Kellee's Rules, Tasks, and Scoreboard *Challenge Ended*

[Kellee]

vicki_girl wrote: "My point count is incorrect. I should have twenty. I had one after-the-month book for December. I didn't get to finish any (that met the challenge) before the end of December. I finished [book:..."

I fixed it on my spreadsheet and I will update it next time I update :)

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

April holidays/theme

Alcohol Awareness month
Autism Awareness month
Confederate History month
Month of the Military Child
Church of Latter Day Saints day (6)
National Student Athlete day (6)
National Sibling day (10)
Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) day (12)
Ellis Island Family History day (17)
Columbine shooting (20)


May holidays/themes

Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage month
National Mental Health Awareness month (Children's Mental Health week 1-7)
Astronomy week (2-8)
Black Single Parents week (5/29-6/4)
Free Comic Book day (1)
Paranormal day (3)
National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (6)
Mother's day (8)
Biographer's day (16)
Nerd/Geek Pride day (25)

I'll get a poll up in a few days.

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Polls are up! Go vote!

[Kellee]

Jennifer W wrote: "Polls are up! Go vote!"

Done!!!
There are some interesting holidays there that would make really interesting reading topics!

[Kellee]

The winners for April and May have been chosen!!! Love the ones that were chosen!!

I will make the tasks and post them in Message 2.

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

June holiday/theme nominations:

Audiobook appreciation month
Great Outdoors month
International Childhood Cancer Awareness month
National GLBT Book month
Drawing day/ Pencil day (4)
D-Day (6)
Daniel Boone day (7)
Race Unity day (12)
Queen's Official Birthday (13)
International Fairy day (24)

July holiday/theme nominations:

National Black Family month
National Parenting Gifted Children week (12-18)
National Zoo Keeper week (17-23)
Comic-con International (23-24)
Canada day (1)
I Forgot day (2)
Independence Day (4)
Mandela day (18)
Gorgeous Grandma day (23)
Barbie-in-a-Blender day (27)

August holiday/theme nominations

American Adventures month
National Runaway Prevention month
Ramadan
Simplify Your Life week (1-7)
Exercise with your Child week (8-14)
Girlfriend's day (1)
Meaning of "Is" day (17)
Pluto Demoted day (24)
Vesuvius day (24)
The Duchess Who Wasn't day (27)

I'll get polls up this weekend.

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Polls up for the next 3 months! Go vote!

[Kellee]

Guys- we are SO close to 500 points! Let's try to hit it before the summer is over! :)

[Kellee]

Wow guys- some interesting choices for the summer ;) Will have the June, July and August challenges up soon.

[Kellee]

Kellee wrote: "Guys- we are SO close to 500 points! Let's try to hit it before the summer is over! :)"

We hit it before May was over!!! Awesome job everyone :)

[Kellee]

I put the June, July and August challenges up- Go check out message 2 :)

[Kellee]

Hey- my computer died and I haven't backed up my stuff since April, so give me a bit to catch up and get everything figured out. When I think I have everything right, I will let you know and if you could check your totals then, that'd be great :)

Happy reading!

[Kellee]

*Phew!* I just realized I'd updated as of June 11th, so I can just start with the totals there and add anything after June 11th. Yay me! :-P

[Kellee]

Okay- so I think I am completely updated- will you check your total please and let me know if there is anything wrong?

Thanks for understanding ladies :)

[Cristen]

Does anyone have some recommendations for the August read? I don't have anything on my To Be Read list that really fits the bill (I have other sci-fi genre books, like The Power of Six coming out on the 23rd - but that is set on Earth not in space)

[Kellee]

Cristen wrote: "Does anyone have some recommendations for the August read? I don't have anything on my To Be Read list that really fits the bill (I have other sci-fi genre books, like [book:The Power of Six|865960..."

Have you read Across the Universe? Black Hole Sun? Knife of Never Letting Go? Lost Time (by Schmid)? Feed (by Anderson)?

If not, they fit and they're all quite good.

[Cristen]

I've read Across the Universe and Feed, but not the others. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Kellee]

Cristen wrote: "I've read Across the Universe and Feed, but not the others. Thanks for the suggestions!"

You're welcome!
I'd say Knife of Never Letting go or Black Hole Sun first.

[Emily]

I second Knife of Never Letting Go

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

September holiday/theme nominations:

AKC Responsible Dog Ownership month
ADHD month
Women's Friendship month
National Hispanic Heritage month
Constitution week (17-23)
Trail of Tears Commemoration day (16)
Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary day (17)
World Tourism day (27)
Rosh Hashanah (28)
Blasphemy day (30)

October holiday/theme nominations:

Celebrating the Bilingual Child month
Church Library month
German-American Heritage month
National Book month (http://www.nationalbook.org/bookup_bo...)
Mystery Series week (2-8)
Freedom from Bullies week (16-22)
Child Health day (3)
National Coming Out day (11)
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction (13)
Black Poetry day (17)

Other suggestions appreciated (just keep in mind the themes we've done in past years). Polls will go up in a few days!

