2015 Reading Resolutions - December update

The year is nearly over.  How about another update on my 2015 Reading Resolutions?

1. Participate in at least one 48-hour Reading Challenge.  If not done by June 30, 2015, organize my own. One day I will do this!  Dewey’s  24-hour Read-a-thon is slated for April 25, 2015!  I did it!  I did it!  I participated in the Dewey 24-hour Read-a-thon in April.  The fall Dewey 24-hour Read-a-thon was scheduled for October 17.  I participated in that one as well. 

2. Read more books from the below lists.

·         Read 2015 winners/honors for Caldecott, Belpre illustrator, Coretta Scott King (CSK) illustrator, Odyssey(read 31/attempted 4) YALSA non-fiction , and Geisel  (a.k.a. the awards I finished reading in 2013 and again in 2014).  The 2015 winners/honors will be announced on February 2, 2015, adding several titles to my TBR list. Finished all!

·         Schneider Family Book Awards - 36 total books 15 read/1 abandoned

·         Stonewall Book Award - Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children's Young Adult Literature Award –30 total books 23 read/1 abandoned

·         Morris – 35 total books 24 read (Finalists announced in December 2014; winner announced February 2, 2015)

·         Read at least six honors/winners from: Newbery (400 total books 102 read/1 abandoned), Printz (77 total books 41 read and 7 abandoned), and CSK author (161 total books. 38 read. 1 abandoned).   Thanks to the spring Dewey 24-hour Read-a-thon, I finished the CSK titles. And thanks to the fall Dewey 24-hour Read-a-thon I finished both Newbery and Printz!

Newbery 1.     Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm 2.     The Crossover by Kwame Alexander 3.     Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm 4.     Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff 5.     The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes 6.     Paperboy by Vince Vawter 7.     Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman 8.     Show Way by Jaqueline Woodson 9.     The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Printz 1.     I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson 2.     Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith 3.     Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos 4.     And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard 5.     Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill 6.     Keesha's House by Frost, Helen

CSK author 1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 2. Remember: The Journey to School Integration by Toni Morrison 3. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander 4. The Other Side: Shorter Poems by Angela Johnson 5. I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This by Jacqueline Woodson 6. From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson

3. I’ve decided that 2015 is going to be the Year of Non-Fiction.  This means I plan to focus on reading non-fiction titles - not just those on award lists such as YALSA Non-Fiction (25/30 read as of December 15, 2014) and Sibert  (39/53 read as of December 15, 2014) – but non-fiction in general for a variety of ages.  This will include biographies. YALSA Non-fiction finalists were announced in December, but the winner for that award – and the winners and honors for most of the other Youth Media Awards won’t be announced until February 2, 2015. (UPDATED TOTALS: YALSA Non-Fiction (30/30 read) and Sibert (46/59 read).  It has become more the Year of Graphic Novels than the Year of Non-Fiction.  I need to get on the ball!

4. Read the Harry Potter and the Outlander series again. Both are favorites of mine.  After recently watching all of the Harry Potter movies, I realized how many details I had forgotten (that are missing from the movies as well).  I think it is time to revisit the stories.  I’ve listened to the Outlander series twice.  It takes quite some time!  Hopefully by starting them again this month I will finish in time for the next book to be published. (Please be soon.  Please be soon. Please be soon.) I was participating in a Buddy Read of the Harry Potter series through one of the Goodreads groups I belonged to, and had read books 1, 2, 3, and 4, and 5 for it. Since then I dropped that group (too many changes through the year).  It took me a while, but I did read HP6 over June and July. In November I read book 7 as a read along with a friend who had not previously read all of them. 

I finished Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, and An Echo in the Bone. I’ll likely not start the final book until January, as I have a few other audiobooks to finish first.

5. Set aside time each week to read the libraryland blogs, journals and other news sources. This really needs to be a part of my regular workweek.  Ever since Google’s blog reader bit the dust, I’ve fallen behind on reading blogs.  I’m trying Feedly, but need to get in the habit of checking it on a regular basis. I give up on this.

6. Keep up with tracking books read!  I read over 775 books in 2013.  My goal for 2014 was 1000, and I ended up reading just over that amount. In 2015 I am going to go with a less hectic goal of 500. I have been using Goodreads for years, and plan to continue. I lowered my goal to 250 and feel so much less stressed. I’ve hit my revised goal!  My new goal was to read 350, which I also hit.  I’m now over 360 books.

