100 books, the finale

D generally uses his picture ledges to display books. I love it. These are favorites and currently reading selections.

I challenged my 11-year-old to read 100 books this last summer. His deadline: September 21st. He did it! [I'm simply slow at marking his feat here on my blog.]

I'm very proud of him. At some points he was reading more than one book each day. And yes, he did leave his room. He was not a summer hermit.

His last book: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (a favorite too!)

Five Favorites:
The Sugarcreek Gang series by Paul Hutchens--all 36 books

Once Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris 

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes

The Wingfeather Saga (4 books) by Andrew Peterson

 

300 days of beauty, day 4

I'm a huge advocate for reading "old books," those books which have stood the test of time and live to see another printing press. Of course, Louisa May Alcott is hardly an unknown author, but for me, this was an unknown book. I didn't expect to be sucked in and stay up until three in the morning when I first read it. (I even pretended to have fallen asleep so my husband wouldn't tell me to go to bed...he just let me "sleep" in the comfy living room chair.) 

The classics are comforting to me, this book continues to be a sweet read for my soul. This time around, I had the pleasure of reading it by a toasty warm fireplace in the mountains, on a bitterly wind-whipped day. Beautifully sweet.

summer goals~100 books

 

So, my almost 12-year-old is continuing his march toward reading 100 books for this summer. The deadline is the real end of summer, September 21st-ish and he thinks he'll make it. His base goal was 75 books by the end of summer vacation, somewhere in the mid-August vicinity. 

I asked him to pick five favorites (a tall order as he loved many of these titles and did not find one that he loathed). 

Drumroll, please! (descriptions given courtesy of D..."idiomatic" may have been my word, but D dictated the rest...)

1. Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain--classic, adventure, history...he devoured it.
2. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone by J.K. Rowling--magic, adventure, special powers, mystery, friendship...
3. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster--an adventure with lots of idiomatic fun (expressions, sayings, play on words, and idioms)
4. Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary--a story set in the early 1900's on a farm, Emily is creative, energetic and imaginative...
5. Eric Liddell by Janet and Geoff Benge--story of a missionary to China who was also one of  the greatest runners. He honored God with his whole life...

summer book pick...Wonder

"The reason I'm not ordinary is that no one sees me that way." 

August Pullman, Wonder

I started and finished this gem of a book while sitting on the sandy shores of Lake McConaughy. I read in the shade of the cottonwood trees all afternoon, which required constant relocation of my beach blanket as I tried to stay out of the sun. The point being that I couldn't put it down.

My son has been habitually suggesting that I read this book for about nine months. He loved it. I loved it. 

A brief summary: At 10 years old, August Pullman is entering public school for the first time. Auggie was born with a severe facial deformity, he says, "I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse." The story is told from his perspective, his sister's perspective, and the perspective of several friends. I rolled through a gauntlet of emotions while reading and it was worth every minute.

I would recommend it for ages 8 and up...boys or girls, teenagers, college students, young adults, families, everyone. It would make a fabulous family read-aloud.

You'll love it, I promise.

summer goals...100 books

I'm going to be honest, June has been a freight train and it may be July before I settle into summer with some semblance of vision and lackadaisical routine. We have lots of thoughts, lists, and floating plans that need a home on the calendar, but we're getting there. 

I mentioned earlier that we were plotting and planning some big goals for D. He's headed into seventh grade and we think he can handle it and we believe it will be good for him. 

Well, we're still plotting, but the first goal has been selected. D is striving to read 100 books by summer's end. He has grabbed every book on our shelves that he hasn't read, along with a hefty stack of books to read again. Yesterday, he asked if he could read the Harry Potter series again (the two of us read it together last summer and it was awesome...I had read it before, but loved reading along with him). I agreed with the caveat that he had to read at least two new books in between "read agains." He agreed to my terms.

To date, he has read 13 books and I told him I'd record his progress on my blog--for him, for me, and for other eleven-year-olds (and their parents) who need some book recommendations.

• 1. Kane Chronicles #1, The Red Pyramid--Rick Riordan
• 2. Kane Chronicles #2, The Throne of Fire--Rick Riordan (Egyptian Mythology anyone?)
• 3. Ben and Me--Robert Lawson (Benjamin Franklin and his mouse, Amos)
• 4. Dandelion Fire, 100 Cupboards series #2--N.D. Wilson
• 5. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles--Julie Edwards (aka Julie Andrews, yes, that one...I heard this book as a read-aloud in second grade, I was enchanted.)
• 6. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch--Jean Lee Latham (colonial America pick)
• 7. Mr. Revere and I--Robert Lawson (Paul Revere and his horse)
• 8. The River--Gary Paulsen (sequel to Hatchet)
• 9. Hardy Boys #2, The House on the Cliff--Franklin W. Dixon
• 10. Hardy Boys #54, The Mysterious Caravan
• 11. Hardy Boys #56, The Jungle Pyramid
• 12. Hardy Boys #57, The Firebird Rocket
• 13. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone--J.K. Rowling

Happy summer planning to ya'll, may you be far more organized than I am!