Sandy Austin, Jan Larson, and the rest of their book group pride themselves on being a serious book group, one that looks down on gossip and requires that you actually read the whole book. For the group’s 50th anniversary, however, they lightened it up a little with some sangria and their favorite children’s books.

The group, known only as “the book group,” held its first meeting in June 1965, and William Faulkner’s “That Evening Sun” and Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” were the first two selections. Founders Paula Gorman and Caroline Sosnoski, both of East Lyme, were both avid readers and young mothers looking for something to do. They created a book club “dedicated to the maintenance and preservation of good literature, stimulating discussion, homemade desserts, and our collective sanity.”

Gorman is no longer able to attend due to illness and Sosnoski died last year, but the group continues to honor the principles of their founders. Everyone has to read the book before the meeting, and discussion during the meeting has to be about the book. They also read a collection of poetry every December, and they serve cranberry juice at every meeting to continue the tradition started by Gorman, a Cape Cod native.

Admission is by invitation, usually because an existing member meets someone who loves books as much as she does. The group has been capped at 13 because it was a good size for meetings, which usually take place in the home of whoever is leading that month’s discussion. New London’s first female mayor, Ruby Turner Morris, was a member before she died in 2011 at the age of 103, and when she was unable to make it to the meetings herself, other members would pick her up and bring her to the meetings.

“She was amazing, though,” said Edith Bucchi, who was hosting the anniversary party at her house in Old Lyme. “I got such a kick out of her because we’d be discussing something for about 20, 25 minutes and then [she would say] ‘Well, it comes down to this.’” Everyone laughed. “And no matter the setting of the book, Ruby had been there.”

Most of the more than 550 meetings have been based around novels, including repeat analyses of classics such as “To Kill a Mockingbird” and several books by local author Wally Lamb. Even though the group prides itself on being serious, the meetings are designed to be accessible and comfortable for everyone, and no ideas are shot down.

“I think we do respect each other and we listen and think about what people have to say,” said member Kay Whritner. “Very often someone else can see something in a book that you overlook or you didn’t realize, and then you come away with a greater appreciation of the book.”

Instead of reading another novel this month, the book group celebrated its 50th anniversary by selecting a favorite children’s book and reading it aloud to the other members.

Lynn Tavormina assumed the correct position as she prepared to read “What Was I Scared Of?” by Dr. Seuss, holding the book open to the audience so they could see the pictures.

“I used to be a second-grade teacher, so I know how to do this,” she said.

Other selections from fellow members ranged from classics such as Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and a collection of Mother Goose rhymes to “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers. The books were then collected to be delivered to the B. P. Learned Mission in New London, which provides after-school services for kids.

“There’s a lot going on here in the city of New London, and really across the country, in terms of early literacy,” said Larson, who leads the group. “The research these days is fascinating. The number of words a child hears before he or she enters kindergarten is a real indicator of reading readiness and success in school.”

Next month’s book will be “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich.

a.hutchinson@theday.com

Twitter: @ahutch411