I've finally reached my second book: Drums Girls and Dangerous Pies I am currrently on page 64. To keep the mood of reading I found a couple of videos! Take a look!
Keep READING!!
~Loving to Read One Step at a Time
Lucy
Showing posts with label ReadAthon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ReadAthon. Show all posts
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
24 Hour Read-a-thon: Another Update!
Hey all, Aneeqah here! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update, I just got home from my relative's house! Luckily, I had some good time to read there. Here are my updated stats:
Right now, I am currently reading All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin.
Number of Pages Read Since Last Update: 196
Number of Books Read Since Last Update: 1
Number of Minutes Read Since Last Update: 120 Minutes
Total Number of Pages Read: 555
Total Number of Books Read: 1
Total Number of Minutes: 330 Minutes
I'm starting to get sleepy... so wish me luck!
Wrap!
Its a wrap for me folks! More to come later in the week of reviews! (I hope)
~Loving to Read One Step at a Time
Lucy
Mid Event Survey
1. What are you reading right now? Drums Girls and Dangerous Pies
2. How many books have you read so far? 1
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Sadly NONE
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Off Reading Yes!
5. Have you had many interruptions? Too Many
How did you deal with those? Sadly nothing!
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? How tiring it is!
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? ..... No?
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? Read more!
9. Are you getting tired yet? Too much! And my favorite football team just lost.. Waste of my time.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Nope
~Loving to Read One Step at a Time
Lucy
October ReadAThon - Update #3 - The Apothecary
Shop Indie BookstoresThe Apothecary by Maile Meloy. GP Putnam and Sons. 16.99. 9780399256271.
With a mix of realistic fiction and fantasy, known as magical realism, we are drawn into Janie Scott's memories as she looks back almost 60 years ago when, at the age of 14, she had the best year of her life. She lived in London with her parents but that wasn't the great part as it was 1952 and London still hadn't put itself back together after World War II. The great part was meeting Benjamin and his father, the apothecary. Benjamin and Janie were caught up in the apothecary's plan to save humanity by isolating, and hopefully reversing, the atomic bomb.
I was sucked into the story from the "note to the reader" all the way to the end. Even though the story was told from Janie's memories, it felt more immediate. Though, I admit, it was little jarring to go from being 7 on one page to 14 on the other. Other than that, I found The Apothecary fascinating. I will need to go back and read it again to see if stands up to Newbery scrutiny, but even if it doesn't, I can't wait to see what the students think of this one!
Update:
Title of book(s) read since last update:
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy
Number of books read since you started:
2Pages read since last update:
353p.
Running total of pages read since you started:
715p. plus 30 min audio
Amount of time spent reading since last update:
3h 50 minRunning total of time spent reading since you started:
8 hours
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Book 1: Completed!
Book 1 Completed!
I had already started this book, but was dying for finish it, so I did.
Its an amazing story from growing up in "the ghetto" to NFL football.
Michael Oher grew up with a mother doing drugs. His siblings and himself, never knew where they were going to sleep, and if there mother would even show up at their house that night. One day he met the Touhy family, who legally adopted him around the age of 18. Its an amazing, powerful story, that I would highly recommend.
On page 236 Michael pledges is support to be the best role model that he can be through appearances and speeches.
He also asks that children reading this book will pledge to value their life enough to commit to making it no matter what; and that every adult will pledge to find a way to give back.
Michael- you HAVE my pledge to help out! Do you all pledge?
I would like to finish this post with some quotes from the book:
"All out shooting matches were pretty rare, but I do clearly remember one time watching a baby get sot in the midst of an argument" (6).
"Take a look at yourself. You are a unique person created for a specific purpose. Your gifts matter. Your story matters. Your dreams matter. You matter. " (235).
~Loving to Read One Step at a Time
Lucy
October Readathon - Update #2 - The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman
The Fingertips of Duncan DorfmanThe Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman by Meg Wolitzer. Dutton. 16.99. 9780525423041
Duncan Dorfman just discovered the coolest thing about himself. But he promised his mom he wouldn't tell anyone. But, circumstances have forced his hand. His fingertips, I mean. Of his left hand, precisely. You see, Duncan can read with his fingers. I mean, really, even with his eyes closed. And it could be his way out of obscurity. So he agrees to cheat at the annual Youth Scrabble Tournament in Yakamee, Florida.
And that is just the beginning of Duncan's slippery slope down into the bowels of evil. Or at least into more and more lies.
Meg Wolitzer's writing is solid and keeps you reading about Duncan and the other scrabble geeks in the book.Wolitzer wends a LOT of Scrabble rules into the story but using all caps gives you a chance to skip it if necessary. Some of the information is fascinating and I found myself wanting to start a Scrabble club at school. But, in the end, the story proves to be predictable and almost everything wraps up neat and sweet. The only loose end is why Duncan has this talent or where he got it from. Maybe there are plans for a second book.
