1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up Reading Challenge 2011

Do you want a chance to "advertise" your reviews/blog? Are you looking for some recommended essential reads? Do you want a chance to win prizes just for reading and reviewing books? Are you still a kid at heart or are you a parent or other adult who works with kids? 

In case you haven't already noticed, children's/YA books are my specialty, and sadly, when I was browsing this handy blog that has a compilation of reading challenges, I only came across maybe two that were specifically focused on children's books.
I did, however, notice the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die reading challenge (based on the list found in the book 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die) on Catie's blog, Pub Writes.
I thought this was a pretty spiffy idea, and I just so happen to own 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. So I'm taking Catie's idea (after adding my own personal touches to it) and running with it. May I present to you, my first attempt at ever hosting a reading challenge -

1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up Reading Challenge 2011

Rules:

• Sign up anytime between January 31 and December 30 (2011) using Mr. Linky below. I WILL NOT award entries into the giveaways (see below) if you are NOT signed up.
• The official start date for the challenge is today (January 31, 2011), but I will accept reviews done any time in 2011. 
• Grab a button to display on your blog. A post on your blog announcing participation in this challenge is appreciated, but not required. Just keep in mind, more friends, more fun!

<a href="http://ysprincess.blogspot.com/2011/01/1001-childrens-books-you-must-read.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9swmtUuE4qRC2cCzLcImCtWwzc8XZRzTP_HtT-1M_-1PwnpPyUHFbQMjbNYecYwkFHNvscJMoZhJMiDhexLW4YUotS-lkXnsRp0y8kx8jSnKgS7fNEF0NQKZYpgrnYVhcM_rYWKqqIw/s1600/ReadingChallenge.jpg"></a>

• Read and review as many books as you want from the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Die list (If you do not already own or wish to purchase a copy of 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Die but would still like to participate in this reading challenge, a complete list of the books can be found here on listology*).

• I will be posting a monthly link-up-type-thing where you can come back and link to each of your elligible reviews. I will be having monthly giveaways for books that will work as follows:
• For each challenge-elligible book you have a review for (per month) you will get 2 entries (for books in the 0-5+ age range), 3 entries (for books in the 8+ age range), or 4 entries (for books in the 12+ age range) into the monthly book giveaway. (reward subject to change) 
• If you are reading a challenge-elligible book to/with a child and you include in your review the child's reaction(s) to the book (as I do in my Storytime Suggestion posts) or corresponding activities that go with the book, you will get 2 extra entries into the monthly book giveaway. And because I'm just so generous, even if it's NOT a challenge-elligible book, if you do this you can earn 1 entry (see? Even if you don't like ANY book on the list of 1001, you can STILL participate in this challenge!). (reward subject to change)
• Books from other Reading Challenges can cross-over, as long as they are from 2011.

*If you ever notice this link is broken, please let me know right away. I will either hunt down another link or type the list myself, if I have to. Also, if you are looking for titles by recommended age, contact me and I can break it down for you.

Reading Challenges 2010 - Wrap-Up

Well...I failed at all of my reading challenge goals for 2010. -hangs head in shame-

But at the same time I guess it's really not that big of a deal. I definitely read over 100 library books in story time, and I even read a couple more teen books than I officially "counted". My problem was that I couldn't bring myself to count them towards a reading challenge if I didn't review them (there's that perfectionist in me again...), since that was my whole reason for trying out the reading challenges - to find great (or not so great) books to review on my blog.

My life was pretty crazy for most of 2010. It had its ups and downs (thankfully more ups than downs) and I was a full time student and employee the whole year through. With any luck I'll pass the five classes I'm taking now and have at least the summer off to do whatever I want - like read.

All that being said, I'm not letting last years failures stop me from at least signing up for more reading challenges this year! I've managed to narrow my choices down to two challenges (plus the first one I am hosting myself), so look for that post soon-ish. I'm even going to try hosting my own reading challenge as long as the awesome graphic designer that is the love of my life can make me a button for it tomorrow.

In the meantime, here's what I did manage to officially accomplish last year (if you're interested in reading past reviews, I have a handy link to my archives in my navbar) :

Completed 4/12 Challenges 

Read & Reviewed 21/100 Books

Read & Reviewed 4/12 Books

Take Another Chance Reading Challenge

You may have been able to tell from my Daily Dose post from yesterday, that I really enjoyed my trip out to Las Vegas last year. What does that have to do with any form of reading challenge, you might ask?

