The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009 COMPLETED TASKS
Sara wrote: "Wow guys! It's only day 2 and we've already got almost 3 full pages of completed tasks! Way to go us!I haven't been reading as much as I should... so I've only completed 2 tasks:
5.3 - Sea Tra..."
I just added symbols to the end of my name to help with all the Sara's in this group ;-)
5 POINT TASKS1. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
2. Twilight By Stephanie Meyer
3. Vanished at Sea: The True Story of a Child TV Actor and Double Murder by Tina Dirmann
4. The Face on the Milk Carton by Carolyn B. Cooney
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, Stephen Gammell (Illustrator)
7. Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney
8. The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
9. Little Women by Louis May Alcott
10. Something Upstairs : A Tale Of Ghosts by Avi
10 POINT TASKS
1. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
2. A Child Called it By David Pelzer
3.
4.. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
5. The Book Thief by by Markus Zusak
6. Crossing the Starlight Bridge (Aladdin Fiction) by Alice Mead
7. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
8. The Motive by John Lescroart
9. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
10. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (Cat Who..., #1) by Lilian Jackson Braun
15 POINT TASKS
1. About a Boy by Nick Hornby and Don't You Forget About Me (Gossip Girl, #11) by Cecily von Ziegesar
2. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
3. The Ex Games (Romantic Comedies) by Jennifer Echols and You're the One That I Want (Gossip Girl, Book 6) by Cecily von Ziegesar
4. The Host by Stephanie Meyer
5. When Jonathan Died by Tony Duvert and The Tenant by Roland Topor
6. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Volume One in the Wicked Years) by Gregory Maguire
7. Adam Copeland On Edge by Adam Copeland
8. The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky and The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
9. No Place Like Home A Novel by Mary Higgins Clark
10. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee and Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez
20 POINT TASKS
1.The Shack by William P. Young
2.
3. Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
25 POINT TASKS
1. A Light In The Attic By Shel Silverstein And The Friday Night Knitting Club By Kate Jacobs
2. Carrie by Stephen King and Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
3. Rainbow High by Alex Sanchez
4. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
5. Daughter of Fortune: A Novel (P.S.) by Isabel Allende
6. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
7.Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and Hell's Kitchen by Chris Niles and Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
8. Heart and Soul of Nick Carter by Jane Carter and The Minnesota Road Guide to Haunted Locations by Chad Lewis, Terry Fisk and Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
9. Knitting for Dummies by Pam Allen, Trisha Malcolm and Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb
10. Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1) by Richelle Mead
30 POINT TASKS
1. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber and Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
50 POINT TASKS
30/690 Points
579/18939 Pages Read
Janice wrote: "My first this season is15.7 Risk by Dick Francis read by Michael York"
Mm, Michael York has yummy-voice...
I can't believe there are so many people who read so fast. I've just finished my first one- Songs of the Humback whale by Jodie Picoult. I didn't enjoy it as much as her others.Next stop the kite runner.
5 points so far
Completed today:30.1 - read Seeking History: Teaching with Primary Sources in Grades 4-6 by Monica Edinger for my current occupation (elementary school student teacher) AND Stori Telling by Tori Spelling for my childhood dream job (a famous actress).
Turns out flying cross-country is a great way to get a lot of reading in :)
Points so far: 50
Tracy wrote: "I can't believe there are so many people who read so fast. I've just finished my first one- Songs of the Humback whale by Jodie Picoult. I didn't enjoy it as much as her others.Next stop the kite..."
Tracy - enjoy the Kite Runner. It is one of my favorite novels. What task are you reading it for???
Tracy wrote: "I can't believe there are so many people who read so fast. I've just finished my first one- Songs of the Humback whale by Jodie Picoult. I didn't enjoy it as much as her others.Next stop the kite..."
I liked The Kite Runner. Enjoy it.
That's the only Picoult book I haven't read, which task did you read it for?
5.5 Scarlett letter, didn't get in 10th grade still don't get it doay
Total Points = 15
5.2 Twilight
10.6 New Moon
I enjoy this series every time I read it...great characters and a great love story.
5.2 Twilight
10.6 New Moon
I enjoy this series every time I read it...great characters and a great love story.
Finished Task 10.6 - Native American - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.I REALLY enjoyed this book. It was funny and enlightening and heartbreaking and just all-around great. SO glad I read it!