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Polls up for September and October are up! Go vote!
http://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/17...

[Kellee]

FINALLY updated the scoreboard and also added September's and October's challenge to the list :)

[Jesi]

For September's reads, I have the following books that I'm looking at reading - would you mind looking them over and telling me if they'd work? Godless by Pete Hautman, House of Dark Shadows by Robert Liparulo (people have it listed as "Christian fiction,) Madapple by Christina Meldrum (people have it listed as "Religion,") and Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate by Karey (K.S.R. Kingworth) Shane (again, listed as "Christian fiction.") Thanks ahead!

[Kellee]

Jesi- Some great choices!

Godless, Madapple- Definitely
House of Dark Shadows- I can't tell how it is Christian fiction, so I can't answer. If the protagonist questions his religion at any point, then it'd be fine.
Secret speakers- It seems like it would work... maybe?

[Jesi]

Thanks, Kellee! I'm going to go with Godless, then, as it'll fit the starred review for the other challenge, too. :)

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

I agree that Madapple would work, though I personally couldn't get through it.
A couple others:
Converting Kate
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Also, in the book Pure there's an interesting scene in which the main character looks to see where the idea of no sex before marriage comes from and doesn't find it in the Bible.

There's been quite a few adult books about questioning Islam, but I don't know if it has yet filtered down to YA. Infidel is a fabulous, and disturbing, read about that.

[Jesi]

I read Are You There God as a kid - god, that was ages ago! Good memories.

Jennifer, I don't like you anymore.* Aren't challenges supposed to take books *off* my TBR list, not add them? I'm adding ALL of the ones you listed - they look great!

*Yes, that's a joke. Actually, so is the comment about taking books off my list - I've come to the conclusion that reading challenges actually make me *add* to it.

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

No worries, Jesi, I *hate* ;) goodreads all the time...
I haven't read Converting Kate yet, I probably will for this task. I used to take Are you There, God... out from the library like once a month when I was a preteen. I reread it a little while ago and it was still as good as I remembered.
I was surprised how much I liked Pure. The characters were very realistic. I intend to read more from that author.

Oh, I think Once Was Lost involves questioning religion, too. Sorry Jesi. ;)

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

November holidays/ themes:

Family Stories month
Military Family Appreciation month
National Inspirational Role Models' month
National Young Reader's week (7-11)
American Education week (13-19)
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week (13-19)
Better Conversation week (21-27)
Kristallnacht (9-10)
Fibonacci day (23)
Islamic New Year (26)


December holidays/themes:

Rising Star month
Kwanzaa (26-1/1)
Rosa Parks day (1)
Human Rights day (10)
International Mountain day (11)
Underdog day (16)
Hanukkah (20)
Festivus (23)
A'phabet day AKA No "L" day (25)
Christmas (25)


Polls to go up in a few days.

[Angela Sunshine]

Hi girlies, what's our challenge for October? I see that it'll be mystery related and I actually have a couple mysteries in queue!

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Though it took a bit longer than expected (I didn't want these themes confused with the group read themes), the polls for November's and December's themes are up.

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/17...

[Kellee]

We have lots of ties on the scoreboard right now. 3 people at 36 points and 2 at 20 points. Who can break the tie first?!

[Kellee]

December challenge is up! :) See message #2.

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

January holiday/themes

International Creativity month
Rising Star month
Universal Letter Writing week (8-14)
Ellis Island day (1)
Rose Bowl game (2)
Momento Mori ("Remember You Die") day (3)
Earth at Perihelion (shortest distance away from the sun) (4)
Appreciate a Dragon day (16)
Robert E Lee day (16)
Chinese New Year (23)



February holidays/themes

Dog Training Education month
Boy Scout Anniversary week (5-11)
Brotherhood/Sisterhood week (19-25)
GI Joe day (1)
Robinson Crusoe day (1)
Groundhog day (2)
The Day The Music Died (3)
Wear Red day (3)
National Stop Bullying day (9)
Academy Awards night (26)

I'll get a poll up sometime this weekend!

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Polls are up!

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Goodness! Just realized that I never posted holidays for March! Here's some that I found. If anyone has some to add, let me know by the weekend and I'll get a poll up.

Red Cross month
Deaf History month
Irish-American Heritage month
National Social Work month
Iditarod race (3-18)
National Procrastination week (4-10)
Witch Hysteria day (1)
World Book day (1)
International Ask a Question day (14)
Make Up Your Own Holiday day (26)

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Poll is up!

