Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

536 views
YA Reading Challenge > YA Reading Challenge #2 - Tasks and Discussion

Comments Showing 151-200 of 201 (201 new)    post a comment »

message 151: by [deleted user] (new)

***ANNOUNCEMENT***

Hey everyone. I had thought I set up our 50 point task for the person who was the farthest at our half-way point. However, the rules clearly state August 15, so Lydia will be submitting a 50 point question to me. I will update everyone as soon as I know what the 50 point task will be! Hope everyone is having fun reading!! :)


message 152: by Jennifer W, WT Moderator (new)

Jennifer W | 1289 comments Mod
For the task (I forget which number) where we're supposed to read an Adult book that would be OK for YA readers, can anyone tell me if The Memory Keeper's Daughter would work? I haven't read it (per the rules of that task section), so I don't know.

If anyone else needs suggestions for that one, The Loop and The Horse Whisperer both by Nicholas Evans and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet A Novel by Jamie Ford would make good choices for that task.
Thanks!


message 153: by [deleted user] (new)

Jennifer, I haven't read it, but if by the description you think it would be okay for a young adult to read then go for it. Then after you read it, you can count it for the task and tell us whether you still think it would be good for YA readers or not.


message 154: by Lydia (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments Hi all,

Linda would like me to design a 50 pt. question which incorporates the four sections in the actual challenge. I have some ideas, but if anyone has an idea, I would truly appreciate some assistance!



message 155: by [deleted user] (new)

Lydia that sounds awesome! Let me think about the sections and see what I come up with...


message 156: by [deleted user] (new)

Lydia, why don't you do something that requires 4 books to be read because we have 4 sections. I was trying to think of a way to combine the sections, but for 50 points it should be multiple books. Perhaps do something like:

Choose 4 of the following and read a YA book from each of the 4 you choose:

1) A Newbery Winner where the author's first initial matches your own
2) A book from any of the discussions on Wild Things where the author's first/last name rhymes with your first/last name (author's first name CAN rhyme with your last name,etc.)

Do you get the idea? You would combine 2 of the sections to create the possible tasks for them to choose from, so my above suggestions combine 1.) Section 2 and Section 3 and 2.) Section 1 and Section 2.

This is what I came up with. If you need further suggestions or want a different idea, let us know.


message 157: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments I like the 4 book idea, and since there are 4 sections to this challenge, maybe you could have a task that links all 4 somehow. Like a domino effect, the first choice from section 1 somehow influences the section 2 choice, etc.


message 158: by [deleted user] (new)

Misty I like that idea too... a lot actually! :)


message 159: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments Yeah. I;m not sure what the link would be though. Could be kinda complicated, but if it works, it could also be awesome.


message 160: by [deleted user] (new)

It could be something like:

1. Start with any YA book
2. Read another book by the same author as book #1
3. Read a Newbery winner/honor book that was published the same year as book #2
4. Read another Ya book from the same genre as book #3


message 161: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments Hmmm. Interesting. Any brilliant ideas coming to you, Lydia?


message 162: by [deleted user] (new)

Or any change to #1 would make it a little more complicated. Just an idea. :)


message 163: by Lydia (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments Thanks for the suggestions. That is exactly up the line I was thinking but I was at 3 books and focusing on the 25 point questions. I do like the idea of the domino effect, Misty. I will probably e-mail you my suggested task.


message 164: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments Can't wait to hear your ideas!


message 165: by Lydia (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments I also have a suggestion. Would it be possible to add two more bookshelves to the WT bookshelf on which are listed books read for Challenge #1 and Challenge #2?


message 166: by [deleted user] (new)

Lydia, wouldn't that be a lot of books to add to the groups bookshelves? I mean, I wouldn't mind going through and adding all the books from this challenge (as they are posted) for future reference, but adding the last challenge as well would take some time.


message 167: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments Why not just make a folder and periodically add to it. Keep it alphabetical or divided up by genre.


message 168: by [deleted user] (new)

I can do whatever the mods want for this challenge. It's that last challenge that will be the most difficult.

