The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

30.3 - ElaineL's task: Time Flies

This fall, I began my sixteenth year as an elementary teacher. I am officially closer to retirement than I am the beginning of my career. I enjoy teaching immensely, but I wonder...how did I get to this point so fast? It wasn’t that long ago I was a wide-eyed first year teacher. How time flies! And rumor is time will continue to get faster...How is that possible? Here are some tasks based on various times in my life…

Choose two tasks from the choices below and: (A) Read two books with a total of over 500 pages that fit two different tasks OR (B) Read one book over 500 pages that fulfills the requirements of two different tasks.

Required: State which options you chose when you post.

Option 1: Happy Birthday to Me! I love celebrating my birthday. In 2007, I got a particularly wonderful “gift”-- a phone call hiring me to work at my current school. Eleven years later, I am still wonderfully happy having had the opportunity to work with many amazing students and their families as well as some amazing colleagues!

➜ Read a book with ALL of the letters from the month of APRIL found in the title (subtitles are excluded). The letters CANNOT be used to form the word APRIL itself (as a month, character’s name, etc.). For example: The Enchanted April and Snow in April would NOT work, but Burning Lamp (buRnIg LAmP), I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere But the Pool (I need a LifeguARd everywhere but the Pool) or American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World (AmRIcan ecLiPse) would work.

Option 2: A Sad Goodbye… Two major institutions in my life ended on the same day. May 14, 1998 saw the ending of both my senior year of high school and Seinfeld. I had four teachers in high school who had a particularly strong influence on my education - Mr. Smith (science), Mr. Adams (math), Mrs. Straight (English) and Sperry (my band instructor). I also loved the four core characters on Seinfeld - Elaine (whose name and dancing ability I share), Jerry, George and Kramer.

➜ Read a book by an author whose initials (in any order) come from these letters: S, A, S, S, E, J, G and/or K. If the book has more than one author, only one author’s initials need to be used. All author initials must be included. Spaces determine names.

Option 3: Hello Seasonal Reading Challenge! The Winter 2016-2017 Challenge was the first I participated in.

➜ Choose any of the 10 point challenges from The Winter 2016-2017 Challenge and read a book that fits that task.
Required: State which task you chose and any info required by that task when you post.

Option 4: Where Has the Year Gone? I read one of my favorite books of 2017 on January 1 (for those of you who are curious it was The Lightning-Struck Heart by T.J. Klune). I read another favorite on January 3 (A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman). Reading two 5 star books almost back-to-back made me feel very hopeful that 2017 would be an amazing reading year...and it has been. With only four months left, I wonder how many 5 star reads I have left to discover before the calendar flips to a new year.

➜ Choose a book that has been a 5 star read for you this year and read another book by that same author. For example: I could read another book by T.J. Klune or Fredrik Backman.
Required: Provide a link to your original 5 star read when you post.

Reserved

Reserved

This thread is now open!

Just wanted to verify-this can be a 1 book task as long as the book fits 2 criteria and is 500+ pages? It doesn't state that this is a 2-book task but I just wanted to be sure!

apparently I'm WAYYYY to stingy with my 5-star reads - I've had exactly 1 this year and it was for a non-fiction book...

can I make a recommendation? as a secondary option, an author from a book YOU rated 5 stars :)

Meg wrote: "Just wanted to verify-this can be a 1 book task as long as the book fits 2 criteria and is 500+ pages? It doesn't state that this is a 2-book task but I just wanted to be sure!"

I am glad you checked...I meant for it to be a two book task but that isn't stated explicitly. As such, if you read one book with 500+ pages that meets two separate tasks' criteria, I am fine with that.

Dee wrote: "apparently I'm WAYYYY to stingy with my 5-star reads - I've had exactly 1 this year and it was for a non-fiction book...

can I make a recommendation? as a secondary option, an author from a book Y..."

I am leaving it as it stands but thanks for the idea, maybe if I get to design another task in the future! I am excited to see others' 5-star reads...my TBR will be even more out of control!

Please verify Edge of Eternity for Historical Fiction (10.3 from winter tasks).
Thanks!

Can I please get East of Eden verified for Historical Fiction (like Sandy said, 10.3 from the winter tasks)?

Thank you!

Dee wrote: "apparently I'm WAYYYY to stingy with my 5-star reads - I've had exactly 1 this year and it was for a non-fiction book...

can I make a recommendation? as a secondary option, an author from a book Y..."

I'm even stingier as I haven't rated anything 5 stars this year. It's just as well there are other options that I am quite happy with.

Coralie wrote: "Dee wrote: "apparently I'm WAYYYY to stingy with my 5-star reads - I've had exactly 1 this year and it was for a non-fiction book...

can I make a recommendation? as a secondary option, an author f..."

We can be stingy together ;)

For option 4, is it okay if the book is a re-read? Or does it have to be a new to you book by an author you rated five stars this year?

Sandy wrote: "Please verify Edge of Eternity for Historical Fiction (10.3 from winter tasks).
Thanks!"

Verified!

Amber wrote: "Can I please get East of Eden verified for Historical Fiction (like Sandy said, 10.3 from the winter tasks)?

Thank you!"

You bet! Verified (and you are very welcome!)

Bryony wrote: "For option 4, is it okay if the book is a re-read? Or does it have to be a new to you book by an author you rated five stars this year?"

I love rereading so I am going to say that is absolutely acceptable!

Thanks Elaine! I really want to fit this re-read in as I read two books by this author that I rated five stars and then the book I read most recently was really disappointing. I feel like I must have just missed something oh my first reading so I want to give it a second try.

Bryony wrote: "Thanks Elaine! I really want to fit this re-read in as I read two books by this author that I rated five stars and then the book I read most recently was really disappointing. I feel like I must ha..."

Awesome! I hope it turns out better the second time around!

Please verify Horror for The Dragon Factory for task 10.10 of the winter 2016-17

Shanna_redwind wrote: "Please verify Horror for The Dragon Factory for task 10.10 of the winter 2016-17"

Verified as MPG Horror

Please verify History/Historical Fiction for Prudence for task 10.3.They're Old! of the winter 2016-17

Nicola wrote: "Please verify History/Historical Fiction for Prudence for task 10.3.They're Old! of the winter 2016-17"

Verified

QUESTION: Choose two tasks from the choices below and: (A) Read two books with a total of over 500 pages that fit two different tasks OR (B) Read one book over 500 pages that fulfills the requirements of two different tasks.

So the combined total must be 501 or higher? Or will a combined total of exactly 500 qualify?

Book Concierge wrote: "QUESTION: Choose two tasks from the choices below and: (A) Read two books with a total of over 500 pages that fit two different tasks OR (B) Read one book over 500 pages that fulfills the requireme..."

The task states over 500 pages so 501 pages would be the minimum you could use.