More Reading Challenges

Here are some more challenges I've signed up for. Thank goodness most of them allow cross over books.

Comic Book Challenge


Off The Shelf


Pages to Screen Challenge


Whisper Stories In My Ears




Romance Reading Challenge

Guest Blog - Barefoot Books - Storytime Tips for Kids

Making Storytime Magical and Memorable: Tips for Families from Barefoot Books
Storytime offers a perfect opportunity for family bonding at its best, while helping children to develop essential literacy and cognitive skills, spark their imaginations, and create cherished memories that will last a lifetime. Here are some simple ways families can make storytime a magical part of the day, everyday:

• Ask your child for suggestions about what books to read. Suggest some of your own favorites from when you were a child. Don’t forget about classic tales and adventures, such as myths and legends about knights and castles. You can also choose to read bi-lingual stories, or stories from different cultures as a way for children to experience different languages and cultures.

• Don’t feel like you have to read an entire book. Reading one chapter a night at bedtime or even a few pages at a time will keep your child engaged and excited for the next storytime with you.

• Reading time doesn’t have to be at bedtime. Consider other times of the day when you can read together. Some families enjoy reading with their children early in the morning as a special way to start the day.

• Keep your child engaged. Ask questions along the way. Point out words that might be new to their vocabulary and talk about how the words are used and what they mean. Are there far-off lands that are featured in the book? Find them on a map together. Ask questions that evoke emotion and reflective inquiry, such as, “What would you do in this situation?” “Why do you think the character behaved in that way?” “Have you ever encountered a similar situation?” “Who does the character remind you of?” “How does the character feel?”

• Read along together. If you have an experienced reader, ask them to read a page aloud and then you read a page. Children of all ages enjoy being read to. Sharing the story in this way will help you discover new things about each other and elicit dialog.

• Be creative! Storytime is a time to let true personalities shine! Using different voices for each character, or acting out parts of the story can make story time even more memorable and enjoyable for you and your child.

• Find a special location for storytime. Under the trees in the evening with a blanket and flashlight; swaying on a hammock; cuddled up on the favorite couch; at the breakfast table; sitting on the front step watching the world go by…the locations can be just as unique as the stories themselves.

• The story doesn’t have to end on the last page. Look for creative ways to extend the learning of the book. Some ways to do this may be listening to music that is in some way related to the story, researching recipes from where the story is located and cooking them together, acting out the story with your child and some of their friends, writing a sequel to the story together, etc.

• Keep a storytime journal together: Note the book or story shared, the date, the reactions of the family members. Younger children may wish to draw a picture representing the book. Older children can help complete the journal entry. The journal will become a beautiful memory piece as time goes on to look back on all of the stories shared together.

• Take pictures! There is nothing sweeter than family pictures curled up listening to stories together. You can use these pictures to illustrate the passage of time as family members grow, tastes in books evolve, the books become longer as the children grow older, etc.

Hope you find these tips useful as you discover your own ways to bond with your child through sharing timeless stories.

Thank you to: Leah Lesser, Communications Director, Barefoot Books

Barefoot Books

What Are You Reading Monday? #26

Books I completed in the last week are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
*A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck (Audio)
*Hedgehogs by Emma Parker (ebook)
*Hullabaloo at the Zoo by Emma Parker (ebook)
The Moovers and the Milkshakers by Emma Parker (ebook)
The Butterfly Race by Emma Parker (ebook)
Teddy Is Real I Think by Emma Parker (ebook)
*The Yellow Hummer by Ivet Graham-Morgan


Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)

The Chocolate Snowman Murder by JoAnna Carl



Up Next:
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham
The Election-Day Disaster by Ron Roy (Capital Mystery #10)
The Ghost at Camp David by Ron Roy (Capital Mystery # 12)
Civil War on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Tree House #21)
Revolutionary War On Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Tree House #22)


Reviews posted this week:
A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck (Audio)
Hedgehogs by Emma Parker
Hullabaloo at the Zoo by Emma Parker
The Yellow Hummer by Ivet Graham-Morgan

Author Guest Posts/Interviews:
Book Tour - Review - Sandra J. Gerencher - Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog (January 18)
Guest Interview & Giveaway - J. D Holiday - The Great Snowball Escapade (January 19)
Author Interview - A Birth of Freedom: the Visitor by Robert Pielke (Feburary 2)
Book Tour – Letters From Home by Kristina McMorris (February 21)

Special Blog Hop Giveaways
Dreaming of Books Hop (January 14 – 17)
Love Hop (February 8-13)
Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop (March 17 – 20)

Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):


Giveaways on the blog this week:

Book Review: The Yellow Hummer by Ivet Graham-Morgan

Title: The Yellow Hummer
Author: Ivet Graham-Morgan
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.
ISBN:978-1-4327-4784-8
Release Date: March 11, 2010
Pages: 26
Genre: Juvenile Fiction/Readers/Beginner
Format: Paperback
Source: For Review

Back Cover:
A shiny yellow Hummer! It is a gift that would please any little boy, and Jordan is excited to show it to his beloved grandmother. But a terrible mishap occurs, and Jordan is very sad-that is, until he makes a very important discovery. Are things more important than people? It is a lesson that will forever stay with him.

