The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

Cynthia wrote: "Sam wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "Jill wrote: "Would Jasper Fforde's books work for Alternative Historical Novel? I'm thinking specifically either 'The Big Over Easy' or 'Lost In A Good Book'"No - Those ..."

It's odd that NoveList doesn't have "alternative histories" as a keyword for the sequels. Since the sequels are set in the same fictional world, it seems narrow-minded to argue that they wouldn't be alt. history if the first one was. My guess is that's an error of omission rather than a deliberate choice.

I used the "Send Feedback" button to ask them to add the keyword "alternative histories" to all the sequels to "The Eyre Affair." I also asked that they add the "Coming of Age" keyword to "The Wizard of Oz"--which I plan to use for that task--since it is very much a bildungsroman.

Lastly, I did notice that all the sequels to "The Eyre Affair" have "time travel" as a keyword in NoveList, so they would be fine for that task.

Cynthia,

A question regarding the homophones challenge (15-1). I was thinking of reading Peace Like a River (Leif Enger) and Six Easy Pieces (Walter Mosely) but then realized that pieces is not the right tense to make it exactly like peace. Would these meet the challenge or should I look for something else?

Ellen wrote: "Cynthia,

A question regarding the homophones challenge (15-1). I was thinking of reading Peace Like a River (Leif Enger) and Six Easy Pieces (Walter Mosely) but then realized that pieces is not th..."You'll need to find something else such as

A Salty Piece of Land
Piece Of My Heart
Piece of Work

Cynthia wrote: "Lori (BNPL) wrote: "Would you consider Specials to be a coming of age book for 5.9?"No"

Not that I've read Specials, so I can't be sure, but why did you turn that down? Is it because it's the 3rd in the series? Would the first book (Uglies) be considered a coming of age? Personally, I consider a lot of (if not most) YA books as coming of age. I was thinking of using something like Graceling or The Red Necklace for that task, but now I'm worried.

Is it me or is there less challenges for this season? I know it's only my second season with the group. So do we not do 30 point challenges in this season? Just wondering!

Sarah, it just depends on who finishes the challenge. There will probably be less finishing because there were so many challenges and books to read.

Oh, sorry I just didn't know.

Potjy wrote: "Donna Jo, a question please!

I've mention this in the Help folder, but think I should repost here too, to be sure everyone will come across it.

For "related by marriage", are the in-laws counted?..."

Yes, in-laws count. I've got a list for people who are having trouble coming up with authors and Hornby is on it, but if you know of others, feel free to use them.

Did we get an answer to the retired question and I just missed it? I also am retired, so was wondering if I should pick that or my last job.

Also - for 5.8 would Nora Robers and J.D.Robb work? If not I have another book I can use.

For 10.3 I choose False Hearted Teddy: A Bear Collection Mystery - Does that fit?

Thanks

Cynthia... I was looking at the alternate-history shelf to see what I can find. Airman was listed. Would you count that for the task?

Would the word "darkness" work for the scary word for Halloween (task 5.6)?

"darkness" is a noun, not an adjective... 5.6 requires a Halloween adjective...

Indeed it does! Thank you Sara!

No problem!

Would Tibet be acceptable for task 15.8 - a country beginning with T?

For Alternative History (15.2), I have a book that's basically a collection of essays by several historians, speculating about what might've gone differently and how that would have affected us today. The book in question: What If? The World's Foremost Military Historians Imagine What Might Have Been. Would this be alright for the task?

Michelle wrote: "Jean Webster is Mark Twain's great niece...is that to distant for 25.2?"

That's fine. As long as there is a relationship.

This question is really for Roseann:
25.1 I am one of those lucky people who currently has their childhood dream job. Do I read two books on my current job or read a book about something else that might interest me, but really would only be a hobby?

For geography, would My Name Is Red http://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Red-Orh... count for Turkey? It's set in 16th Century Istanbul but every google search attributes it to Turkey.

Shannon wrote: "Would Tibet be acceptable for task 15.8 - a country beginning with T?"

Shannon, I asked this earlier and Cynthia said that Tibet was fine. I plan on using Sky Burial An Epic Love Story of Tibet.

Amanda wrote: "do plays count? Like for 5.3 where the main character travels at sea, could I do The Tempest by Shakespeare?"

I'm betting that Cynthia will say that's fine, as long as it's 100 pages, which it is.

Would The Graveyard Book work for 5.4 - adoption challenge?

