It started last year...January 1, 2012. My oldest girlie decided that she wanted to read 100 books for the year. She missed it by seven books. She was so close that she wanted to try again this year.
On December 31st, 2012 at dinner my girl sat with pen and paper and planned her next year of reading. Her set of self-imposed rules. #1 Books must be new, as in never read before. #2 If you have started a book you can not be more than one chapter into it or it doesn't count. #3 Do school books count or not? That was her achilles heel last year. She read so many for school but refused to count them towards her total. Claiming that she only wanted to count books she actually wanted to read. She would have well surpassed her goal if she had used them. But, like I said, her rules man.
As I sat listening to her I realized that I had read an abysmal amount of books in 2012. My reading time now effectively taken up by my knitting time. Sad but true. So, I did what any reasonable, crazy mama would do and signed on.
Our goal is 100 books each for the year. My oldest boy decided that he wanted in on the action and set his goal for 50 books. The big daddy thought it a brilliant idea and set his goal at 50 books as well.
Together that will be 300 books. My daughter and I have long-term plans for this. When there are more readers in the house the potential is great. In fact, numbers like a thousand books for the year, "even when she's gone to college", were mentioned. Optimistic perhaps?
So the lists have been posted. Side by side on the wall downstairs. Not that we are competing at all. Of course we aren't! Not really. Though, I do need to go read and read since my girlie just posted her second book and let's face it...I'm not one to be beat by a thirteen year old.
Any books you recommend? I'd love to know...
Am I right in remembering your daughter loves mermaids? If so, Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings was a very good YA read. Are you on Goodreads? Excellent place for recommendations. And good luck! :)
Posted by: Phoe | Monday, January 07, 2013 at 01:56 PM
Hmmm... that's a lofty goal! Does it count if you listen to a book while you knit/sew too? Have you both read If I Stay by Gale Forman? That's one my girl and I both loved!
Posted by: Laura Nelkin | Monday, January 07, 2013 at 02:03 PM
Okay, I like this idea, so much so that I might play along phantomly. Have you read the Outlander Series by Gaboldon? And you might like The Paradise War, The Silver Hand and The Endless Knot by Lawhead (it took me a couple of chapters to get into it and then I ended up reading all three.
Posted by: Sara | Monday, January 07, 2013 at 05:28 PM
Unfortunately it does not count, per HER rules, to listen to book on tape. Eyes must be on the page reading. tough I know. Thank you for the suggestion Laura, I will look it up.
Posted by: Kellen | Monday, January 07, 2013 at 07:06 PM
Thank you Phoe! You are correct that my girl loves mermaids. still. She read Mermaids Don't Hold Their Breath but not the one you suggested. It's been added to the list. Goodreads is my next stop.
Posted by: Kellen | Monday, January 07, 2013 at 07:08 PM
Oh Sara, don't play along phantomly, let me know what you are reading! That would be much more fun. I've read all the Outlander series and they are a great suggestion for those who haven't. The other books I will check into. Thank you so much for the ideas.
Posted by: Kellen | Monday, January 07, 2013 at 07:10 PM
What a wonderful challenge.
"My Sister Sif"- Ruth Park, is a mermaid one that I adored about the same age. And There Are Worse Things That Happen At Sea, is another wonderful one I just finished. Made me belly laugh and sob.
Posted by: cityhippyfarmgirl | Monday, January 07, 2013 at 08:08 PM
Thank you for the fun suggestions. I'm loving this idea most for all the great book recommendations already! Lovely to hear form you.
Posted by: Kellen | Monday, January 07, 2013 at 09:16 PM
I have a few suggestions for your reading, Kellen. Recent favorites reads of mine, though the books are not necessarily recently published.... An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler, The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, and Invisible by Paul Auster.
Then, my favorite mystery series is from the 1930's by Dorothy Sayers a British author, mostly about a highly-educated woman who ends up doing detective work with her keen admirer Lord Peter Whimsy. Her books are witty and low on gore -- just the way I like a mystery. I always take one for a plane flight. Try "Gaudy Night" - it's not the first in the series but order doesn't much matter.
I love knitting so much that it is hard to make time for reading, which to be fair was my first love after all. Good luck to you & your knitting! (And, please tell us via your blog when you read something you really enjoy.)
Posted by: amy | Tuesday, January 08, 2013 at 07:13 AM
Thank you Amy! I haven't been much of a mystery reader but I will give that series a try. Maybe the "low gore" factor will help. The others sound interesting and I will add them to my list. I will definitely let you know if I read something good. I love to share books that were intriguing and engaging! Nice to hear from you Amy!
Posted by: Kellen | Tuesday, January 08, 2013 at 07:28 AM
I should've qualified my mystery recommendation to say that I'm not a mystery reader either...well, except for in sixth grade when I decided to read every novel Agatha Christie ever wrote. But, a book-loving friend introduced me to Dorothy Sayers 5 summers ago and now I reread them happily when I need some relaxation. There's something about the character Harriet that appeals to me greatly.
I think I might be making a read more resolution too. I've found myself thinking about this post of yours quite a bit. However, given the state of my memory, I will not be disallowing rereading!
Posted by: amy | Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 05:03 AM
Kellen I love this! What an amazing goal and phenomenal thing to do with your daughter! I'll be wishing you lots of happy reading. Will listening to it on audio count? That's how I knit and read!
Posted by: anne | flax & twine | Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 09:30 AM
Love this goal! 100 is a LOT of books. I'm trying for 60 this year. Five a month seems do-able.
Three Junes is a good family saga. Someone above recommended An Everlasting Meal, and I loved that one. (Also a good one to read if you are distracted by goings-on, because there really is no "plot" to follow.) The Night Circus is on my nightstand, although I haven't started it yet, but several people have said good things about it. Also, The Scorpio Races. It is YA, so both you and your daughter might like it. I read it, and now I want to move to the fictional island of Thisby.
Posted by: Karen | Thursday, February 07, 2013 at 02:39 PM