Mine:
Jordan is so happy to get a Yellow Hummer as his new toy at a Christmas party. In his hurry to start playing with remote control Hummer he has his Grandma help him open the package. Oops – Grandma where are your glasses. She cuts through the remote cord. Jordan is disappointed and crying.

After spending time in his room and having time to think he comes out to forgive his Grandma. He realizes that the person is more important than the prize of the new Yellow Hummer. What a wonderful story about material things not being all there is.

Book Review: Hedgehogs by Emma Parker

Title: Hedgehogs
Author: Emma Parker
Publisher: www.SecondEditionPublishers.com
ISBN: 978-1-877561-80-1
Release Date: 2010
Pages: 16
Format: ebook
Source: iPhone

Review by Goodreads:
Can you find the hedgehogs at night? A new range of brightly coloured and imaginatively written children's picture books, which will captivate the attention of children from age 4-7 (and some adults too)!


Mine:
I was hunting for book apps for my iPhone, this can be found in Read Me Stories. This is an adorable book with wonderful pictures and a cute story about Hedgehogs. The story tells that they come out at night and what they eat grubs (yuck!). This is a wonderful book to keep a young one occupied and although my nephews are past that age they would have loved it.

Book Review: Hallaboo at the Zoo by Emma Parker

Title: Hullabaloo at the Zoo
Author: Emma Parker
Publisher: www.SecondEditionPublishers.com
ISBN: 978-1-877561-32-0
Release Date: 2010
Pages: 20
Format: ebook
Source: iPhone

Review by Goodreads: The monkeys have escaped from the zoo! A new range of brightly coloured and imaginatively written children's picture books, which will captivate the attention of children from age 4-7 (and some adults too)!


Mine:A cute story about the zoo and how the monkeys escape and cause havoc. They leave the school and cut through the school then to town and the shops. The bakery, the china shop (oops watch out plates), the grocery where they were finally caught eating bananas.

Challenges I'm Starting & Continuing for 2011

I haven't finished signing up for the challenges though, since I'm having problems with my internet connection.

Here is the start of the list.

2011 Challenges
A to Z challenge (Jan-Dec 2011) 0/26
Nicholas Sparks Reading Challenge (Jan-Dec 2011) 0/4
Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011 (Jan-Dec 2011) 0/6 (more than 81)
Buy One Book and Read It Challenge 2011 (Jan-Dec 2011) 0/12
Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge 2011 (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/12
100+ Reading Challenge (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/100
Books Won Challenge 2011 (Jan-Dec 2011) 0/??
Celebrate the Author (Jan-Dec 2011) 0/12
A-Z Mystery Author Challenge (A-I) (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/12
2011 Sexy Reading Challenge (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/12
2011 Read-n-Review (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/100
2011 Romance Reading Challenge (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/12
2011 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/50
2011 YA Romance Challenge (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/12
2011 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/12
50 States Challenge in 2011 (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/50
Series Challenge Season 5 (Jan – Dec 2011) 0/3



2010 – 2011 Cross Over Challenges
What An Animal III Challenge (March 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011) 13/12 - COMPLETED


Perpetual
To Be Continued…Challenge (October 20, 2008 - ???) 42/52
101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge (August 31, 2009 - April 8, 2012) 84/101
US Presidents Reading Project (November 5, 2008 - ???) 4/44
1001 Childrens book Before I Grow Up (June 1, 2010 - ???) 43 of 1001


OnThePorchSwing (Yahoo Group)
1. Read a book with a one word title (if it has The or A in it), leave that out and just count the one word after it....
2. Read a book with a number in the title.
3. Read a young adult book FROM the science fiction genre.
4. Read a mystery by an author whose last name starts with a "K"
5. Read a book with orange or pink in the title
For a fun extra - pick a book on a subject in history you are interested in, or a travel book on a place you have always wanted to visit, or an artist you are interested in, and share your experience with us.

MysteryReaderCafe (YahooGroup)
1. Read a mystery set in your state (one you live in now or one where you are originally from)
2. Read a mystery where the amateur sleuth has a craft or a hobby or a specific type of job (like working in a shop of some sort) – The Chocolate Snowman Murder by (Chocolate Shop)
3. Read a mystery with the word dark or black in the title
4. Read a mystery from the young adult section of your library
5. Read a mystery by an author whose last name starts with "M"
For a fun extra, read a mystery whose title has the first letter of your first and last name in it - like for me - I would have to have read one that had an L and an H in it (in either order) - like the Last Hollow of the Dark, or Hateful Crimes of the Lowlands (I made these titles up...)

