A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Today is March 16. Can you believe that we are nearly a quarter through 2011? Time goes too quickly!

So far this year I have finished 21 novels and 9 audiobooks. Not too shabby, in my ever so humble opinion. That doesn’t take into account the books and audiobooks that I have started and decided to not finish. There were a few of those.

Speaking of audiobooks, I’m searching for another good listen. I recently finished Hattie Big Sky, even though the CDs all skipped a lot, and started another audiobook: Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta. I did finish one disc before giving up. The narrator was decent enough, but his voice just didn’t fit the story. Perhaps I will pick up the book and try the print version.

So now I am without an audiobook during my commute. It’s driving me a bit buggy. I’ve gotten so use to listening to books on CD that listening to the radio (when I’m in the car alone) is extremely annoying – mostly due to the inane commercials.

Any suggestions for audiobooks?

I’m still challenging myself to read more Newbery winner and honor books. I started this self-imposed challenge at the end of March last year. So, nearly a year later, and I am happy to say I’ve now read at least one winner or honor book from each decade. When I began the challenge, I had read 45 Newbery winners/honors. Now the total is 61.  I'm not sure that I actually read one per month, but I did read more than 12 last year, so I am calling it achieved.

I could make a nice and pretty list, but I’m too lazy…at least at the moment. Here are the books I’ve completed:

(Year Author Title Status)

• 1922 Colum, Padraic Golden Fleece and The Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles Honor
• 1938 Wilder, Laura Ingalls On the Banks of Plum Creek Honor
• 1940 Wilder, Laura Ingalls By the Shores of Silver Lake Honor
• 1941 Wilder, Laura Ingalls Long Winter, The Honor
• 1942 Wilder, Laura Ingalls Little Town on the Prairie Honor
• 1944 Wilder, Laura Ingalls These Happy Golden Years Honor
• 1953 White, E. B. Charlotte's Web Honor
• 1959 Speare, Elizabeth George Witch of Blackbird Pond, The Winner
• 1963 L'Engle, Madeleine Wrinkle in Time, A Winner
• 1968 Snyder, Zilpha Keatley Egypt Game, The Honor
• 1968 Konigsburg, E. L. Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth Honor
• 1968 Konigsburg, E. L. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Winner
• 1977 Taylor, Mildred Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Winner
• 1978 Cleary, Beverly Ramona and Her Father Honor
• 1978 Paterson, Katherine Bridge to Terabithia Winner
• 1979 Paterson, Katherine Great Gilly Hopkins, The Honor
• 1981 Paterson, Katherine Jacob Have I Loved Winner
• 1982 Cleary, Beverly Ramona Quimby, Age 8 Honor
• 1984 Cleary, Beverly Dear Mr. Henshaw Winner
• 1986 MacLachlan, Patricia Sarah, Plain and Tall Winner
• 1988 Paulsen, Gary Hatchet Honor
• 1989 Fleischman, Paul Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices Winner
• 1990 Lowry, Lois Number the Stars Winner
• 1991 Avi True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, The Honor
• 1994 Lowry, Lois Giver, The Winner
• 1995 Cushman, Karen Catherine, Called Birdy Honor
• 1995 Creech, Sharon Walk Two Moons Winner
• 1996 Coman, Carolyn What Jamie Saw Honor
• 1996 Curtis, Christopher Paul Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963, The Honor
• 1996 Cushman, Karen Midwife's Apprentice, The Winner
• 1997 McGraw, Eloise Moorchild, The Honor
• 1997 White, Ruth Belle Prater's Boy Honor
• 1997 Konigsburg, E. L View from Saturday, The Winner
• 1998 Levine, Gail Carson Ella Enchanted Honor
• 1998 Giff, Patricia Reilly Lily's Crossing Honor
• 1998 Hesse, Karen Out of the Dust Winner
• 1999 Peck, Richard Long Way from Chicago, A Honor
• 1999 Sachar, Louis Holes Winner
• 2000 Curtis, Christopher Paul Bud, Not Buddy Winner
• 2001 Peck, Richard Year Down Yonder, A Winner
• 2003 Farmer, Nancy House of the Scorpion, The Honor
• 2003 Martin, Ann M. Corner of the Universe, A Honor
• 2003 Tolan, Stephanie S. Surviving the Applewhites Honor
• 2003 Avi Crispin: The Cross of Lead Winner
• 2004 Henkes, Kevin Olive's Ocean Honor
• 2004 DiCamillo, Kate Tale of Despereaux, The Winner
• 2005 Choldenko, Gennifer Al Capone Does My Shirts Honor
• 2005 Schmidt, Gary D. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy Honor
• 2006 Bartoletti, Susan Campbell Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow Honor
• 2007 Larson, Kirby Hattie Big Sky Honor
• 2008 Schmidt, Gary D. Wednesday Wars, The Honor
• 2008 Schlitz, Laura Amy Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village Winner
• 2009 Engle, Margarita Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom,The Honor
• 2009 Gaiman, Neil Graveyard Book, The Winner
• 2010 Hoose, Phillip Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice Honor
• 2010 Kelly, Jacqueline Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, The Honor
• 2010 Lin, Grace Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Honor
• 2010 Philbrick, Rodman Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, The Honor
• 2010 Stead, Rebecca When You Reach Me Winner
• 2011 Williams-Garcia, Rita Once Crazy Summer Honor
• 2011 Vanderpool, Clare Moon Over Manifest Winner