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Reading Challenges
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2016 Summer Reading Challenge
Mod
The children's book The Games Romans Played is so dull I abandoned it. The YA book Last Shot, about inner city kids working towards basketball scholarships is a good story, it's just not holding my attention. I'm going through the Lists and found some good picture books. Now to decide which two. :-)
Teresa wrote: "The children's book The Games Romans Played is so dull I abandoned it. The YA book Last Shot, about inner city kids working towards basketball scholarships is a good story, it's just not holding my..."Of the ones I read, my favorite two were:
White Water by Jonathan and Aaron London. -- The story was good, but the pictures were phenomenal.
Tacky and the Winter Games by Helen Lester. -- Just plain fun because depictions of how the penguins were doing the various games were truly inventive. And poor Tacky is anything but athletic.
We are weeding the children's books at my work and I get to process those we are removing from the collection. So I've more to add for the challenge.Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett. Bo, the young armadillo follows a red armadillo to a rodeo, trying to be the newcomer's friend.
Shortcut by Donald Crews. The children decide to walk home along the shortcut of the railroad track where it goes up a high bank. Then they hear a train coming.
Challenge books:
Boating:
White Water by Jonathan and Aaron London.
There's Always Room for One More by Ingrid Schubert.
Trampoline, Free-style: Tumble Bunnies by Kathryn Lasky
Family play time: Charlie Plays Ball by Ree Drummond
Jogging: B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton
Olympic sports: Tacky and the Winter Games by Helen Lester
Basketball: Dream Big: The Journey of the Jazz Bear by Aron Simkins
Rescue swimming: The Highwayman by Craig Johnson
Rodeo: Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett
Ballet: Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen
Baseball: Stealing Home: Jackie Robinson: Against the Odds Stealing Home: Jackie Robinson: Against the Odds by Robert Burleigh
Running: Shortcut by Donald Crews
And, you know, I think this is enough to list. Good luck on the challenge, everyone.
I finished The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau. I learned he started swimming as a boy, for physical therapy. He also invented the first underwater camera. The book was ok; I expected I'd like it more than I actually did.I also finished Bentwhistle the Dragon in a Threat from the Past. It was hockey with a mystery thrown in. I tried reading the pages and pages of hockey, lacrosse, and football descriptions and ended up skimming those sections (my daughter said that was cheating, lol). The plot was good, the story line needed major editing for redundancies.
Mod
That's a fantastic list Debbie. Thanks for trying out the challenge even though you don't like sports at all. :D
Mod
Elizabeth wrote: "Teresa wrote: "my daughter said that was cheating, lol" As a person who hardly ever reads a book completely in order (I totally read about half way through a book, skip to the end, and then read th..."That is a funny way to read! But I have employed it on occasion when I just HAD to know.
Just finished reading my first book for the challenge - Soul Surfer - Movie Tie-In: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board
Mod
Good job! One down, 4 to go. ;)
Ha! "PIFFLE". I love that. :)I have not started the challenge yet, because I am too lazy to search through my "to read" list to find something that will fit. I will start with Becky's recommendation of Following Aticus. I hope I don't cry.
Jackie wrote: "Ha! "PIFFLE". I love that. :)I have not started the challenge yet, because I am too lazy to search through my "to read" list to find something that will fit. I will start with Becky's recommendati..."
Where did you see the word "piffle". I'm asking because it's my word and it would be really cool if other people started using it. Especially if they are using it the way I do.
Debbie wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Elizabeth, you are so positive and encouraging. I love reading your comments to each of us."Ditto. Plus, when we have questions, your answers are always right to the point without ..."
Sorry, Debbie. I should have been more clear on which comment I was referring to when I mentioned the word "piffle". If I were the trend setting type, I would use this word in daily conversation, so that it would catch on, and maybe make the dictionary one day. :)
Jackie wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Elizabeth, you are so positive and encouraging. I love reading your comments to each of us."Ditto. Plus, when we have questions, your answers are always right to the..."
It IS in the dictionary! :) From Merriam-Webster: Definition of piffle, piffled,piffling, play \-f(ə-)liŋ\
intransitive verb
: to talk or act in a trivial, inept, or ineffective way
Now we can all use it in daily conversation!!
Becky wrote: "It IS in the dictionary! :) From Merriam-Webster: Definition of piffle, piffled,piffling, play \-f(ə-)liŋ\intransitive verb
: to talk or act in a trivial, inept, or ineffective way"
Ah, but my use of it is a noun. As in "his dissertation was just so much academic piffle" Thus verbs become nouns. The meaning is largely the same. I must have read it somewhere, forgot its origin and thought I made it up. It does sound like a made up word!
Second book! Fox Trot En Masse-- a collection of Fox Trot strips, several of which cover various sporting endeavors and watching the Super Bowl.Books completed:
Soccer: Two For Joy
Various: Fox Trot En Masse
Third book! Maybe this isn't so tricky after all, lol.Endangered Edens by Marty Essen features lots of hiking all over the western hemisphere. Gorgeous photos.
Books completed:
Soccer: Two For Joy
Various: Fox Trot En Masse
Hiking: Endangered Edens
Mod
Go Jenny!
Mod
Ooh, that hiking one sounds fun. I'll add it to my list!
I'm decided on 2 of my books for the challenge. Montana The Biography of Football's Joe Cool and Lecile This Ain't My First Rodeo.
You Are an Ironman: How Six Weekend Warriors Chased Their Dream of Finishing the World's Toughest Tr iathlon---This was an interesting look at the dedication people have for this sport and the sacrifices they are willing to make to do something they love.
Dairy Queen ---High School Football
---I loved this book. It was so funny.
I've finished my first, and while I have zero interest in boxing as a sport, I loved "A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis." It's a beautifully written picture book by this year's Newbery Medal winner. I highly recommend it!