Oooh.. Sara, I like the happy face! I'm going to see if I can find a heart... Oooh! It worked! YAY!
5.4 A Family in Full by Vanessa Del Fabbro
Kathryn wrote: "Roseann - I love that your ticker is of a runner sprinting towards a pot of gold! That is so like this challenge!!!"So THAT'S what that is!! I thought it looked most like a constrictor trying to swallow a black egg! (which I was sure wasn't correct...)
Katie wrote: "Finished my first task for my first ever challenge! Yay!!! OK, so it was a children's book, but I still am happy with myself. :)10.3 Bears... Read Big Book of Berenstain Bears by Stan & Jan Ber..."
which ones are in this book? I love the spooky old tree and the bike lesson
Melissa wrote: "Hooray - my first points! 10 for New Moon
Total Points = 10"I also need to know which 10 point task you are using this for before I can award points.
Tracy wrote: "I can't believe there are so many people who read so fast. I've just finished my first one- Songs of the Humback whale by Jodie Picoult. I didn't enjoy it as much as her others.
Next stop the kite..."Which task did you use this for? I'll add the points in once you let me know.
I finished Task 10.6 (Native American) by reading Eclipse.An interesting continuation of the Bella/Edward story.
I liked how the relationships matured in this book. There's still the annoying and entertaining teenage angst and insecurity but it's being tempered by some maturity in places.
A fun book. I think I would have really loved this series when I was a teenager. Now I can get annoyed at the long-winded drama if it continues too long but it's still an entertaining story.
Total points: 10
5 Point Tasks1. The Heretic's Daughter
2.
3.
4.
5. The Scarlet Letter Did not like it as much, but I hate rereading books so that does not surprise me.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
10 Point Tasks
1.
2.
3. Chicky Chicky Chook Chook (32 pp.) Poor Puppy (40 pp) Go, Dog. Go! (64 pp.)
4.
5.
6.
7. Falling Boy A Novel
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10.
15 Point Tasks
1. a.
b.
2.
3. a.
b.
4.
5.
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b. C- Congo The Poisonwood Bible
9.
10. a.
b. student:Down the Rabbit Hole An Echo Falls Mystery
20 Point Tasks
1.
2.
3. Julie and Julia 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen
25 Point Tasks
1. a.
b.
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7. a.
b.
c.
8. a.
b.
c.
9. a.
b.
10.
30 Point Tasks
1. a.
b. Fake psychic/Private Investigator and slacker Psych Mind Over Magic
50 Point Tasks
TBD
TOTAL POINTS: 50
Last night I stayed up late and finished reading The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich for part of task 20.2 I plan to do R/S/T as my consecutive alphabetical letters.[image error]
1 TASK COMPLETE
5 TASKS STARTED
4 BOOK READ
1099 PAGES READ
5 Point tasks9) Coming of age: Middlesex, by Jefferey Eugenides, read September 1
10) Time Travel: The Time Traveler's Wife, by Niffenger, read September 2
10 Point tasks
2) Character with a drug addiction: Theories of Relativity, by Haworth-Attard, Read September 1
Total: 20
I have completed task 25.4. Candace's Task to Read a book that has been made a movie within the last 10 years and made into a movie in the last 5 years. I read and watched Nights in Rodanthe.
I was really surprised by both. Nicholas Sparks generally has the ability to make me bawl like a baby, but this novel didn't do that to me. Sure I shed a tear, but not anywhere near the usual.
So I expected the movie to be more emotional since the book didn't do it for me. I thought for sure I would be crying my eyes out like I did with The Notebook. But they took such drastic liberties with the storyline, that it really felt like I was watching a different movie. It didn't feel at all like the book. I don't want to spoil it for those that haven't seen or read the book, but this was a disappointing version of the story. :(
Tasks Completed: 3
Tasks Started: 1
Books Read: 6
Pages Read: 1043
Points Accumulated: 55
I completed task 5.1 and read Bending Toward the Sun A Mother and Daughter Memoir by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie. (It had the word daughter in the title)This brings me to a pathetic 5 points.
I have also read The Forest of Hands and Teeth for 1/3 of 20.2 I am using F as one of the consecutive letters.
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Task 10.5 (Oktoberfest)A Woman in Berlin Eight Weeks in the Conquered City A Diary by Anonymous
10 points.
