What is this
The “Cat in a Bag” Book Club is a joint project with the RSOnline school, where we bring together bilingual children aged 8–12 with a B1 level of Russian. We read articles from the magazine together, discuss them, debate, laugh, and learn to speak confidently and understand the deeper meaning—so that reading in Russian becomes a habit rather than “homework.”
How does the meeting go?
A few days before the meeting, we send out PDFs of the articles we’ll be reading.
At the meeting, the children read together aloud, taking turns and with the teacher’s guidance. Then we discuss what we’ve just read, what caught our attention and surprised us, where we might disagree, and which words we’d like to add to our vocabulary.
What will the child get?
Confident reading
and lack of fear of long texts
Critical thinking
We learn not just to read, but to understand and think
Vocabulary
list of words + explanations in layman's terms
The habit of reading
and motivation to “read to the end”
Conversation in Russian
lots of discussions, questions, opinions
New friends
guys who also speak Russian
Club host
Natalia Borisova is a teacher at the RSOnline school.
Meeting style: warm, supportive, without judgment or pressure.
Questions and Answers
How much does it cost?
It’s free.
Do I need to read ahead at home?
No, we’ll read it together at the meeting. We’ll send you the PDF in advance so you can open or print it.
Can I come less than once a month?
Yes. Come whenever you can. Just please let us know in advance.
How many children are in the group?
Up to 10.
Is this a Russian language class?
No. It’s a club focused on socializing and reading.