little girls, a Tampa native, and a former teacher.
I started Little South Tampa Book Club in 2022 as a way for me to spend more time doing something I love—reading to children. I quickly realized that not only was this enjoyable for me, but it was an opportunity to nurture a love for reading among children, and foster connections around books.
My favorite part about book clubs is engaging in the activities that we do together after we read—whether it’s painting portraits of ourselves as we compare and contrast ourselves to the main character of the book, or enjoying a tasting of foods that come from the setting of our story.
My current favorite children’s book is “The Sea, the Storm, and the Mangrove Tangle" by Lynne Cherry.
Testimonials
"When we signed up for Little South Tampa Book Club we honestly were not sure what to expect. Our kiddo has loved every single second. Ms. Mary has fortified his love of reading while also challenging his comprehension and story retelling. We are so thankful he sees such value in an academic extra-curricular and sees reading as a treat because of Ms. Mary!" - Parent of 7-year-old child
"If you are looking for a fun, nurturing environment that will inspire a lasting love of reading in your child, then Little South Tampa Book Club is exactly what you need! Ms. Mary does an incredible job engaging the kids in the books, while teaching them how to create meaningful connections to the stories. The lessons and activities help develop their social-emotional skills and encourage critical thinking and reading comprehension. I’ve found my 6-year-old has been able to talk about the books she’s read in ways she never has before, and she is more confident in her reading abilities. It makes my heart happy to see her excited to pick up books and read! I credit Ms. Mary and her fantastic program for fostering this growth and love of reading." - Parent of a 6-year-old child