Task 20.1 completed:Read Maggie's Miracle: A Novel . Not something I would have picked up for myself normally, but it was okay. Very predictable, though. Very.
Total points = 45
Completed:
Task 25.10 SAM'S TASK - Halloween Part III: Monsterfest
Will the Vampire People Please Leave the Lobby?
Total = 25 points
Cynthia wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Hooray - my first points!
10 for New Moon
Total Points = 10"I also need to know which 10 point task you are using this for before I can award points.
I realized that just a bit ago and corrected my original post plus some... I'm new to this - I'll get better! Thanks <3
Tracy wrote: ..."
Teresa wrote: "Katie wrote: "Finished my first task for my first ever challenge! Yay!!! OK, so it was a children's book, but I still am happy with myself. :)
10.3 Bears... Read Big Book of Berenstain Bears by ..."
10 for New Moon
Total Points = 10"I also need to know which 10 point task you are using this for before I can award points.
I realized that just a bit ago and corrected my original post plus some... I'm new to this - I'll get better! Thanks <3
Tracy wrote: ..."
Teresa wrote: "Katie wrote: "Finished my first task for my first ever challenge! Yay!!! OK, so it was a children's book, but I still am happy with myself. :)
10.3 Bears... Read Big Book of Berenstain Bears by ..."
Completed part 1 of 25.7 Completed part 2 of 25.7
Read "Meridian" by Amber Kizer
Read "Chronic City" by Jonathan Lethem
I have completed task #5.6 by reading The Walking Dead, Vol. 1 Days Gone Bye. Real smart of me to read this before I have go to bed! I would be interested in following this series. My only complaint is that the main character Rick was
unbelievably
stupid in the beginning of this graphic novel. I mean...WOW. This man is supposed to be cop! I can understand he might have been slightly disoriented when he awoke alone in the hospital but there is no good excuse, that I can think of, for him to be that painfully slow to realize that danger was afoot.
I finished my first task.5.2 - Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Got a couple more--15.6--MONET'S LANDSCAPES by Vivian Russel
What I liked the most about this book, which tells of the many places that Monet travelled in order to paint, was the fact that there were photos of the actual locations alongside the finised works. This really showed off Monet's "vision" of what he was seeing.
Since it has been sooooo hot around here I headed west to Balboa Park and visited The SD Museum of Art. I am a member, so I go there pretty often and usually will look at all of the Impressionist works they have as that is my favorite style; however, they have a new show going on with Picasso and Miro which has taken the place of my beloved pieces (they'll be back tho' as they are part of the permanent collection).
and
15.9--HOME ACROSS THE ROAD by Nancy Peacock
I really liked this story of two families: the "White Redds" and the slaves who worked for them who were also known as "Redds". The tale is told through the eyes of China who at the beginning is close to death and she thinks back on her families history from slavery, to "freedom" (while still working in the slaveholder's home).
For the homework assignment I thought of a few essay question choices wherein the student would answer in 3-4 pages and would include examples to support their thesis.
1. Compare/Contrast the "White" Redd women and the "other" Redd women who work for them.
2. What do the Abalone earrings symbolize? Give at least two examples.
3. "Sweeping" and "Waiting" are mentioned throughout the story. Discuss the significance of these words/ideas.
4. Why do things suddenly "change" near the end of the story. In your opinion is the change for good, or for bad?
This brings my points to 85!
Completed Tasks10 Point Task
#3 The Complete Adventures of Curious George
Total Points Earned: 10
Total Books Read: 1
Total Pages Read: 400
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Roseann wrote: "Got a couple more--15.6--MONET'S LANDSCAPES by Vivian Russel
What I liked the most about this book, which tells of the many places that Monet travelled in order to paint, was the fact that the..."
Roseann - The really important question is: Was the exhibition any good? That strikes me as an odd combination of artists, but I happen to love them all! If you're ever in DC, you should stop by the National Gallery. We have a great collection of Impressionist paintings. (I say we because I consider it my museum. Very selfish of me, yes.)
And cheers to you for supporting your local museum! I'm sure they need all the support they can get these days.
10.5 Read A Book Written By A German Author, Set In Germany, Or A Non-Fictional Book About Germany. The Readerby Bernard Schlink
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For 25.5 (Fortune Telling) I read The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. I didn't like it at all. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for eight or nine years, but all these other books keep getting in front of it. I only bought it because when I picked it up at the used book store the cute guy there said, "That's a really good book." I wonder how many stories of my mistakes would start "The cute guy said...." Probably a lot.