Mod
Excellent Susan!
Mod
---This was an interesting look at the dedication people have for this s..."
Dairy Queen is such a cute book. I like it too.
Mod
I love it when you find something enjoyable unexpectedly. I'll have to try that one too. (Boxing is not my favorite.)
Finished my second book, The Scorpio Races, which is about (water) horse racing. Well written and great on CD.
I've finished my third book:Skeleton: Focused: Keeping Your Life on Track, One Choice at a Time
I know what my fourth book will be so I will only need to find one more. This really hasn't been as challenging as I thought it would be.
Alyson wrote: "I've finished my first, and while I have zero interest in boxing as a sport, I loved "A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis." It's a beautifully written picture book by this year's ..."I see Kadir Nelson is the illustrator. I absolutely love his illustrations. I have added this to my "to read" pile.
Becky wrote: "Finished my second book, The Scorpio Races, which is about (water) horse racing. Well written and great on CD."The Scorpio Races was one of my favorite reads last year!
Jenny wrote: "I've finished my third book:Skeleton: Focused: Keeping Your Life on Track, One Choice at a Time"
That one is also on my list for this challenge.
Mod
Ooh, good to know. I love it when there's a good narrator. :D
Mod
Skeleton: Focused: Keeping Your Life on Track, One Choice at a Time
I know what my fourth book will be so I will only need to find one more. This reall..."
Let me know if you would like suggestions for your final book, although, it seems like you may have picked out one already. :D
Mod
Skeleton: Focused: Keeping Your Life on Track, One Choice at a Time"
That one is also on my list for this challenge."
I'm glad you're finding books for the challenge.
Yay, I finished! My last book was Tillie the Terrible Swede: How One Woman, a Sewing Needle, and a Bicycle Changed History. In the 1890's, Tillie scandalized the nation by sewing herself a pair of pants and wearing them in public while she competed in bicycle races. Oh horror! The 'acceptable' behavior for women was wearing a dress and slowly bicycling in a circle around a pole, like a pony at a petting zoo. I was so interested, I looked for an adult bio of her, but no such luck. I'm amused how uncomfortable we were with this challenge, yet many of us have (mostly) enjoyably completed it.
If anyone is stuck, here's a website with a list of feminist books for children age birth to 18. It has a good selection of sports themed biographies. http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/award...
Ok finished first "sports" book wild by Cheryl Strayed. I enjoyed her memoir of hiking the PCT trial and even felt a bit stirred to hike myself even with the descriptions she gave of the damage to her body.
Mod
That sounds great. I also looked for adult biographies and came up with nothing. sigh. She sounds pretty cool.
You also might enjoy reading about Amelia Bloomer, she was a big advocate of dress reform. She wrote, "The costume of women should be suited to her wants and necessities. It should conduce at once to her health, comfort, and usefulness; and, while it should not fail also to conduce to her personal adornment, it should make that end of secondary importance." One book we have about her in the library is You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer
Also, YAY for finishing!!!
Mod
I'm glad it inspired you to hike a little. Let us know if you go anywhere awesome!
I finished my first book for the challenge. "Boy21", by Matthew Quick. A young adult novel about basketball, friendships, and overcoming tragedy. 4 stars. :)
My 5 books are/will be:Soul Surfer: a true story of faith, family, and fighting to get back on the board by Bethany Hamilton (complete 6-30)
The Keeper: the unguarded story of Tim Howard by Tim Howard (complete 7-2)
No Limits: The Will to Succeed by Michael Phelps (complete 7-13)
Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn (currently reading)
The Games by Ted Tosmatka (complete 7-11)
Fun note. The vast majority of each of these books I read (listened to audio) while at the gym (swimming, actually). I should get extra brownie points for that, I think.
I am reading a book on Tai Chi, because I am interested in learning it. And a book called Balancing on Blue because hiking the AT is on my bucket list. Okay I have the rest: 127 hours (rock climbing)Quiditch Through the Ages (Quiditch of course)
Born to Run (running).
Now to read them all.
I read my first challenge book today:
Period 8
by Chris Crutcher (a YA mystery involving distance swimming).
Mod
Glad you liked it Jackie!
Mod
Soul Surfer: a true story of faith, family, and fighting to get back on the board by Bethany Hamilton (complete 6-30)
The Keeper: the unguarded story of Tim Howard by Tim H..."
Excellent! I really need to read Soul Surfer. Looks good. Did you like it?
Mod
I'm so glad you are reading an instructional book. I was hoping someone would give that a try during this challenge. :)
Mod
That sounds fun. I'll have to add it to my list.
I finished my second and third book for the challenge. I read "Following Atticus", and I listened to "Dairy Queen". Both were good.
Mod
Yay Jackie! Three down, two to go.
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Dream Big: The Journey of the Jazz Bear by Aron Simkins. I didn't enjoy very much though small children whose family love the Jazz may like it.
The Highwayman by Craig Johnson is a Longmire story. I fell in love with the Longmire series on Netflix Instant Streaming. When this book came up on the Bestsellers list that Darrin posts, I put a hold on it. It was a wonderful read. At one point one of the characters ended up in the Wind River and Longmire jumped in after her to save her. So I think that counts as Rescue Swimming.
Challenge books:
Boating:
White Water by Jonathan and Aaron London.
There's Always Room for One More by Ingrid Schubert.
Trampoline, Free-style: Tumble Bunnies by Kathryn Lasky
Family play time: Charlie Plays Ball by Ree Drummond
Jogging: B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton
Olympic sports: Tacky and the Winter Games by Helen Lester
Basketball: Dream Big: The Journey of the Jazz Bear by Aron Simkins
Rescue swimming: The Highwayman by Craig Johnson