Hi Cynthia - Would the Nightmare Academy work for task 5.6?

Thanks!

Hello : )

I am the newbie here tackling my first challenge, I THOUGHT this would reduce my TBR shelf, NOPE it is growing by leaps and bounds.

QUESTIONS:
For 5 point tasks
3 Pacific Lady The First Woman to Sail Solo across the World's Largest Ocean does it fit?

10 point task
3 need a little clarifaction on this, it states no juvenile or YA books for the challenge, If I read enough berenstain books to equal 100 pages does it count?

7 do the percy jackson series fit? ( goodreads wont let me search right now)

roseann task

My job is a magazine merchandiser. Can I count a book that is center around working for a magazine? book set in the book world/library? Any type of merchandiser, publishing company, or libraian? REALLY LOST ON THIS ONE

Donna Jo task if I read Capital crimes by Faye and Jonathan kellerman and the SON Jesse novel does it count?

thanks for answering all my questions

Bridgit wrote: "Hi Cynthia - Would the Nightmare Academy work for task 5.6?

Thanks!"

As long as you have a book by at least one Kellerman and another by different (but related) Kellerman, it'll work.

Bridgit wrote: "Hi Cynthia - Would the Nightmare Academy work for task 5.6?

Thanks!"Nightmare would be a noun not an adjective so no

Erin wrote: "Would The Graveyard Book work for 5.4 - adoption challenge?"Well I guess the ghosts adopt him as far a ghosts could so I'll take it but I was really looking for more conventional adoption stories.

Sophie wrote: "Other then in English, I read in French and Dutch as well. Many of these books have not been translated into English, for example L'enfant Leopard by Daniel Picouly. ..."Titles that contain words in languages other than English that translate to the English words listed in tasks are fine

Tanja wrote: "For geography, would My Name Is Red http://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Red-Orh... count for Turkey? It's set in 16th Century Istanbul but every google searc..."Istanbul is a city in Turkey so yes

Amanda wrote: "Also, for the adoption task would Tom Jones by Henry Fielding count? I looked online and in sparknotes and monkeynotes- some say he's a "ward" and some say he's "adopted"...would that count?"I'll take it

Rae wrote: "For Alternative History (15.2), I have a book that's basically a collection of essays by several historians, speculating about what might've gone differently and how that would have affected us tod..."That's fine - you would then pick one of those ideas for the second part of the task where you state your opinion whether the alternative was preferable to the reality

Sara wrote: "Cynthia... I was looking at the alternate-history shelf to see what I can find. Airman was listed. Would you count that for the task?"Airman doesn't really fit what I was looking for...books where major events happened a different way and changed history dramatically - like what if Great Britain won the revolutionary war or Lincoln surviving the assassination attempt at Ford's theatre that kind of thing is what I was going for.

Amanda wrote: "do plays count? Like for 5.3 where the main character travels at sea, could I do The Tempest by Shakespeare?"Yes that's fine

Shannon wrote: "Would Tibet be acceptable for task 15.8 - a country beginning with T?"Tibet is fine

Lyn wrote: "Did we get an answer to the retired question and I just missed it? I also am retired, so was wondering if I should pick that or my last job.

Also - for 5.8 would Nora Robers and J.D.Robb work? ..."No on Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb because its the same person... but I'll take the bear book

Bonnie wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "Lori (BNPL) wrote: "Would you consider Specials to be a coming of age book for 5.9?"No"

Not that I've read Specials, so I can't be sure, but why did you turn that do..."I uses novelist to make most decisions about books I haven't read and I agree that Specials doesn't really meet the qualifications of the bildungsroman or coming of age novel - here is a webpage with a long list of books that would fit http://www.chasingray.com/archives/20...

Teresa wrote: "Hello : )

I am the newbie here tackling my first challenge, I THOUGHT this would reduce my TBR shelf, NOPE it is growing by leaps and bounds.

QUESTIONS:
For 5 point tasks
3 [book:Paci..."The book you have for 5.3 is fine, yes as long as they are the picture book variety not the chapter book kind, Percy Jackson series is fine.

For the Math task, for the subtraction one, if my name together has more letters than my age (20,25) can I do the reverse? Thanks.

For the task of the two authors, would Two Histories of England By Jane Austen and Charles Dickens work?

Liz wrote: "Roseann: what qualifies as a "Book That Is Somehow Related To Your Current Profession"? For example, in a fair number of 18th/19th century novels, there are important scenes involving social intr..."


