THE SEASONAL READING CHALLENGE FALL 2009 - MY PLAN

(September 1 - November 30, 2009)
I'll keep track of my progress here.

5 POINT TASKS

5.1 CHILDREN - The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey (pp 240) READ 10.31.09
5.2 APPLE COVER- Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allan (pp 270) READ 10.26.09
5.3 SEA TRAVEL - *Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark (pp 272) READ 11.16.09
5.4 ADOPTION - *The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (pp 307) READ 11.30.09
5.5 BACK-TO-SCHOOL - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury READ 10.26.09
5.6 HALLOWEEN ADJECTIVE - Something Wicked Comes This Way by Ray Bradbury (pp 304 ) READ 10.28.09
5.7 GIVING THANKS - Just Who Will You Be by Maria Shriver (pp 112) READ 11.13.09
5.8 MULTIPLE AUTHOR - *The Ultimate Teen Book Guide by Daniel Hahn, Susan Reuben, Leonie Flynn (pp 432) READ 10.15.09
5.9 COMING OF AGE - *Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (pp 258) READ 11.17.09
5.10 TIME TRAVEL - The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier (pp 352) READ 11.30.09

10 POINT TASKS

10.1 BUDDY HOLLY (1936-1959) - *Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe- (1958) (pp 224) READ 9.24.09
10.2 ADDICTION - *Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn (Character Nicholas Brisbane is addicted to opium) (pp 465) READ 11.25.09
10.3 BEARS - The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde (pp 378) READ 9.7.09
10.4 HISPANIC HERITAGE (MEXICO) - *Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan (pp 288) READ 11.23.09
10.5 OCTOBERFEST (GERMANY) - *The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (pp 224) READ 9.9.09
10.6 NATIVE AMERICANS - Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (pp 280) READ 11.26.09
10.7 HEROES - Falling Boy by Alison McGhee (pp 208) READ 9.2.09
10.8 RANDOM WORD GENERATOR - ("bright, crush, sort") - Book Crush: For Kids and Teens-Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment and Interest
by Nancy Pearl (pp 304) READ 10.15.09
10.9 U.S. CIVIL WAR - ** On the Occasion of My Last Afternoon by Kaye Gibbons (pp 273) READ 11.28.09
10.10 CAT - Coraline by Neil Gaiman (pp 208) READ 10.8.09

15 POINT TASKS

15.1 GRAMMAR (VERB) - *Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman (pp 384) READ 10.7.09
15.1 GRAMMAR (PARTICIPLE) - Fallen by David Maine (pp 256) READ 10.3.09
15.2 ALTERNATIVE HISTORY - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (pp 374) READ 11.28.09
15.2 POST A REVIEW - here is a part of me that would love for the alternate universe that exists in The Eyre Affair to be real. Who wouldn't like to come face to face with some of their favorite literary characters or find themselves as a character in one of their favorite novels. There are also plenty of novels I'd like to change the plot of, like Thursday Next did in Jane Eyre. Unfortunately, if too many people had the power to enter this alternate literary world, I'm afraid we would lose to many good books, and the stories would continually change. I would repeatedly read the same book to check for alternate endings or deleted characters. This is a fun world to think about, but I prefer the way things are now.
15.3 MATH - *Dead To the World by Charlaine Harris (pp 291) - (1961/47 =42: 4th in Series) READ 10.11.09
15.3 MATH - The Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene - (Addition = 11) (pp 240) READ 9.22.09
15.4 SCIENCE FICTION BK - Catching Fire by Suzanne Colllins (pp 391) READ 9.11.09
15.4 SCIENCE FILM - Watched a marathon session of Whale Wars on the Animal Planet Discovery Channel with my son. I think the Sea Shepherds conservation efforts are laudable, but their methods are sometimes laughable, like stink bombing and hosing the Japanese whaling ships.
15.5 FOREIGN TRANSLATION (Spanish) - * Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende (pp 336) READ 11.29.09
15.5 FOREIGN TRANSLATION (Spanish) - *The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (pp 531) READ 11.2.09
15.6 DRAMA CLUB -* Romeo and Juliet (Dover Thrift Edition) by William Shakespeare (pp 96) READ 11.29.09
Watched the movie, Romeo & Juliet, the Leonard DiCaprio and Claire Danes version.
15.7 LET’S GET PHYSICAL - *The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (pp 321) READ 10.12.09
15.7 LET’S GET PHYSICAL - (watch Nascar) - Sprint Classic Labor Day 500 race WATCHED 9.6.09
15.8 GEOGRAPHY COUNTRY INITIALS - "L" for Laos - The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill (pp 272) READ 11.4.09
15.8 GEOGRAPHY COUNTRY INITIALS - "H" for Hungary - Embers by Marai Sandor (pp 224) READ 11.5.09
15.9 HOMEWORK - Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg
15.9 POST A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT- In the story, Helen conducts a writer's workshop. List five questions Helen could have used as prompts to impel her students to write. (For example: Write about your first kiss.) Then, choose one of your questions, and write a two page response.
15.10 TEACHER - *The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (pp 160) READ 10.27.09
15.10 STUDENT - The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (pp 272) READ 10.17.09

