48 HBC: Finish Line

I finished reading all the books I chose for MotherReader's 49 Hour Book Challenge.  I started Friday at 7 P.M., read for several hours on Saturday and again on Sunday, finishing at around 7 P.M.

I read a total of 9 books in 28 hours, 4 picture books, 3 middle grade books, 2 YA books; I spent 2 hours networking including blogging and reading blogs; and in total, I spent around 30 hours reading 1185 pages for the 48 HBC.

Thank you, MotherReader, for hosting this event and for encouraging participants to read more diverse books.

48 HBC Update: Late Breaking News

When I opened yesterday's mail this morning, I had a book that was sent to me by a friend that is just right for adding to my list of diverse books for the 48 Hour Book Challenge.  It is a very colorful graphic novel called Gaijun: American Prisoner of War by Matt Faulkner and a book I have been wanting to read since I first heard about it months ago.

So, Gaijin is now Book 8 on my list of diverse books.  I'm so excited to finally be able to read this book.

I will see everyone at the finish line tomorrow.

48 HBC Update: Day 2

Well, so far my MotherReader's 48 Hour Book Challenge has been going along quite nicely.  Of the books I originally listed for the challenge, I have finished

1- Eddie Red Undercover, Mystery of Museum Mile by Marcia Wells

2- The Year of the Fortune Cookie by Andrea Cheng

3- Soccer Star by Mina Javaherbin

4- The Soccer Fence by Phil Bildner

Right now, I am in the middle of Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes.  Then I only have two picture books left and Eleanor and Park to read, so maybe I will have to look over the books shelves and pick out some other books.  Usually I have so many interruptions when I do a weekend reading challenge but this weekend has been pretty quiet (so far).

This has been my book challenge so far, how are you doing with yours?

MotherReader's 9th Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge: Call for Diversity

Today begins MotherReader's 9th Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge and it's not too late to sign up.  This year's reading challenge has a Call for Diversty, encouraging participants to read, share and review books that show diversity in all ways and in solidarity with the #weneeddiversebooks campaign:

Here are the books I am hoping to read this weekend and review in the future:

1- Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
    This has been on my TBR shelf way too long and I don't know why.  I absolutely loved Fangirl.

2- Soccer Star by Mina Javaherbin, illustrated by Renato Alarcão

3- The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope and Apartheid in South Africa by Phil Bildner,
     illustrated by Jesse Joshua Watson -

     These two books are in honor of the 2014 World Cup beginning on June 12th.

4- All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson, illustrated by E.B.
    Lewis

5- The Year of the Fortune Cookie by Andrea Cheng, illustrated by Patrice Barton

6- Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes

7- Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery of Museum Mile by Marcia Wells

I considered reading The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, but I'm a slow reader and I really want to savor the work of these two favorite authors.  So they are put away for later.

But, for now, let the reading games begin!