Yes that would be fine.

Angela wrote: "Rosanne or Cynthia
I am currently a Service Mangager at a bank or a Teller Manager... I do not think I am going to come across a lot of books in this profession, so can I do something that is in t..."

I completely understand, I am mainly looking for a book that is set in your field of employment right now, banking would be fine.

pjreads wrote: "For Roseann's Task (25.1), would a book about someone who's retired work or should I read a book about the work I did before I retired?
Thanks!"

I have no problem with that.

Nikki wrote: "This question is really for Roseann:
25.1 I am one of those lucky people who currently has their childhood dream job. Do I read two books on my current job or read a book about something else tha..."

How about this--Read a book about your dream job (lucky you!) and then read about something you did prior to that job. If you don't have any other jobs you worked at that you didn't like then either another about the job you are in, or how about a student/school character/setting?

Teresa wrote: "Hello : )

I am the newbie here tackling my first challenge, I THOUGHT this would reduce my TBR shelf, NOPE it is growing by leaps and bounds.

QUESTIONS:
For 5 point tasks
3 [book:Paci..."

Welcome Teresa!

Anything set in the magazine world (publishing, sales, etc) would be fine.

Hi all,

Sorry, I have been basically away from the computer for a week and completely forgot there would probably be questions for my challenge.

I hope I have answered everyone, but if I missed you please repost and I will answer asap.

QUESTIONS:
For 5 point tasks
3 Pacific Lady The First Woman to Sail Solo across the World's Largest Ocean does it fit?

I didnt see an answer for this? did I miss it?

thanks Teresa

For the task with both a teacher and a student, could it be a student in high school?

Angela wrote: "For the task with both a teacher and a student, could it be a student in high school? "

It just has to be a student. I know in mine, the main character is still in high school, so I'm sure you'd be fine with something like that :).

Thanks Candace!

For the most thankful task, I found a book that has a 16 year old who is pregnant but gives the baby up for adoption, which she later regrets. My mother was 16 when she became pregnant with me, but obviously kept me... can I use this book?

Is it ok to use graphic novels for the tasks? I was thinking about using Fun Home A Family Tragicomic for the homework task.

Kathleen wrote: "Is it ok to use graphic novels for the tasks? I was thinking about using Fun Home A Family Tragicomic for the homework task."Yes graphic novels are fine

Angela wrote: "For the most thankful task, I found a book that has a 16 year old who is pregnant but gives the baby up for adoption, which she later regrets. My mother was 16 when she became pregnant with me, but..."If you can explain how it relates to what your thankful for then yeah

Angela wrote: "For the task with both a teacher and a student, could it be a student in high school? "Yes a student at any level is fine

Teresa wrote: "QUESTIONS:
For 5 point tasks
3 Pacific Lady The First Woman to Sail Solo across the World's Largest Ocean does it fit?

I didnt see an answer for this? did I miss it?

thanks Teresa "Yes that's fine

Lindsey wrote: "For the Math task, for the subtraction one, if my name together has more letters than my age (20,25) can I do the reverse? Thanks.

For the task of the two authors, would [book:Two Histories of ..."Yes and Yes

Thanks Cynthia!

Thanks Cynthia! I always feel bad asking you questions, you come on goodreads to read about books and relax and get bombarded with questions.

Just to clarify- unless otherwise stated, fiction OR nonfiction will work for a task (for example: 5.1)- is this correct?

Thanks!

Hi Cyntia: For task 15.4, do the movies need to be theatrical releases (played in movie theaters) or can they be shows shown directly on TV? I'm thinking about some Nova (Public Television) science shows for the science movie.

Thanks!

Nicole wrote: "Just to clarify- unless otherwise stated, fiction OR nonfiction will work for a task (for example: 5.1)- is this correct?

Thanks!"

Yep, that's right :)

For the grammar challenge (participles specifically), would "rises" and "rising" be considered an appropriate match? i.e. does the verb have to be "rise" or it it ok to use the third person singular simple present tense, "rises". (thanks in advance for your answer!)

Cynthia,

Just wanted to say thanks for all your time and effort in answering our millions of questions. And in putting this challenge and group together.

Cynthia, if you ever need help I am available.

I have a question about 5.5, the going back to school task. I'm only in 10th grade, so do you want me to re-read a book I read last year, or can I use a required reading book from this year?