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

April holidays/themes

Autism Awareness month
National Poetry month
Gathering of the Nations PowWow 26-28
Church of Latter Day Saints day 6
National Student Athlete day 6
National Sibling day 10
Thomas Jefferson day 13
Movie Theater day 23
Hug an Austrailian day 26
Dia de los Ninos/ Dia de los Libros 30


May holidays/themes

Creative Beginnings month
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month
National Mental Health month
Teacher Appreciation week 7-11
Black Single Parents week 5/29-6/4
National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy 4
Cinco de Mayo 5
V E day 8
Rural Life Sunday 13
Memorial day 28

[Kellee]

About to update the total points. We are at 754- that is phenomenal.

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

June holiday/themes:

Audio Book Appreciation month
National GLBTQ Book month
Caribbean-American Heritage month
Great Outdoors month
Lightning Safety Awareness weekend (24-30)
Multicultural American Children's day (10)
Queen's Official Birthday (13)
Bloomsday (16)
Ladies' day (baseball) (16)
World Refugee day (20)


Let me know if anyone has any other holidays for June. Poll will go up this weekend.

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Can't sleep, so the poll is up!

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

July holidays/themes:

Bioterrorism/Disaster Education Awareness month
Tour de France month
National Baby Food week (12-15)
National Zookeeper week (15-21)
Canada day (1)
Roswell UFO days (1-3)
Made in the USA day (2)
Moon day (20)
Ramadan (20)
Mormon Pioneer day (24)

August holidays/themes:

American Indian Heritage month
American History Essay Contest (8/12-12/12) (don't worry, we won't make you write an essay for your points;)
Get Ready for Kindergarten month
Simplify Your Life week (1-7)
National Scrabble week (11-15)
Lughnasa (1) (Celtic Harvest Festival)
Sister's Day (5)
Hiroshima day (6)
Smithsonian day (10)
S'mores day (10)


September holidays/themes:

National Recovery month
Save the Koala month
Shameless Promotion month
V-J day (2)
Swap Ideas day (10)
Anne Bradstreet day (16)
Stay Away from Seatle day (16)
Rosh Hashanah (17)
Dear Diary day (22)
Punctuation day (24)

Poll to go up next week.

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

October holidays/themes:

AIDS Awareness month
Apple month
Bat Appreciation month
Bullying Prevention month
German-American/ Italian-American/ Polish-American Heritage month
National Reading Group month
Fire Prevention week (7-13)
International Day of Older Persons (1)
World Teacher's day (5)
National Face Your Fears day (9)

November Holidays/Themes

Family Stories month
Aviation History month
Historic Bridge Awareness month
Military Family Appreciation month
National Inspriational Role Models month
Dear Santa Letter week (7-13)
Sherlock Holmes weekend (2-4)
Election day (6)
Gettysbug Address day (19)

December Holidays/Themes

Spiritual Literacy month
Human Rights week (10-17)
Christmas Bird Count week (12/16-1/5)
Rosa Parks day (1)
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (2)
Day of the Horse (8)
Worldwide Candle Lighting day (9)
Poinsettia day (12)
International Migrants day (18)
A'phabet day or No "L" day (25)

I'll get a poll up in a few days!

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Polls are up! Vote!!

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/17...

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Our voting numbers make me sad. :( Should we send out a mass e-mail to alert members to the polls? I usually don't like to do that because people vote who have no real interest in participating, but this challenge is flexible enough that I'm sure we can manage with whatever theme is chosen. What do participants think?

[Kellee]

Jennifer W wrote: "Our voting numbers make me sad. :( Should we send out a mass e-mail to alert members to the polls? I usually don't like to do that because people vote who have no real interest in participating, bu..."

I like the mass emails for any polls, but let's see what others think :)

[Angela Sunshine]

I'm good with mass emails. I try to send them out when I remember :)

I don't necessarily mind if people vote without participating. I feel like if a book comes up that they voted for, maybe they'll be swayed to join in that month.

[Marlena]

Jennifer W wrote: "Looks great, Kellee!

I found this website http://www.brownielocks.com/month2.html for listings of odd holidays. Each month I'll go through and pick a few that sound like they would make good book..."

Try holidaysforeveryday.com as well

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

January

Fireside Warmth month
Learn Spanish month
National Skating month
Rising Star month
Z day (1)
National Negro Baseball League Birthday (4)
Cuddle Up day (6)
Miss America Pageant (12)
Vietnam Peace day (27)
Backwards day (31)

February

National Bird Feeding month
Youth Leadership month
International Hoof Care month
Brotherhood/Sisterhood week (17-23)
Texas Cowboy Poetry week (22-24)
Groundhog day (2)
Disaster day (5)
Digital Learning day (6)
National Girls and Women in Sports day (6)
Locomotive's Birthday (21)

[Jennifer W, WT Moderator]

Polls are up for January and February! I'll add March this weekend.