"And to this purpose"

"If people like to read their books, it is all very well, but to be at so much trouble in filling great volumes, which, as I used to think, nobody would willingly ever look into, to be labouring only for the torment of little boys and girls, always struck me as a hard fate; and though I know it is all very right and necessary, I have often wondered at the person's courage that could sit down on purpose to do it." (In other words: rambling analyses, opinions, ideas, views, and comments from an English major, Essay/paper-writing enthusiastic, Austen-loving Master Librarian on, well, Jane Austen...and a whole lot of other things, too.)

"Celebrated Passages are Quoted"

Heidi's favorite quotes


"What is it really like to be engaged?" asked Anne curiously. "Well, that all depends on who you're engaged to," answered Diana, with that maddening air of superior wisdom always assumed by those who are engaged over those who are not."— L.M. Montgomery

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

What-YA Readin' 2010?

This was my first year to participate in a book challenge. I had so much fun with the one I was doing that I created my own which was not as mind-expanding or boggling, but still enjoyable. I would like to be in another one or two next year, but hadn't put much thought into what they would be until I came across J. Kaye's Book Blog. She will be hosting the 2010 Young Adult Book Challenge.
Here's the scoop (fuller details and signing up at J. Kaye's blog):


There are four levels:

--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
--Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.
--Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.
--Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels.

Audio, eBooks, re-reads all count.

No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.

You can pick one level and move up if you finish that level.

I just calculated the books that I read for 2009 so I could determine what YA level to reach for in 2010. (So far. I still have a few that I will be finishing.) I was surprised in many ways:


17 adult fiction
16 (!!) adult nonfiction
147 picture books ("easy readers")
31 juvenile/children's ("younger readers chapter books")
43 YA

Here is the dilemma. When I finish my YA this year, I'll only be 5 shy of the Stepping It Up level. Should I set that as my goal next year, or should I really push it and try for Super-Size Me? Because while I love me some YA books, there are plenty out there that I don't even want to see let alone read! I'm opting for the lazy route of just doing the Stepping It Up level. Then again, I don't think I'll have story times to plan for, so I might have time to work in the highest level.

Hmmm. What do you think?

P.S. The total of books, in case you don't want to add them yourself, is 243. 11 were re-reads. 72 were audio.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome to the Young Adult Reading Challenge! This is going to be a fun year of reading.

Sara Lyn said...

Definitely go with the Super-Size-Me. You can do it!

By the way, I think I've read 105 books this year, not counting picture books. I need to add up everything again and see if that number is correct. I still think you'll beat the pants off me. :)

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

I'm with Sara Lyn. Go for the super-size.

I'm not sure it would be smart for me to do something like this though. I have a hard enough time pacing my reading without adding a reading challenge!

Eeek! Imagine what my house would look like!

ldsjaneite said...

OK. I'll go for the Super Size. But as this will be QUITE the challenge for me (and b/c I don't like the McDonald's-ness of the name), I'm giving it my own personal nicknames of
1. The Super Duper!
2. WHY!!!!...a
3. Help Me! Help Me!
4. Call Me Crazy
5. The Whopper


Hmm...so much for me trying to avoid anything connected with fast food.