Happy New Year 2011

2010 Reading Challenges Recap

I probably need to plan my reading better, so that I can complete more challenges.


To Be Continued…Challenge - 46 of 52
PB & J Challenge - 58 of 52 – COMPLETED (June 2010)
101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge – 83 of 101
The Naming Convention Challenge – 5 of 9
Book Around the States Challenge – 16 of 50
US Presidents Reading Project – 4 of 44
Disney Literature Challenge – 0 of ??
What an Animal II – 15 of 6 – COMPLETED (January 2010)
Cat Sleuth Challenge – 0 of 12 – EXPIRED
Winter Holiday Reading Challenge #2 – 4 of 6 – EXPIRED
Monthly Mixer Mele – 19 of 74
Four Month Challenge Part 2 – 2 – EXPIRED
Revisit Your Childhood Favorites Challenge 2009/10 – 0 of 5
London 2012 Challenge – 0 of 202
Winter Reading Challenge 2010 – 2 of 6 – EXPIRED
Winter Words – 1 of 3 – EXPIRED
Awesome Authors 2010 - 0 of 10
Read and Review Challenge 2010 – 44 of ??
Read Your Own Books 2010 – 20 of ??
TBR Challenge 2010 – 20 of ??
Reading From My Shelves Project 2010 – 20 of 20+
Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010 - 15 of 12 – COMPLETED (July 2010)
2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge – 47 of 50
100 + Reading Challenge – 81 of 100+
The Nancy Drew Challenge – 0 of 56
Young Adult Reading Challenge – 11 of 25
Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010 – 7 of ??
Flashback Reading Challenge – 0 of 3
YA Through the Decades - 7 of 8
Harlequin/Silhouette Romance Reading Challenge 2010 – 0 of ??
Romance Reading Challenge 2010 – 8 of 5 – COMLETED (August 2010)
Audio Book Challenge 2010 – 25 of 20 - COMPLETED
1st In A Series – 4 of 3 – COMPLETED
2nd Chance Challenge – 3 of 3 (June 2010)
Finish Up the Series Challenge – 0 of 3
Romance Challenge 2010 – 4 of 3 (April 2010)
Pages Read 2010 – 14740 of 20,000
Every Month is a Holiday – 2010 – 6 of 12
Short Story Reading Challenge 2010 – 0 of 10
American Civil War Challenge – 2 of 3
Contemporary Romance Challenge in 2010 – 4 of 10
Buy One Book and Read It 2010 – 2 of 1 – COMPLETED (April 2010)
Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens Challenge 0 of ??
the Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Challenge 0 of ??
A to Z challenge 27 of 52
What An Animal III Challenge – 13 of 12 – COMPLETED (July 2010)

Guest Blog - Random Acts of Senseless Kindness by Graham Parke

Clinical studies have shown that reading the "Random Acts of Kindness" eBook is not only likely to make you more attractive to the opposite sex, it will also elevate your random luck by about 9.5%**

So, that's a nice bonus right there.

(**These statements have not been evaluated by anyone of consequence!)


You can find the eBook: here

Excerpt:

Blog entry: Arrived at the store late, found a homeless guy sleeping in the doorway. Hicks was already inside but gave no indication he’d noticed. I nudged the homeless guy and asked, “How are you doing down there, fellow? You okay?”

The homeless guy grumbled something in his sleep.

“It’s getting pretty cold,” I said. “Don’t you want to come inside?”

“Inside?” He coughed and opened his eyes.

I pointed out the store, not convinced he’d actually noticed where he’d crashed the night before. “This is my antiques store,” I told him. “We’ve got the heating on inside, shame to waste it on just two people. And it looks like it might start to snow soon.”

The homeless guy gave me a suspicious look. “You want me to come inside? With you?”

“Sure, if you’d like.”

“Is that because you think that if I come inside with you, I’ll let you touch me?”

“What? No!”

“Okay, because I can tell you right now, that’s not gonna happen.”

“Well, I suppose it is good to get those kinds of things clear beforehand. But no, I was just thinking you might enjoy the warmth, maybe a cup of coco.”

“A cup of coco you say…” He scratched his stubble. “And you’ll be charging me for this cup of coco?”

“No, the coco is free.”

“I see. So, are you operating under the assumption that if I come inside with you, and I drink your free coco, that I will touch you?”

“What? No!”

“Okay, because I can tell you right now, that’s not gonna happen either. Just because a guy is down on his luck, that doesn’t mean he goes around touching people in exchange for cups of coco.”

“I understand completely. And thanks again for pointing that out. But no, my friend and I noticed that you were sleeping in our doorway and, well, we’d like to invite you inside.”