Read-a-thon surveys

There were a couple of surveys during the read-a-thon that I couldn't make into a pretty Instagram post. I posted them on the Ama Reads Facebook page.

From one of the read-a-thin mini-challenges (hour 6):

My top ten readathon notes:

10. Plan ahead. Put books on hold a week or so before the day. Pile then in your reading area. Download books onto your device(s) of choice.

9. Go with the flow. Just because you plan ahead to read certain books doesn't mean you have to read them all. Some you might not be in the mood for that day. Another might come available just in time to read it.

8. Don't be ashamed to claim the day for yourself and your love of reading! They readathon isn't something that appeals to everyone and many won't get it. That's ok. It's about YOU not them.

7. They say variety is the spice of life. Having a variety of reads for the event will add some spice to the day. I have several different genres, formats, and reading levels from which to choose. Keeps me from getting bored!

6. Take a break! Check out other participants' progress, do a challenge or two, rest your eyes, and relax.

5. Be comfy. If you're staying home all day, get into your most comfortable pjs and curl up in your favorite spot. I'm currently sitting in bed with two snuggle pups keeping me company while I read.

4. Keep up your energy with healthy snacks and meals. Yes, I've had cookies and candy today, but I also had a protein rich breakfast to get me started, and I'm looking forward to some apples and peanut butter this afternoon.

3. There's no wrong way to participate in the readathon. Any format is real reading - print books, graphic novels, ebooks, audiobooks, magazines... And reading/interest levels can be whatever you want. I read a picture book this morning and have a couple children's chapter books for this afternoon. It's all good.

2. Take notes and make lists. I love looking back at my list of books read and notes on the challenges I've done. And if you're checking out other readathon participants, you might need to write down other books to read later.

1. Most importantly of all...HAVE FUN!

The challenge was posted here.

Dewey's 24-hour Read-a-thon Closing Survey

Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour six or seven was when I wanted to nap. 

Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Two from my reads for this event: Rat Queens volume 1 and Furiously Happy. 

Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Nope!

What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Everything. 

How many books did you read?
10

What were the names of the books you read?

• CarryOn
• Furiously Happy
• Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night
• Son of No One
• Everything's Eventual
• All-star Superman volume one
• Keesha's House
• Captain Marvel volume three
• Your Own Sylvia
• Rat Queens volume one 

Which book did you enjoy most? 

Furiously Happy 
Which did you enjoy least?
Son of No One. I might abandon it (and return the Audible purchase for credit)

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
VERY likely. Reader if possible. Cheerleader is I work that day.

Insta-Readathon

 

 It's #readathon day! I was up and at 'em by 8 am. As I made breakfast I listened to Carry On. Afterwards I started Furiously Happy. #carryon #simonsnow #findjoyeveryday #findjoy #readingismyfavorite #iread #gotbooks #furiouslyhappy #thebloggess

 

The #readathon getting to know you post. #gotbooks #iread #readingismyfavorite

 I finished Carry On. My next #readathon book is this #newberyhonorbook. #nonfiction #poetry #readathonkids #iread #gotbooks #readingismyfavorite

 

My companions as I sit in bed and read. #readathon #letsleepingdogslie #squishyfacecrew #pupperazzi #bostonbeans #bostonsarebest #bostonterriersrock #lunabelle #chevyblue 

 

 
One of the books on deck for today is this one. #readathon #deweysreadathonhalloween #iread #gotbooks #readingismyfavorite  
 

Giving my eyes a break and making a snack, but the reading continues with this #darkhunter novel. #readathon #readingismyfavorite #deweysreadathonhalloween #iread #readingwithmyears

 
My mid-event survey for the fall #readathon. I've been doing a lot of #readingwithmyears today, and had book group tonight, so haven't made much of a dent in my pile...yet. #readingismyfavorite #gotbooks #iread

 

We are in the middle of hour 16 of the #readathon. Time for a snack! #cakeandteatime #iread #readingismyfavorite #gotbooks

 
A #bostonbeans friend used one of the Bostie cards she ordered from me and made an altered notebook perfect for my bookish obsessions. The first entry is about the #readathon. #readingismyfavorite #gotbooks #iread #cricutcreations #bostonterriersrock #squishyfacecrew

 

