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Keeping you up-to-date on what's happening at your library. We invite you to join in the conversation!
JANUARY 17, 2011
2011 Reading Challenges

What's a book challenge? They're a bit different than New Year's Resolutions in that they are not a way to change behavior but a way to prod an already existing habit of reading and take this pleasure to a new level.


Over on GoodReads one of the groups I follow has started a discussion of reading challenges for 2011. Some have set a goal to read twenty more books this year, others have decided to read one more book a month, signing on to read eleven more books this year, leaving one month free. One person thinks challenge means to read something out of his comfort zone or to improve his mind, not read just for entertainment. Others plan to read new authors, read a whole series, read the books they own, read a classic or try a new genre. All noble ideas.


Though my own 2011 challenge is a simple one, to just read and enjoy whatever strikes my fancy, one person's challenge has really caught my eye and tickled me. This reader has set a challenge to read a children's picture book everyday for all of 2011 and to comment on each and every one of these. She is challenging herself in order to find good books to share with her 6 month old granddaughter who is living out of the country for the next two years. I love this idea and have been thoroughly enjoying her take on all the books she's read so far. Books like  The Mitten by Jan Brett, Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers, I Love You Little One by Nancy Tafuri. She is reading books she's found on blogs, journals, ones friends have suggested or just books she finds on the shelves at her local library.

                                   

I've shared a couple of our family favorites with her...Jellybeans for Breakfast by Miriam Young, and Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert.


Do you have any titles you'd tell her not to miss? Any reading challenges of your own? We'd love to hear them.

Add a comment  (6 comments) posted by CarolK

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Comments

Mercedes said, on Jan. 18 at 11:49AM
What a great idea! I love the picture book challenge. I think that's a challenge I could take on! For me, every year I intend to read more classics but don't often follow through. Maybe this year, I will!

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Joanne said, on Jan. 24 at 7:34PM
I, too, love that idea. I often think I should read more children's books. I also want to read more YA and JF books for my older grandchildren. My recommendation to this relatively new grandma is "If you give a Mouse a Cookie". That is one of my favorites. Jan Brett is one of my favorite authors for children's books. I love how she gives you a preview of what is next on each page. It helps children attend to illustrations as well as become acquainted with prediciton. Both attention to illustrations and predicting are skills that good readers use.

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Candice said, on Jan. 25 at 5:49PM
Carol, thank you for posting this. I am thrilled to get recommendations for children's books to read this year. It's been fun so far. I have read books I didn't know existed and found them wonderful. My little Sophie will have so many books to read!

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Ellen said, on Jan. 25 at 6:42PM
My daughter, Sophie, is still eating books rather than reading them But she is lucky that as she grows into reading, she has a grandmother who is scouting so many great books for her. Keep up the good work, Mom. I'm glad other peop[e appreciate your fun idea.

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Amol said, on Aug. 9 at 8:53PM
I buy my jaaespne books from a jaaespne bookstore in Japantown. and by chinese books in chinatown, maybe you can find out where are other people gathering the most. or try amazon.com and libraries

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CarolK said, on Aug. 10 at 5:32AM
We posted this way back in 2011 and have since stopped blogging but are happy to see you found us and commented on our post. We're glad to see you are using libraries as well as our sources to find books. Keep on Reading!

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