When I first saw the Take Another Chance Challenge, it half appealed to me because of the Roulette wheel, and half did not, because of the title. I don't really like re-reading books if I didn't like them the first time because I feel there are so many more books out there to read that I would enjoy the first go-round. Turns out, this challenge doesn't have to do with re-reading at all. Find Your Next Book Here's 2009 challenge was appropriately (judging by the Vegas/gambling-style buttons/banners) called the Take a Chance Challenge, therefore this year's challenge is called Take Another Chance. Phew, what relief. This challenge now appeals to me because of the totally random ways they get you to discover books for you to read.

I'm a bit late joining the challenge, but here are the rules:

~ The challenge runs throughout all of 2010.
~ There are three participation/"gambling" levels. Midway through the challenge you can decide to change which level you are going for.

• A Small Gamble: Complete 3 out of the 12 challenges
• A Moderate Gamble: Complete 6 out of the 12 challenges
• Gambling it All (I personally feel this should be re-named "All-in"): Complete all 12 of the challenges

~ Each challenge completed will earn at least one entry (more for the more difficult challenges) for the prize drawing (winner's choice from Amazon under $25) at the end of the challenge. If all 12 challenges are completed, you will get 5 extra entries.
~ Books used for other challenges are allowed to cross over to this one.

What are the challenges?

Rather than confuse you to the point of not bothering to give this challenge a chance, I'm just going to redirect you to FYNBH's post. I'll just use the following space for my reading plans:

1. "Read Your Doppelganger" - I guess I'll be reading Casey at the Bat by Ernest Thayer. I spent too long looking through our online catalog and the author section of Children's Books in Print and couldn't come up with much else. I plan on compensating for the length by reading and reviewing two versions.
2. "Blogroll Roulette" - I chose Abby (the) Librarian's blog to pick the...other blog. The blog I have to choose my book from wound up being Interactive Reader, and I've narrowed my choices down to one of the following: A Kiss in Time, The Hunger Games, Deadly Little Secret, Heart of a Shepherd, or Nothing but Ghosts.
3. "100 Best Book" - I don't know what book I'll be reading yet, but I know it will come off the 2009 BBYA list.
4. "Prize Winner Book" - It will wind up being a Caldecott or Newbery winner.
5. "Title Word Count" - Random.org gave me the number 2, so I'll be reading Planet Pregnancy, Forever Changes, or Blue Bloods for this portion of the challenge.
6. "Genre Switch-Up" - I rarely read Science Fiction, so for this one I'll be listening to Stephenie Meyer's The Host.
7. "Break a Prejudice" - I'll definitely be reading something along the lines of The Clique/A-List/Gossip Girls...
8. "Real and Inspired" - I'm going to go with Peter Pan and Peter Pan in Scarlett. (Thanks to one of our shelvers to this awesome suggestion!)
9. "Same Word, Different Book" - Twilight. I'm not sure which two versions yet, but that's my choice word.
10. "Become a Character" - Elisabeth: The Princess Bride. If I have to write as a character, I might as well have the same name as the character.
11. "All in the Family" - Call it cheating if you want - it probably is; but I'm probably going to do a few Curious George books for this (Margaret & H.A.). Unless, of course, someone has a better recommendation of longer books, but still in the J/YA section, or REALLY good adult book.
12. "Author Anthology Pick" - I've pulled the only three anthologies we have in the Children's department, and they are (I'll choose from one): Big Bear's Treasury, My Kingdom for a Horse, and Talking to the Sun.

Because there is a turning back point, I'll say I'm going all-in.
...I mean I'll "gamble it all"...
Wish me luck!

J. Kaye Reading Challenges '10

Seeing others post about reading challenges has lead an inquiring mind to wonder - what are they? Turns out, they're pretty self explanatory. Reading challenges are a form of a challenge to get you to read. The challenges differ by the genre or author of the books, the amount of books you have to read, whether or not you have to have a blog to review the books, etc. I have always loved to read, I just never find the time when I'm in school. I have also been meaning to begin reviewing books on my blog for 5+ months. So, I have joined two reading challenges, hoping that even with a full time school and work schedule in 2010, this will be the motivation I need. (I'll admit, I joined the YA challenge seperately just because I liked the banner so much. :D)

There are four levels for this challenge:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

For this challenge, I am aiming for the Super Size Me level. Obviously most, if not all, of these books will be children's books. Hopefully, with storytimes just around the corner, this will be easy-peasy.

There are four levels for this challenge:

--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
--Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.
--Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.
--Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels.

Because of my busy schedule and the fact that I am trying for 100 books in the other challenge, I am probably going to shoot for the Mini YA Reading Challenge, and if I do more than 12, good for me.

These challenges do not require a set list of books I plan to read ahead of time, so I will post a list of planned reading, but it is not against the rules to change my mind. 

If you are signed up, or would like to sign up for either of these reading challenges, feel free to contact me. I would love to hear what you are reading and help each other through the challenge.