My #readathon cheerleaders are still going strong...if snoring can be considered cheering. 😜 #squishyfacecrew #bostonterriersrock #lunabelle #chevyblue #pupperazzi #letsleepingdogslie #bostonbeans

 
 Current #readathon reading: All-Star Superman. I tried reading this last week via the #hoopla app, but the text was too small at times - even with zooming in. Not only is this a read-a-thon book, it's a #superherosunday one as well. #iread #gotbooks #graphicnovels #superman #superheroes #readingismyfavorite #twobirdsonestone

 
 It's 3 a.m. (Hour 20 of the #readathon) I'm still going strong. After listening to another story/chapter of Everything's Eventual and updating my many #readingchallenges I'm about to begin #printzawardhonor Keesha's House. My cheerleaders have abandoned me to go snuggle with their daddy, so I'll console myself - and keep warm - with a cup of hot tea. #findjoy #findjoyeveryday #readingismyfavorite #readingwithmyears #gotbooks #iread

 
 It's hour 21 of the #readathon!! My cheerleaders have returned to keep my lap warm as I read. I finished Keesha's House and am about to begin volume 3 of the latest Captain Marvel series. #iread #gotbooks #readingismyfavorite #graphicnovels #marvelcomics #captainmarvel #superherosunday #superheroes #bostonbeans #bostonsarebest #bostonterriersrock #pupperazzi #letsleepingdogslie #lunabelle #chevyblue #squishyfacecrew #lasthashtagipromise

I might be more than a little biased, but I think I have the most adorable #readathon cheerleaders of them all. ❤️ Anyhow...I've finished Captain Marvel and am on to another #printzawardhonor: Your Own Sylvia. #readingismyfavorite #gotbooks #iread #bookbeverage #chevyblue #lunabelle #squishyfacecrew #bostonbeans #bostonsarebest #bostonterriersrock #letsleepingdogslie #lasthashtagipromise

Holy frijoles, batman! It's the final hour of the #readathon! I'm still going strong, but my cheerleaders are OUT! Luna Belle especially. She very rarely sleeps on her back! #letsleepingdogslie #bostonterriersrock #bostonsarebest #bostonbeans #squishyfacecrew

Just finished Your Own Sylvia. Will volume one of Rat Queens be my final book of the #readathon? #graphicnovels #gotbooks #readingismyfavorite #iread

It's over. I made it. 24 hours of reading, listening, and discussing books. I read all or part of ten books. Finished seven, six of which I read start to finish during the #readathon. It's time to take my furry cheerleaders and go to sleep...after I finish this last book. #readingismyfavorite #iread #gotbooks #cantwaitforthenextreadathon #surprisinglystillawake

Fall 2015 Dewey's Read-a-thon

I did it! I did it!  I stayed awake for over 24 hours and read, listened, and discussed books for the majority of that time!  As you can imagine, I spent a good bit of Sunday sleeping.

Some of my stats:

Books read (part or all): 10

Books read start to finish during the read-a-thon: 6

Books finished during the read-a-thon: 7

Books partially read during the read-a-thon: 4

Total pages read (either visually or audibly): Over 1500

The books I read:

• Everything’s Eventual by Stephen King (audiobook, adult horror.  Still listening to this one)
• Son of No One by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  (audiobook, adult fantasy.  Didn’t finish that day and ultimately abandoned)
• All-Star Superman, Vol. 1 by Grant Morrison (print graphic novel)
• Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson (ebook adult non-fiction)
• Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery by Kurtis J. Wiebe (print graphic novel. Finished about 30 minutes after the read-a-thon ended)
• Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill (print teen non-fiction)
• Captain Marvel, Vol. 3: Alis Volat Propriis by Kelly Sue DeConnick (print graphic novel)
• Keesha's House by Frost, Helen (print teen book)
• Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman (print children’s picture book)
• Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (audiobook.  Started prior, but finished during the read-a-thon)

As you may recall, I had quite the list of books to choose from for the event.  Two of those arrived at my desk on Friday…after I had left my office for another location.  Good thing I had LOTS of other choices!

The date for the next read-a-thon has been announced (April 23, 2016).  I plan to participate, and am considering doing it as a fundraiser for a literacy type non-profit.  There were over 2000 people who participated as readers this time. I can just imagine how many there will be in the spring!

I will post my photo updates from the fall 2015 read-a-thon later this week.  Keep an eye out for them!