Friday, January 12, 2018

Taking Stock of 2017 - Looking Forward to 2018


I’ve been thinking a lot about my 2017 and my 2018 reading year. In 2017, 
1- I made no resolutions which means no resolutions to break;
2- I set up a Goodreads Reading Challenge of 250 books, 100 books more than in 2016;
3- I set up a few other reading challenges that I found interesting;
4- I was a Cybils second round Middle Grade Fiction judge for the 4th year in a row; and
5- I was a co-host for Multicultural Children’s Book Day for the first time;
6- I went to BookExpo with less enthusiasm than I usually have because they made it really expensive for bloggers so I missed some of the friends I always see there. Granted, it wasn’t as crowded, but there was a certain excitement missing;
7- I enjoyed going the BookFest@Bank Street once again;
8- I did participate in a Historical Fiction panel at KidLitCon in Hersey, PA in November. Much as I don’t like public speaking, I have to admit it was fun, and it’s always nice to see fellow bloggers again (especially since BookExpo isn’t so welcoming anymore), and to meet some great kid lit authors;
10- In my non-virtual life, I am still serving as a member of the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee and reading lots of books for it.

For all that, I didn’t post as much as usual on either one of my blogs, The Children’s War or Randomly Reading, because I had to spend so much time dealing with the aftermath of a fire someone started with a candle four floors above my apartment. 

I really didn’t accomplished much on my Reading Challenges either. I even had to lower the number of books on my Goodreads Challenge from 250 to 200. And although I actually surpassed 250, there were a lot of picture books.

So what’s in store for 2018? Pretty much the same as 2017, except no reading challenges other than Goodreads
1- I made no resolutions which means no resolutions to break;
2- I set up a Goodreads Reading Challenge of 250 books;
3- I am a Cybils second round Middle Grade Fiction judge for the 5th year in a row; and
4- I am a co-host for Multicultural Children’s Book Day for the second time;
5- I am still reading for the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee;
6- BookExpo? Maybe
7- BookFest? Definitely
8- KidLItCon? Hopefully

What’s different in 2018? 
1- This year, I would like to read and review more transitional and chapter books;
2- I would like to read and review more graphic books and even some manga;
3- Increase the number of Young Adult books I read and review; 
4- Instead of participating in reading challenges, I’ve made my own list of books I want to read or reread:
Blitzcat by Robert Westall
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
Jenny and The Cat Club by Esther Averill
Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars by Ellen MacGregor
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Tales from Deckawoo Drive by Kate DiCamillo 
Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton 
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
Skellig by David Almond
Klaus Vogel and the Bad Lads by David Almond
Metropolis by Osamu Tezuka
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki
We Couldn’t Leave Dinah by Mary Treadgold
The Stranger in Primrose Lane by Noel Streatfeild 
Johnny and the Bomb by Terry Pratchett

I am looking forward to what this year will bring. What are you looking forward to?

1 comment:

  1. Thanks so much for co-hosting Multicultural Children's Book Day and for all the work you do promoting children's books and literacy!

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