While I enjoyed The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman, I didn't find it nearly as compelling as The Cardturner by Louis Sachar. The Cardturner is about another unlikely subject, bridge, but Sachar's writing elevates the story and makes you care about the characters while Wolitzer's are bare and unknown.
Update:
Title of book(s) read since last update:
The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman by Meg Wolitzer
Number of books read since you started:
1Pages read since last update:
158 plus 30 min of audio
Running total of pages read since you started:
362p plus 30 min audio
Amount of time spent reading since last update:
2hr 10mRunning total of time spent reading since you started:
4hr 10 min
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October Readathon Update #1 - Fingertips
Currently Reading:The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman
Number of Pages Read Since Last Update: 203
Number of Books Read Since Last Update: NONE
Number of Minutes Read Since Last Update:2 hours
Total Number of Pages Read: 203
Total Number of Books Read: None
Total Number of Minutes: 2hrs. 30 minutes
24 Hour Read-a-thon: Update!
Hello again everyone, it's me Aneeqah! It's already Hour 4 of the Read-a-thon, with Hour 5 quickly approaching! I've been having a great time, non-stop reading, but it's about time for me to actually get up and start my day! Here are my stats so far:
Currently Reading: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Number of Pages Read Since Last Update: 359
Number of Books Read Since Last Update: Partial one, I'm almost done!
Number of Minutes Read Since Last Update: 3 1/2 Hours, which would be... 210 minutes!
Total Number of Pages Read: 359
Total Number of Books Read: None
Total Number of Minutes: 210 Minutes
KRW Lucy's ReadAThon Kickoff... Sortoff!
HI!
For most of you, you have no idea what yesterday entitled! The blog thing blew my mind off my head and Mrs. B and I must have sent a hundred texts! It was CRAZY!
So today... (drum roll please) Is the 24 hour ReadAThon. Yes its 9:04 am and I haven't picked up a book (but its right beside me) I thought I needed to do this post! I plan on starting soon, however we are going out! Grrr! I promise I will find time, and will TRY to do reviews! (Not promising)
So here's a little questionnaire about me:
1)Where are you reading from today? Cold, Indiana
2)Three random facts about me… Basketball Player, Golf Player, Wasn't born in USA (can you guess where?)
3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? 4 or 5
4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? Nope!
5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time? First time!!
Wish me Luck!
~Loving to Read One Step at a Time
Lucy
Friday, October 21, 2011
2011 October ReadAThon- Are you doing it?
Hi Everyone Lucy here!
Very exciting! This is my first actual blog post! Yes, okay I have to agree there has been many hardships to get me here. First off we had to set me up with the whole blogging account. Yes I am a computer whiz (thank school and homework for that one) but I have NEVER worked a blog in my life. Man, this is hard. Okay so getting back to my wonderful story, I have been messing around on this blog for 30 minutes talking to fellow blogger Aneeqah. No, she might not be the best technician but its the best one I can find at 8:30 on a Friday night. So as you all (or you should all know) tomorrow is the 24 hour ReadAThon. Obviously I am not reading 24 hours. Not with the amount of sleep I have gotten in the past 3 weeks! So here's the scoop: Thankfully my favorite college football team has a night game, so you would think that would give me the entire day to read! WRONG! I have a trip planned with my mom for the morning, and then playing golf with my dad and brother!!! Whoops! But I have books to read, and my plan is to read them. (Because I have been dying to read them forever!)
1. Finish I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness, to the Blind Side, and Beyond By Michael Oher, with Don Yaeger
2. Drums, Girls and Dangerours Pies By Jordan Sonnenblick
3. The Grand Plan to Fix Everything byUma Krishnaswami
4-? What ever I can find.. Maybe the next book in the Mother Daughter Book Club Series.
Hope to hear about all of you reading!
~Loving to Read One Step at a Time
Lucy
24 Hour Read-a-thon: My List of Books!
Hello everybody! This is Aneeqah here! This year, I'm participating in the Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon, for the first time ever! I won't be able to read much, since I'm going over to my relative's house. My goal is to read 6 hours, and 2-3 books. Here's what my stack looks like:
- Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick- This one will defiantly be my first book I read, I've been anxious to get to it!
- All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin- I met this author at the ATBF, and I recently finished her other book, so I want to try a new book from her!
- Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Leviathan- My friends have recommended this one to me, I've been meaning to get to it for a while!
- The Absolute Value of Mike by Katherine Erskine- I read another book by this author, [which almost made me cry!] so I also wanted to try this one.