20 POINT TASKS

20.1 CHRISTIAN FICTION - *Zipporah, Wife of Moses: A Novel (Canaan Trilogy) by Marek Halter (pp 288) READ 11.15.09
20.2 3 CONSECUTIVE LETTERS - "A" - *Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday by Nancy Atherton (pp 224) READ 11.29.09
20.2 3 CONSECUTIVE LETTERS - "B" - Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo (pp 528) READ 11.19.09
20.2 3 CONSECUTIVE LETTERS - "C" - *Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (pp 288) READ 9.2.09
20.3 GROUP READ CHOICE - Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (pp 369) READ 9.28.09

25 POINT TASKS

25.1 POETRY RHYMING TITLE -A Night Without Armor by Jewel (pp 160) READ 11.1.09
25.1 FICTION RHYMING TITLE - (Use either "bright, sight or white") *The Bright Forever by Lee Martin READ 11.14.09
25.2 RELATED AUTHORS - *Cursed by Carol Higgins Clark (daughter) (pp 304) READ 10.1.09
25.2 RELATED AUTHORS - Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark (mother) (pp 416) READ 9.16.09
25.3 POSITIVE GAY CHARACTER - *The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (pp 528) READ 11.7.09
25.4 BOOK/FILM (LAST 10/5 YRS) - *Empire Falls by Richard Russo (pp 483) (novel - 2001/movie - 2005)READ 10.23.09/WATCHED 10.21.09
25.5 FORTUNE/PROPHECY - Every Thing Matters by Ron Currie, Jr (pp 320) READ 9.6.09
25.6 TIPPECANOE PRESIDENTIAL BIOGRAPHY - (500pp) - Franklin & Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship by Jon Meacham (pp 512) READ 9.19.09
25.6 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT/BIGGEST SCANDAL - After reading, I came away with the sense that FDR's major accomplishment in general terms was that he provided hope to the people, not just in the U.S., but around the world; and he had the vision for global leadership. Specifically, the relationship he fostered with Churchill and thus England, then Stalin and Russia set the course for uniting world powers and creating the United Nations. Also, his careful deliberation and timing of the United States support and entrance into WWII is accredited for the victorious outcome of the war.
The biggest scandal associated with FDR was his love affair with Lucy Mercer, later Rutherford. Eleanor found out about the affair and forbid FDR from seeing her again. Over the years, he comforted her over the loss of her husband and helped her children. Shockingly, Lucy was with him when he suffered his fatal cerebral hemorrhage.
25.7 ONE WORD TITLE - Shane by Jack Schaefer (pp 160) READ 9.2.09
25.7 TWO WORD TITLE - *The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates (pp 481) READ 9.26.09
25.7 THREE WORD TITLE - *Song Yet Sung by James McBride (pp 384) READ 10.25.09
25.8 PERSON TITLE - *We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (pp 432) READ 10.15.09
25.8 PLACE TITLE - Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson (pp 240) READ 9.5.09
25.8 THING TITLE - **The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler (pp 246) READ 11.28.09
25.9 NF SELF IMPROVEMENT - *Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (pp 334) READ 11.9.09
25.9 SI CHARACTER (F OR NF) - The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (pp 276) READ 11.8.09
25.10 WITCH, DEVIL, VAMPIRE, ZOMBIE OR WEREWOLF TITLE - *Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (pp 224) READ 11.4.09

30 POINT TASKS

30.1 CURRENT JOB - *Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler (40+yr old mother and wife) READ 11.23.09
30.1 CHILDHOOD DREAM JOB (own a restaurant)- The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister (pp 256) READ 11.21.09

50 POINT MID-WAY TASK

50.1 SENSES - (TASTE) Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs (pp 352) READ 11.12.09
50.1 EMOTIONS - (FEAR) A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan (pp 272) READ 10.24.09
50.1 MEMORIES - (BOOK) Arabella by Georgette Heyer - Reading this book brings back memories of all the time I spent reading Regency romance novels as a teen. READ 11.10.09