It is time for a My Head is Full of Books year-end review. How did I do on all my reading challenges in 2011?
- 2011 ALA Award Winners Challenge: There are nine American Library Association YA book awards given each year. I completed this challenge with the reading of Five Flavors of Dumb by Anthony John this month. This is the challenge that I started last year and as far as I know no one joined me. I want to put out this challenge again in 2012, however, because I think it is really important to be familiar with award books.
- Chris Crutcher Challenge: An open-ended challenge that I started to read all of Chris Crutcher's books. So far I have read six of his books, two of them in 2011. Please join me in this challenge.
- Michael J. Printz Award and Honor Books Challenge: Another on-going challenge, this one to read all the Printz Award and Honor books ever selected. I read all the 2011 books in this category plus an additional two books from previous years. I want to stay current in this challenge but found myself reluctant to go back and read past winners. To date I have read 41 of 58 books in this category.
- Audiobook Challenge: I went for the Obsessed Level of this challenge. I stopped recording my progress on this challenge in October when I hit 35 audiobooks. This challenge is practically a give-me as I listen to audiobooks all the time. Nonetheless, I did enjoy this challenge because it caused me to focus a bit more attention on the readers of these books not just the authors. Favorites of this category this year were: The Hitchhikers Gide to the Galaxy by Douglass Adams, read by Stephen Fry; A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett, read by Stephen Briggs; The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, read by David Hyde Pierce.
- The Books I should have Read in School...but Didn't Challenge. I went for the Graduate Level on this challenge, which was six books and I just made it. This may have been my favorite challenge this year as it forced me to read books I've always wanted to read, or books I have thought I "should" read. Now I had a good excuse to do so. I enjoyed all six of the books I chose: Beloved (Morrison); The Bell Jar (Plath); Phantom Tollbooth (Juster); Hitchhiker's Guide (Adams); Lord of the Flies (Golding); and A Brave New World (Huxley.) Notice I did double-dip several times with the audiobook challenge.
- Books from My Own Shelf Challenge: I read thirteen books for this challenge. A minimum of twelve was the goal, so I just made it. I purchase very few books, so most of the books that I have around the house are books I was given as gifts. This was very challenging because I often find myself overlooking books I own in favor of books from the library.
- A Personal Challenge: I tried to finish ten books started but not completed in 2010. I only finished five of them. Apparently I didn't really want to read them in the first place. There is no shame in that but I will be more cautious in the future to give myself a challenge that I really don't want to do.
- Read 101 books in the year: Done! In fact, I read a personal record of 124 books in 2011 and I still have a week of reading left. I'm sure I will reach over 125, my new goal for book volume after I achieved the 101 mark.
Great job on the challenges! I did well on mine as well. I like doing challenges as it gives me some direction in my reading. For 2012 it feels like I have geography-related challenges
ReplyDeleteWow, wow, wow!! 124 books in one year, plus all of those challenges! I'm impressed, Anne - you are on inspiration. Now the Books on My Shelf challenge is one I could definitely do - my TBR shelves never seem to get any smaller.
ReplyDeleteI will have to go check out your challenge page.
Sue
What a great year of reading you had! I especially like your choices for the challenge with books you wish you'd read in school. As much as I read good books in school, there are so many I missed, too! Happy New Year :)
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