The homeless guy turned and peered through the window in the door. He made eye-contact with Hicks, who panicked and went looking for his broom. “That your friend?”

I followed his gaze. “Yeah, that’s Hicks. He’s a bit peculiar, but he’s okay.”

“I see.” The homeless guy pulled on his collar. “And this friend of yours, will he be drinking coco also?”

“I suppose. I’m not entirely sure, but it seems likely.”

“I see.” The homeless guy considered this. “So,” he said, after a long moment, “will this friend of yours be expecting me to touch him?”

“No! There is no touching involved in any of this!”

“Okay, calm down,” the homeless guy said. “There’s no need to get all homophobic!”

“I wasn’t!”

“You sounded homophobic to me.”

“Me? You’re the one who can’t stop talking about touching people!”

I noticed people stopping in the street to stare at us. This made me very uncomfortable.

Download Free eBook here.

Book Review: A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

Title: A Season Of Gifts
Author: Richard Peck
Genre: Holiday (Christmas), Young Adult


Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 208 (Audio) – Library Book
Published: 2009

Back Cover: One of the most adored children’s book characters of all time is the sccentric, forceful, bighearted Grandma Dowdel, star of the Newbery Medal – winning A Year Down Yonder and Newbery Honor-winning A Long Way from Chicago. And it turns out that her story isn’t over – not even close.

It is now 1958, and a new family has moved in next door to Mrs. Dowdel – a family in desperate need of her help (weather they realize it or not). There’s twelve-year-old Bob, shy on courage in a town full of bullies; his Elvis-obsessed older sister, Phyllis; Bob’s little sister, Ruth Ann, ready and waiting for a larger-than-life role model; and even Bob’s two parents, the young minister and his wife, who are amazed to discover that the last house in town might also be the most vital. As Christmas rolls, around, the whole family will realize that they’ve found a true home, and a neighbor with remarkable gifts to share.

Mine: I have to admit I hadn’t heard of the other books, but will definitely be trying to check them out at the library.

What a delightful story of the time. The new minister and his family move next door the very eccentric Mrs. Dowdel. The stranger soon become the families protector in so many ways. Phyllis get in trouble with the town’s bad boy who is much older. Bob gets dunked and tied up by the town pack of bullies and Ruth Ann is just find her place.

The comic relief helps the story move along and make for cute antedotes throughout. Stealing from the pumpkin patch, cutting the trees down from someone’s backyard and the best comes from the “Pickle” the green family car.

The gifts that come from Mrs. Dowdel are not obvious, but are the ones that are needed the most – the courage to fight back, the idea that a person can make a difference and that of a person that is a good neighbor.

Challenges I plan on taking On

What Are You Reading Monday? #25

Books I completed in the last week are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)


Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck (Audio)


Up Next:
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham
The Election-Day Disaster by Ron Roy (Capital Mystery #10)
The Ghost at Camp David by Ron Roy (Capital Mystery # 12)
Civil War on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Tree House #21)
Revolutionary War On Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Tree House #22)


Reviews posted this week:


Author Guest Posts/Interviews:
Book Tour - Review - Sandra J. Gerencher - Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog (January 18)
Book Tour – Letters From Home by Kristina McMorris (February 21)

Special Blog Hop Giveaways
Dreaming of Books Hop (January 14 – 17)

Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):
Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber
Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss
The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Stick It! 99 DIY Duct Tape Projects
The Absent Author by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Bald Bandit by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Canary Caper by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House #2) by Mary Pope Osborne
Indiana Caper by Dallas Relaford
Moon River and Me by Andy Williams (audio)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Audio) by J.K. Rowling
Disney At Dawn (Kingdom Keepers #2) by Ridley Pearson
Disney After Dark (Kingdom Keepers #1) by Ridley Pearson (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
*Are You My Mother? By P. D. Eastman
*Corduroy by Dan Freeman
A Fatal Slip (Crime & Clay #3) by Melissa Glazer
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (Audio)
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1001 Children’s Books)
Hero At Large by Janet Evanovich
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd(Audio)
The Year Mom Won the Pennant by Matt Christopher (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) by Barbara Bottner
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (audio)
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts


Giveaways on the blog this week:
A Painted House by John Grisham (ends 12/31/10)

Booklovers Secret Santa 2010

I was very pleased to received my Secret Santa package from Amy in Prince Edward Island, Canada. I actually recieved it about a week ago, but waited until Christmas to open it.

I have been looking forward to reading Three Cups of Tea for a while, so was thrilled to get it.

I was pleased to get the extra book and "Joy" ornament, postcards and a candy cane (that was a little worse for the post office).

As I look at what I received, I must admit to being embarrassed to only sending a book with n little extras.

Merry Christmas 2010