YA Reading Challenge #1: Tasks & Discussion

[Laura]

Fiona wrote: "Laura wrote: "Yeah, we got a couple Speedys around, for sure....I'm excited too! It should be fun. I think I'll play along, but not for points."

We are not callin moi a Speedy lol"

I would post a picture of roadrunner, but it would flub up some people's computers....so just get a picture of roadrunner in your head Miss Titch.

[Samantha McNulty]

Becky wrote: "I promise to try to keep everyone updated on my Graceling progress when I read it. :)"

Excellant idea!

[Fiona (Titch)]

Laura wrote: "Fiona wrote: "Laura wrote: "Yeah, we got a couple Speedys around, for sure....I'm excited too! It should be fun. I think I'll play along, but not for points."

We are not callin moi a Speedy lo..."

Well, some ppl have more time on their hands than others (hint hint)

[Samantha McNulty]

Fiona wrote: "Laura wrote: "Fiona wrote: "Laura wrote: "Yeah, we got a couple Speedys around, for sure....I'm excited too! It should be fun. I think I'll play along, but not for points."

We are not callin m..."

Too many books, so little time...

[Fiona (Titch)]

Well, when u have 3 kids and over 800 books to read, what am I supposed to do lol.

[[deleted user]]

Would A Little Princess work for task 5.4? I would say her relationship with her father is key to the story, but it could be argued... let me know.

[Laura]

It is extremely key, and that will definitely work, and you are going to love that book!

[[deleted user]]

:) Awesome thanks. I think I have my list all but the library one. Should I post it here or on the other thread?

[Laura]

Post it here - we're only counting up and tracking points in the other thread.

[[deleted user]]

Okay. Give me a few minutes to get all the books together and then I will post it.

[[deleted user]]

Let me know if everything looks okay. I'm so excited! The only re-read is 5.3! All new books other than that!! Yay! :)

30 POINT TASKS:
1. The Golden Compass/The Graveyard Book
2. Anne of Green Gables
3. Wicked The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

25 POINT TASKS:
1. I Capture the Castle/Eldest/The Book Thief
2. TBD (Need to make a trip to the library)
3. A Great and Terrible Beauty
4. The Subtle Knife/ The Amber Spyglass

20 POINT TASKS:
1. The Princess Diaries
2. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
3. Evermore
4. Beyond the Chocolate War
5. The Book of Lost Things

10 POINT TASKS:
1. Bewitching Season
2. Pride and Prejudice (Laura)
3. The Secret Garden
4. The Tale of Despereaux Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread

5 POINT TASKS:
1. Stargirl
2. Little Women
3. The Borrowers
4. A Little Princess

Total Points: 0/350
Total Pages: 0

[Beth]

Good job, Linda, picking out your books. You have some great ones on your list.

[Laura]

Looks good, Linda! And if that 10.2 Laura is this Laura, then the sucking up is definitely not hurting you.

;)

[[deleted user]]

Haha yeah you... :) I have a quick question... we can't count pages of books unless we finish a book correct? If we start a book, but don't finish it before the end of the challenge we can't count those pages?

[Beth]

Laura, thanks for the tip about sucking up! LOL

[Laura]

Linda wrote: "Haha yeah you... :) I have a quick question... we can't count pages of books unless we finish a book correct? If we start a book, but don't finish it before the end of the challenge we can't coun..."

That's right - only pages you can count are for books finished and included as one of the tasks. Good question though!

[Laura]

Heather wrote: "Linda wrote: "Would A Little Princess work for task 5.4? I would say her relationship with her father is key to the story, but it could be argued... let me know."

Excellent! I was deb..."

You'll love it Heather - you've read Secret Garden, right? I get them mixed up sometimes.

[Laura]

Beth wrote: "Laura, thanks for the tip about sucking up! LOL"

I was totally kidding, but if I can be a positive influence anywhere, for anyone, then it's been a good day.