Thanks, Janice, for giving me a reason to finally get this baby off my shelves. It's on its way to Goodwill!
Total Points: 40
Completed Task 5.10: The Time Machine by H G Wells TOTAL POINTS = 5
Completed Tasks10 Point Task
#3 The Complete Adventures of Curious George (Rating: 3.5/5)
Total Points Earned: 10
Total Books Read: 1
Total Pages Read: 400
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Can I make a request? When you all post, could you tell whether or not you liked the book, or even just what you rated it, so everyone we'll know if the book was good or not?
Task 5.8 Full Tilt by Janet Evanovich & Charlotte Hughes
I'm on the board - task 5.3 (Christopher Columbus) complete with Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies. It takes a bit to adjust to the language, but once you're in, it's got a lot of great adventure elements and some interesting ideas about identity.Current Total: 5 points
Sara ♥ wrote: "Can I make a request? When you all post, could you tell whether or not you liked the book, or even just what you rated it, so everyone we'll know if the book was good or not?"Sure - The Time Machine by H.G. Wells was easier to read than I expected; weird but fascinating and a little scary too. 3*
Katie wrote: "For 25.5 (Fortune Telling) I read The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. I didn't like it at all. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for eight or nine years, but all these other bo..."
Katie, I've been doing a lot of bargain book shopping at Goodwill and I keep seeing this book sitting on the shelf. I'm so glad I keep passing it up.
Lisa wrote: "Katie, I've been doing a lot of bargain book shopping at Goodwill and I keep seeing this book sitting on the shelf. I'm so glad I keep passing it up."I'm wary of books I see a lot of copies of at used bookstores. Why is everyone so glad to be rid of them if they're good books? Especially at Goodwill—that means they gave the book away for free! Half-Price Books will at least give you $0.25 for it! ;)
I've just completed two tasks.10.7 I read 'Somewhere in Heaven: The Remarkable Love Story of Dana and Christopher Reeve'
by Christopher P. Andersen for the hero task. As the challenge mentioned Christopher Reeve and I had this book on the shelf I thought I'd read it and see if it would fit the challenge.
It was on of those books that will stay with me a long time. Although I found his strength to cope with the tragedy truly inspiring I found his wife Dana to be a real life 'hero'. She truly was an amazing woman and the love they shared was evident. She carried on fund raising through her battle with lung cancer that claimed her 18 months after her husband.
10.8 With one lousy free packet of seed by Lynne Truss
This was for the word generator challenge- my three words were customary, attendance and packet. I struggled to find a book and someone kindly found this title for me. I really struggled to finish the book - it seemed to amble on aimlessly.
I finally completed my first task! :D5.10 Time Travel: The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett. In this book, the wizards end up several thousand years in the past.
Oh, I had so much fun reading this.
Jamie wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Geeez. I'm feeling WAY behind already. How are people done?? I read a bit before work but I didn't get home until midnight from work and I was only able to read about 5..."I have learned to tune people out, because the chatty ones don't READ so I usually start a conversation about a book and they wonder off, now if they are readers it is a delightful conversation.
Melissa wrote: "SuzieR wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Candace wrote: "New updates! For task 5.4 (Adoption) - I read Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis. Its a story about a littl..."
I have seen books by jamie lee curtis and to me these are picture books for the preschool set.
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Tempt Me at Twilight (other topics)Patterns in the Sand (other topics)
The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
My Grandfather's Son (other topics)
Soul of a Dog: Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lisa Kleypas (other topics)Sally Goldenbaum (other topics)
Clarence Thomas (other topics)
Audrey Niffenegger (other topics)
Neil Gaiman (other topics)
More...
10.2 : By reading some Caldecott award winners (138 pages) - 2 re-reads and 2 new ones:
Snowflake Bentley
Knuffle Bunny A Cautionary Tale-the illustrations for this one were really different with black and white photographs and then cartoony characters drawn in on top
Where the Wild Things Are
Owl Moon-this was one of my favorites when I was little
10.8: Killer Hair- my words were killer, copper, and immune
Total Points 20/690
Total Books 2/59
Total Tasks Completed 2/45
Total Pages 414