*Awaiting the mods decision on what to do...


message 169: by Lydia (last edited Sep 02, 2009 06:08AM) (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments On my screen, there is a listing of books (to the right) that are links to the books mentioned in a folder. I had thought it would be fairly easy to make the shelves based on the books mentioned in the reporting points folders. It was just a thought.


message 170: by [deleted user] (new)

Maybe...

*Still awaiting the mods decision on what to do... :)


message 171: by Liz (new)

Liz Hi fellow Wild Things, I just wanted to pop over and apologize for saying I'd participate in the challenge and then hardly ever posting or getting any reading done. It is my senior year of college (scarily enough) and this semester I am taking two English clases, a history class and intro to women's and gender studies. Although I still get in some fun reading, I probably won't get tons of this challenge done.
Anyways, I just wanted to post and say hi so you all didn't think I was totally blowing any of you/this group/this challlenge off. I'll be cheering everyone on!


message 172: by [deleted user] (new)

We totally understand Liz. I think a lot of us (if not all of us) aren't having as much time to read as we would like. Thanks for stopping in and good luck with all your clases!


message 173: by [deleted user] (new)

Here is the 50 point questions Lydia put together for us. I think it looks great and I would like to thank Lydia for all her hard work that went into this question... Thanks Lydia!

50 point task: There are four (a-d) books required for this question. [Only unread books up to this point for this question:]
(a) Read a previously unread book from the WT YA Best Novel List.
(b) Read a book where the first letter of the author’s name (first or last) is alphabetically consecutive to the first letter of EITHER the first or last name of the author you read in section (a).
(c) Read an award or honor book published the same year as the book read for section (b). [Award/Honor book is interpreted liberally here. Check with not only Newbery, Chatham, Printz, Lambda and other national awards, but also your state library association books awards and let us know which award you are referring to.:]
(d) Read a book from a WT member's bookshelf (ranked 4 or 5 star only) OR on the top 100 GR YA bookshelf that has also won an award AND is of a different genre than the book read for section (c). [Go to “Find Books” on the top navigation bar of GoodReads and you will find there are multiple YA book lists.:]

I have also included this question in our list of tasks on the first page of this thread for easy reference. Good luck everyone!


message 174: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments awesome.


message 175: by Lydia (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments Misty wrote: "awesome."

Okay, Misty, will you post your plan for the question? I'm really curious and I promise to post mine as well.


message 176: by [deleted user] (last edited Sep 08, 2009 03:35PM) (new)

Here is my plan if I get to it:

(a)Summerland by Michael Chabon
(b)Skinny-Dipping by Melissa de la Cruz (C from Chabon and D from de la Cruz)
(c)Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata (Newbery Winner)
(d)Savvy by Ingrid Law (Misty gave it 5 stars)


message 177: by Misty (last edited Sep 08, 2009 04:45PM) (new)

Misty | 1505 comments Lydia wrote: "Misty wrote: "awesome."

Okay, Misty, will you post your plan for the question? I'm really curious and I promise to post mine as well."


It's definitely going to require some thinking...

And Linda: YAY FOR SAVVY!


message 178: by [deleted user] (new)

Hehe yeah. I've been wanting to read it ever since you gave it those 5 stars. :) I love the cover btw.


message 179: by Lydia (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments I think I have my 50-pointer planned as well:

(a) Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn
(b) The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (Newberry)
(c) An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (Printz)
(d) Flora Segunda Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers by Ysabeau S. Wilce (Andre Norton Award for Young Adults Science Fiction and Fantasy)

I've been having such fun with this challenge. Thanks to all who not only work on them, but participate in them.


message 180: by Lydia (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments Oh, just a note for future challenges: could we include the term "a genre you don't read often" or something to that effect? Given all my years of reading YA (not to mention my age -- can you tell my birthday is approaching), there are few genres I have not tried, but several that I may not often read.