- Cloaked by Alex Flinn- Like the others, I read another book by the author previously, and this one's been on my TBR for a really long time!
- Evernight by Claudia Gray-I've heard some really good things about this series, so I wanted to try it out. It sounds like a few really good books I've read previously, so I'm hoping it'll be as good as the others!
- Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia- I've also heard really good things about this book, and it sounds interesting.
That's my list! Like I said before, I'll be at my relative's house, but I'll be sure to bring a book along there, just in case I have time to read there! My start time for the read-a-thon is 7 AM, so I'll probably just get up the same time I do for school [so much for sleeping in]. I'll be posting here bright and early tomorrow morning!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
October ReadAThon - Making Plans
I plan on reading 4 books this weekend starting at 8 AM. I have quite a few books on my Mock Newbery list and I want to knock some of them off! I'll be choosing from:
The Fingertips of Duncan Dorffman by Meg Wolizter
Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming
Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach
Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Freedom Stone by Daniel Kluger
The Trouble with May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm
City of Orphans by Avi
Some of the books are library books and I might dive into those first. There's a good mix of genre's though no graphic novels, so don't be surprised if one shows up this weekend.
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Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Sunday Salon - ReadAThon April 2011 - Final Update
I just need to admit to myself that I will only read 4 or 5 books and I will not make it past 2:30am. These truths are evidenced by this final update. I made it to hour 18 - 2 short of goal! No, I didn't read for all those hours...ReadAThon Update
Title of book(s) read since last update:
Reading Beauty Queens
Number of books read since you started:
4 and a short story plus some audio
The Death of Joan of Arc: A Lost Story by Michael Scott
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
It Only Looks Easy by Pamela Swallow
Loser List by HN Kowitt
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - 30 min audio
Pages read since last update:
230
Running total of pages read since you started:
980
Amount of time spent reading since last update:
3hr 20m
Running total of time spent reading since you started:
12 hours
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Saturday, April 9, 2011
ReadAthon April 2011 - Update #4 - Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - Pt1
Beauty QueensLibba Bray
Scholastic Press
170 of 396pg ARC
I'm almost half done with this one. Just wanted to check-in. I am loving this book. As I loved Going Bovine. As I loved The Great and Terrible Beauty. Libba Bray is a comic genius but she also sends a message. Pre-order this one folks!
ReadAThon Update
Title of book(s) read since last update:
Reading Beauty Queens
Number of books read since you started:
3
Pages read since last update:
170
Running total of pages read since you started:
750
Amount of time spent reading since last update:
2hr 10m
Running total of time spent reading since you started:
8h 40m
Well, I'm in over 14 hours. Trying to make it to at least 20. Didn't get much cleaning done so that shipped sailed. Will try to read only exciting books from here on out!
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ReadAthon April 2011 -Mid Event Survey
Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
2. How many books have you read so far?
3
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
Not sure. I have a couple of fantasies I want to dive into!
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
I didn't make any arrangements, I thought I would be out of town but someone else's plans changed and left me with the day free!
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
No interruptions. Unless you count twitter and food! Had a great convo with daughter too!
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
I'm not reading as much as I'd hoped. I thought if I didn't sign up for cheerleading and didn't do the mini-challenges I would read more but no, those things actually left me restless during breaks instead of renewed!
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
I somehow missed the call for cheerleaders and wished I had received an email since I did it last year. Other than that? Great as usual.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
I would plan to read all my fave genres like I did in October! It was a blast!
9. Are you getting tired yet?
Not really tired but my last two books were boring! But this one is super funny although long!
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
It's better if you cheerlead! You have blogs to comment on and tweets to do, it makes the day go by much faster and your reading more focused!
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ReadAthon April 2011 - Update #3 - It Only Looks Easy by Pamela Swallow
It Only Looks EasyPamela Curtis Swallow
Scholastic/Roaring Brook
168 pgs
Kat is going into seventh grade and things are not going well. They get even worse when she's implicated in a bike theft ring. In the meantime, she's babysitting Mrs. Lawrence, who has Alzheimer's and tutoring Grace, who is doing terrible in math. This was recommeded to me by a student and I thought is was ok. Some of the language was overly formal and I didn't feel tweenish - pocketbook, blunder, fat understatement, jerk - words that I can't imagine kids saying. Though, my older siblings have said pocketbook before, but they are old, I mean really old!
I didn't feel one way or another about this one. It was just sort of blah. It did make me want to read other books about characters with Alzheimer's though. I remember enjoying Heartbeat by Sharon Creech
, so can recommend that one. It's also a verse novel and can easily be done reader's theater style.ReadAThon Update
Title of book(s) read since last update:It Only Looks Easy by Pamela Swallow
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - 30 min audi
Number of books read since you started:
3
Pages read since last update:
168
Running total of pages read since you started:
580 + 30 min audio
Amount of time spent reading since last update:
2hr 35m
Running total of time spent reading since you started:
6h 30min
Well, we are 9 hours into the readathon and I've only read 3 books. I've spent almost as much time not reading as reading! Looking forward to the next 11 hours!