[Ashley]

For 5.4, if the parent is missing in the book, but that is a key element to the story, would that work?
I am thinking of 2 books by Cynthia Voigt- Homecoming/Dicey's Song where the mother goes missing, and Dicey has to take care of her siblings. The absent mother is a huge part of the story, and affects every part of everything. And, Sons From Afar where several years later the 2 brothers go looking for their dad, who walked out on them years and years ago.
I don't think I will read these ones, because I already have, but those are the best examples I have of what I mean about the absense being key.
If not, let me know!

[Laura]

Heather wrote: "So, we are supposed to post our lists when we get them organized?"


You don't have to Heather, but lots of times people at the TNBBC Challenge do that just so they have a goal they can keep track of and then they cross them
off as they read them. It's up to you.

[Laura]

Ashley wrote: "For 5.4, if the parent is missing in the book, but that is a key element to the story, would that work?
I am thinking of 2 books by Cynthia Voigt- Homecoming/Dicey's Song where the mother goes mis..."


The key to this Challenge as I see it is flexibility, so if the task doesn't specify, and you can make it work, then chances are it will work. We're not looking for reasons to say no.

[Laura]

I predict you may even like it better than SG. I'm curious now what you will think.

[[deleted user]]

Yay! I'm so excited to read all these new books! Books I've been wanting read to for a very long time have made it onto my list. Also, other ones that many people have recommended. I can't wait to get more into it. I am going to make an excel sheet right now to keep track of my pages and things... hehe love to be organized.

[Ashley]

Sweet! Thanks Laura!

[Laura]

*beaming*

I'm excited to read all these great books too! I now have The Hunger Games, The Graveyard Book from the library on CD and book form, and today I've downloaded Looking for Alaska and The Tale of Despereaux Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread, also from the library.

My TBR is gonna smother me soon....thank the Lord for a good library system, otherwise I'd be smothered and broke!

[Ashley]

I love the Tale of Despereaux!! Such a cute story! I hope you like it!

[Laura]

Thx! I hope so too! Heather recommended it, so I grabbed it off the library site.

[Becky]

I'm ashamed. *not really ashamed* I went to Target to get kitty litter and trash bags, and ended up buying 3 new books.

I did the random thing (25.2) and ended up with Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody and Sold by Patricia McCormick. I'm so excited, they both look great!

The third one I got was Airman by Eoin Colfer, which I'm planning to use for either 25.1, 25.3 (set in Ireland), or 10.3. Haven't decided yet.

[Laura]

Have I mentioned I love your numbering system? It makes Challenge life so much easier.

Congratulations, I'm glad you randomly picked stuff you really love!

[Becky]

LOL Someone else came up with the numbering style, I just uhh... permanently borrowed it. ;)

[Lisa Julianna]

I am struggling with trying to come up with a book for 10.1. Any suggestions?

[Becky]

Lisa wrote: "I am struggling with trying to come up with a book for 10.1. Any suggestions?"

Graceling - Kristen Cashore

[Becky]

Oh, nevermind... sorry, you'd have to read it again!

[Becky]

Let me see.. hang on!

[Laura]

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/...

Fiona's posted a link to the Morris Award in the Awards section, but there it is. This award is specifically for new YA authors, and it was first awarded in 2009. There are several to choose from, including the winner and the finalists.

Hope this helps.

[Lisa Julianna]

and then I couldn't send it to you...LOL

[Lisa Julianna]

I'm also struggling with 30.3, and 20.5....hmmm

[Becky]

How about:
A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce?

[Becky]

Here's a link to the "Best Fairytale Retellings" Listopia list: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/96...

And for 20.5 I'm using "The Book of Lost Things. But you could use The Call of the Wild, or Wild Magic, or The Sweet Far Thing, etc

[Alisha Marie]

30 Point Tasks
1. The Golden Compass and Stardust
2. Anne of Green Gables
3. Beastly (Beauty and the Beast Retelling)

25 Point Tasks
1. What Happened to Cass McBride? (Mystery); Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac (Contemporary); School's Out - Forever (Action/Adventure)
2. TBD
3. Secret Keeper
4. Abarat, Book 1 Abarat; Abarat Days of Magic, Nights of War

20 Point Tasks
1. The Princess Diaries
2. TBD
3. The Thief Lord
4. The Truth About Forever (younger sis born in 2004)
5. The Sweet Far Thing

10 Point Tasks
1. A Curse Dark as Gold
2. Rebel Angels (5 star book from (G)Emma's Bookshelf)
3. The Book Thief
4. How I Live Now

5 Point Tasks
1. Graceling
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
3. Eragon (recommended by 15 year old cousin
4. Donorboy A Novel

Total Points: 0/350
Total Pages: 0

[Kristen]

Alisha I loved Beastly so I hope you enjoy it!