I'm happy today -- located all the books to complete the challenge at the library today. I must admit to being surprised to find that some are actually put in storage when they were published in 2001!


message 181: by [deleted user] (new)

:) I've had fun keeping track of everyone's points.


message 182: by Mandy (new)

Mandy (mldavisreads) | 210 comments I'm not sure if this is the right place to post or not, but for task 1.20, it said to discuss what book I read and why it jumped out at me. I read Shift by Jennifer Bradbury, and I chose to read it because it's on this year's Black-Eyed Susan list, which is the student choice award in Maryland. I enjoyed the story, it's a great road trip story and friendship story, with a touch of suspense to it. Out of the six nominees I've read so far for this year, it's definitely in my top three. (The other two that I really enjoyed were Unwind and Streams of Babel, which I read earlier this summer)


message 183: by Lydia (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments Mandy wrote: "I'm not sure if this is the right place to post or not, but for task 1.20, it said to discuss what book I read and why it jumped out at me. I read Shift by Jennifer Bradbury, and I chose to read i..."

Mandy, thanks for stating the name of your state's student choice award list. Maybe we should ask people to locate their state's ALA chapter, student choice, etc. type lists. I find there are some great authors that win more localized awards.


message 184: by Beth (new)

Beth (bll1010) | 86 comments Had a pretty productive weekend. Should finish a few more in the next couple of days.

3.5
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. 240 pages.

TOTAL = 8 books, 25 points, 2423 pages

COUNTABLE = 3 books, 25 points, 906 pages


message 185: by Lydia (new)

Lydia (loverofinformation) | 596 comments Beth wrote: "Had a pretty productive weekend. Should finish a few more in the next couple of days.

3.5
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. 240 pages.

TOTAL = 8 books, 25 points, 2423 pages

COUNT..."


Beth, makes sure this goes on the other discussion list for points.


message 186: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments Time for another little update:

Official YA Challenge:
1.5 I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
1.10 The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss (pushed by, um, everybody) -- currently reading
1.15 Deerskin Robin McKinley
1.20The Forest of Hands and Teeth Carrie Ryan -- still waiting!
1.25 The Hunger Games
and Catching Fire Suzanne Collins


A-Z Section
2.5 Valiant A Modern Tale of Faerie Holly Black (last name 'B')
2.10 Shiver Maggie Stiefvater
2.15 The Fairy Godmother Mercedes Lackey (sister's names is Mercedes)
2.20 Daughter of the Forest Juliet Marillier
and The Ask and the Answer Patrick Ness
2.25 Fire Kristen Cashore
and Bound Donna Jo Napoli
and Eternal Cynthia Leitich Smith

Newbery/Carnegie Section
3.5 Savvy Ingrid Law (2009 Newbery honor), review here
3.10 The Blue Sword Robin McKinley (multiple honoree)
3.15 A Northern Light Jennifer Donnelly (Carnegie Medal 2003)
and Millions Frank Cottrell Boyce (Carnegie Medal 2004)
3.20 The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents Terry Pratchet (Carnegie winner 2001)
and Love That Dog Sharon Creech (honor 2001)
3.25 Flight A Novel Sherman Alexie (pub 2007)
and The Wednesday Wars Gary D. Schmidt (winner Newbery 2008, pub 2007)

Shelves Section
4.5 Beauty A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast Robin McKinley (Ashley's 5 star recommendation)
4.10 Maus I A Survivor's Tale My Father Bleeds History Art Spiegelman
4.15 The Book of Lost Things John Connelly
4.20 Ash Malinda Lo
4.25 Out Of The Dust Karen Hesse
and Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
and Madame M Presents Creepy Little Bedtime Stories Christy A. Moeller-Masel

Still need to pick my 50 pointer.
Really not moving as quickly as I'd like to. Not for lack of reading, mind. I just keep reading adult books and things I didn't pick for the challenge...




message 187: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer (JenJen1221) | 623 comments For task 1.20 I decided to read The Princess Diaries actually, I listened to it on a little road trip. But I'm glad I read/listened to it. There was all this talk from the first challenge and even on other threads about the comparisons from the movie to the book. I actually enjoyed the book, but probably because the narrator of the story was Anne Hathaway.


message 188: by Mandy (new)

Mandy (mldavisreads) | 210 comments Anybody want to recommend a good horror book for task 4.20?


message 189: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments I was a big Christopher Pike fan as a kid, I would say just about anything by him would qualify and is good. Or maybe Coraline, as a sort of younger horror.


message 190: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer (JenJen1221) | 623 comments Read a winner/honor book and give a full review of it, including your thoughts on its award status

For 3.5 I read A Northern Light. I basically wrote up my review for my blog, so this is the same thing...