Update - had my time wrong on this post so changed it. It said 11 hours of readathon but I counted wrong and only 9 hours! Yeah, I still have a good amount of time left!
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ReadAThon April 2011 - Update #2 - The Loser List by HN Kowitt
The Loser ListHN Kowitt
Scholastic Press
207 pgs ARC
Danny is a "art geek" - he loves to read and draw comics. His best friend Jasper is also a geek - he likes to invent stuff and wear weird shirts. There were so many cliches in this book. The big bully - Axl - wore a doo-rag and a skull jacket - things that would not be allowed in our middle school. People even wore their hoodies - in school! They sneak into the girls bathroom and break a cinder block wall and DO NOT get in trouble. In detention, no work gets done and it's ok. They fight and take people's money in the lunchroom. There's even a food fight, where only one person gets in trouble.
When the big crime is revealed at the end, the students involved get to work somewhere off campus not under school or parent supervision.
Now, I confess, I do not know how all schools work. I've been an educator for 10 years but I've worked in one system the whole time. Granted, I went to school and did my practicums and student teaching at a variety of schools, but I don't know everything there is, but I know this - this stuff would NEVER work. Yes, I believe in suspension of disbelief, but sometimes, and this is one case, too much can be asked of the reader. I would much rather give a kid Diary of a Wimpy Kid. But that is just me. Other people seemed to like this one - Goodreads Loser List - so, check out.
ReadAThon Update
Title of book(s) read since last update:
The Loser List by HN Kowitt
Number of books read since you started:
2
Pages read since last update:
207
Running total of pages read since you started:
412
Amount of time spent reading since last update:
1hr 10m
Running total of time spent reading since you started:
3h 55m
I took a nice lunch break and also changed rooms to get a little sunshine. I think I'm going to take a quick nap and possibly clean something. I check in later!
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ReadAThon April 2011 - Update #1 - The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
The Emerald AtlasJohn Stephens
Knopf
417 pg ARC (AV)
This is a good middle grade swashbuckling fantasy. Three children are separated from their parents at a very young age, 4, 2, and 1, and end up living in orphanage after orphanage. They've convinced themselves that they are NOT orphans and, even though it's been ten years, their parents are coming back. They reach their last hurrah and are sent off to live with Dr. Pym in Cambridge Falls. Only thing, no one has heard of him or the town.
That's just the beginning of the strangeness. Kate, the eldest, had seen the house they arrive at in a vision. But the only two people in the castle are Ms. Sallow, the mean but funny cook, and Abraham, the all around handyman. Kate, Michael and Emma decide to explore and catalogue the place so they don't get lost and find a secret room in the dungeon. In the dungeon is a big, blank book. And that's how the adventure begins.
There's magic, time travel, a deranged countess, and crazy, grandfatherly wizard, dwarves, and a herd of captured children. Emerald Atlas is fast-paced and there were even parts that made me tear up! While Kate is the strong, family leader, and Michael is the bookish, family historian, Emma is the brave, smart-aleck family defender. She is quick to fight for what she believes is right but also never lets a moment pass to gibe at Michael. I loved her feisty wit.
The Emerald Atlas is the first book in what should be, at least, a trilogy as there are three Books of Beginning. I'm hoping that each sibling gets to star in one! Looking forward to the next book in the series and I highly recommend you get your hands on this one!
Readathon Update
Title of book(s) read since last update:
The Emerald Atlas
Number of books read since you started:
1
Pages read since last update:
205
Running total of pages read since you started:
205
Amount of time spent reading since last update:
2h 45m
Running total of time spent reading since you started:
2h 45m
The rest of my time was spent cheerleading on twitter, snacking, and walking up and down the stairs at home. Oh, and writing this post! Now back to reading!
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ReadAThon April 2011 - Kickoff Post!
Well, my coffee is ready and I need to get a good breakfast before my 8am kickoff. My first book will be The Emerald Atlas by John Steptoe. I'll be serving that up with a bagel with cream cheese and lox. Mmm!
Here's how my posts should look:
Title of book(s) read since last update:
Number of books read since you started:
Pages read since last update:
Running total of pages read since you started:
Amount of time spent reading since last update:
Running total of time spent reading since you started:
I'll update either after each book or every few hours. You can also find me on twitter at http://twitter.com/thebrainlair. I'll be cheerleading and checking in there using the hashtag #readathon. Happy Reading and
May the books be ever in your stack! (Sorry Effie!)
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