[Alisha Marie]

Thanks, Kristen. I really can't wait to read it. I know they're going to make a tv movie out of it, but I doubt I'll read it since I really don't like the "actress" that's supposed to star in it.

[Alisha Marie]

Okay, I have a question. In those tasks that you are supposed to write your opinion of the book (like the award task and the watch the movie/read the book task), do you write your opinion in here or do you post it in the other thread along with your points?

[Jamie]

Just to confirm, Pride and Prejudice is acceptable as a YA book for the challenge?

Also, I was wondering how many books you all are planning to incorporate into the challenge that are re-reads? I've got 8 worked in (I really want to re-read a series but know I won't if I don't use them in the challenge), but I feel kind of guilty because it seems like I should be using books that are new to me. Maybe I'll end up making some changes after all.

[Lisa Julianna]

Thank you Becky for that link...so for task 30.3 can I read Wicked?

[Lisa Julianna]

Here is my list so far...Laura please tell me if this is acceptable or not.

30 Point Tasks

1. A Wrinkle In Time and Watership Down.
2. The Graveyard
3. Beauty

25 Point Tasks

1. Contemporary- Sloppy Firsts, Classic- I Capture the Castle, Adventure- The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
2. Marked & Vampire Academy
3. Both Sides of Time
4. Harry Potter 5 and 6

20 Point Tasks

1. Princess Bride
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
3. Troubling a Star
4. Young Joan
5. The Book of Lost Things

10 Point Tasks

1. Me, the Missing and the Dead by Jenny Valentine
2. Breaking Dawn (on Allison's Shelf)
3. Anne of Green Gables
4. The High King (Newberry Medal)

5 Point Tasks

1. The Book Thief
2. The Secret Garden
3. The Thief Lord
4. That Summer

[Becky]

I'm not sure if retelling "The Wizard of Oz" would be acceptable as a fairy-tale. You could probably read another of Gregory Maguire's books. He does have several that are definite fairy-tale retellings:

Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister - Cinderella
Mirror, Mirror- Snow White
What the Dickens - Tooth Fairy
The Dream Stealer - Russian folk stories about Vasilissa the Beautiful, Baba Yaga, and the Firebird

[Lisa Julianna]

cool...thank you Becky for those suggestions...if you have anymore that aren't necessarily by him I would love to hear them. I was asking about Wicked because I already have to book...hehe!!

[Becky]

Sure! I'll report back with a list in a few. :)

[Becky]

Beauty - Robin McKinley (Beauty and the Beast)
Spindle's End - Robin McKinley (Sleeping Beauty)
Before Midnight - Cameron Dokey (Cinderella)
Beauty Sleep - Cameron Dokey (Sleeping Beauty)
Golden - Cameron Dokey (Rapunzel)
Midnight Pearls - Debbie Viguie (The Little Mermaid)
Scarlet Moon - Debbie Viguie (Red Riding Hood)
Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine (Cinderella)
Zel- Donna Jo Napoli (Rapunzel)
Sirena - Donna Jo Napoli (Siren legend)
Beast - Donna Jo Napoli (Beauty and the Beast)
The Magic Circle - Donna Jo Napoli (Hansel and Gretel)
The Rose and the Beast - Francesca Lia Block
The Fairy Godmother - Mercedes Lackey
Snow - Tracy Lynn (Snow White)
Water Song - Suzanne Weyn (The Frog Prince)
Song of the Sparrow - Lisa Ann Sandell (Arthurian Legend)

I didn't list all of the books by the authors I found, or all of the authors, but this is a pretty good list to start with, right? :)