A Northern Light is set in the Adirondack Mountains of New York with sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey as the main character. After her mother dies and brother leaves, Mattie is left on the farm with her sisters and dad. Now, she is left with the responsibility of helping out her dad on the farm and keeping a promise to her mother.

Mattie takes a job at the Glenmore to help bring some income for her family. This is where she meets Grace Brown and also where Grace gives her a bunch of letters to burn. But before Mattie can burn them, Grace's dead body is found in the lake. It is through the letters that Mattie learns what really happened to Grace.

The thing is, Mattie was never good at the whole farming/mothering thing. Mattie was good in school and especially writing. She wants to leave for college, but can she pull herself away from the responsibilities she has with her family and follow her dreams???

I picked this book up because it was a group read for Wild Things: YA Grown Up at Goodreads and I thank everyone there that voted for this book. A Northern Light is a wonderful coming-of-age story that actually deals with some tough realistic family issues that can somewhat still be related to today's teenagers...like having to deal with a parent's death (particularly breast cancer), taking care of siblings, and racism. Donnelly also wrote about childbirth and how it isn't pretty, but the result can be wonderful.

And probably my favorite, favorite, favorite part of the novel was Mattie's love for learning and words. I found myself loving the story as a whole, but I really looked forward to Mattie's word of the day and her duals with Weaver.

Mattie Gokey is one of my new favorite characters and she is hard to forget. I recommend this book to everyone so go pick it up!!!

Yes, I think this totally deserved the Carnegie Medal because it was a wonderful coming of age story that dealt with so many issues that teenagers go through or examples of what teenagers went through back in the day. It was beautifully written with new words that can be learned. I LOVED it!!!


message 191: by Shanna (new)

Shanna | 51 comments Hey everybody, I just joined the group and I love a good challenge! I've been keeping track of all the books I've read since August so I'll join in if that is alright.


message 192: by [deleted user] (new)

That's fine Shanna. Good to see you here and welcome to the group!


message 193: by [deleted user] (new)

I will allow the other stories in the book to count, but because the YA section was only "45ish" pages, you should use it as short stories instead of drama. Then you could pick another drama book to finish off that task or one of the other possible shelves for that task.


message 194: by [deleted user] (new)

Your welcome! :)


message 195: by Shanna (new)

Shanna | 51 comments Hey is anyone willing to look through my books and recommend a book from a genre i haven't read?!


message 196: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments Shanna, I didn't see any retold fairy tales, graphic novels, or multicultural books. I'm going to recommend a few for each.

Fairytales:
The Goose Girl
Book of a Thousand Days
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow
East (this is also fairytale like)

Singer
Ash

graphic novels:
Maus I A Survivor's Tale My Father Bleeds History
Persepolis 1 The Story of a Childhood
Kabuki Vol 1 Circle of Blood
Fables Legends in Exile
Emma, Volume 1

multicultural:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
American Born Chinese (this is also a gn)
BoundEsperanza Rising
Sold
The Fold
Persepolis would work here too.

I haven't read all of these, but most of them, and the rest are on my tbr list. Hope this helps.
:)


message 197: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer (JenJen1221) | 623 comments Misty those are great books to recommend. You always do an amazing job recommending books...I'm off to add some of these to my list


message 198: by Misty (new)

Misty | 1505 comments *bows, waving her feathered cap*

^_^


message 199: by Misty (last edited Oct 02, 2009 10:30AM) (new)

Misty | 1505 comments Alright, LG, I've got some questions for ya. I'm trying to reshuffle some of my books to fit things I've read for the hell of it, and I'm trying to figure out my 50 pointer.
Section b has to be consecutive with section a, can the author's name in b come first (ie celia reese and dodie smith, rather than c-d, or r-s. I know it's backwards...)
Second: for section 50.c, does the honor/winner have to published in the same year as b, or win the award in the year b was published, or does it not matter?
Last question: is it going to totally screw you up points-wise if I start shuffling things around?


message 200: by Shanna (new)

Shanna | 51 comments Thanks so much Misty!


back to top