#MustReadin2021 - A Reading Challenge

 

#MustReadin2021 is a reading challenge that originated with Carrie Gelson at There's a Book for That and is now being co-hosted by Cheriee Weichel at Library Matters and Leigh Ann Eck at A Day in the Life. The idea is to finally read the books still sitting on your To Be Read shelves. The beauty of this challenge is that there is no set number of books, any genre and category works.

I'm a little late signing up for this reading challenge, but that seems to be my modus operandi lately.  Most of the books I show here are picture books I have been able to share with my young readers despite the pandemic, but they are books that I haven't had a chance to share with my blog readers. I'm hoping #MustReadIn2021 will provide the impetus I need to do that. I do have some middle grade fiction to read but they are Cybils finalists and since I'm a second round judge, I can't talk about them until after February 14th, when the winners are announced - always an exciting day.

Thank you, Cheriee and Leigh Ann for hosting this reading challenge and I wish everyone a very Happy New Year.

It's...Cybils Time? YES, IT IS! It's time for the #CybilsReaddown TBR Challenge

It may be spring outside, but we are all stuck in the house doing our bit to help fight the spread of the coronavirus. What better time is there for a reading challenge? And the #Cybils Awards has stepped up to the plate with a reading challenge that will help you spring clean all those books sitting in you TBR pile. And it's such a simple challenge, but naturally there are a few rules⬇︎

CYBILS AWARDS TBR READING CHALLENGE

October 1st will be here before we know it, and we'll be looking for your nominations for Cybils 2020...and some of those nominees might just be sitting on your TBR pile! To help you find those nominees (and get through anything else on that pile) we're inviting you to join our challenge!

The #CybilsReaddown challenge runs from 4/15/2020 to 6/15/2020. This challenge is not about who read the most books!

Instead, the goal of this challenge is to share with other readers what you are reading, reviewing, and recommending (or not) to others.

To make it a little extra fun, we have a prize!! One lucky reader will win a Cybils Awards book tote! The winner will be selected in a random drawing of entries.

➜Participation Rules:

Step1: RSVP to the Cybils TBR Challenge Event on Facebook by 4/17

Step 2: Check-In with (a) "before" photo on Twitter or Instagram; and/or (b) number in the "TBR CHALLENGE STARTING LINE" post on Facebook.

Step 3: Start reading, reviewing, and sharing your progress to earn entries!

IMPORTANT: There are lots of ways to earn entries. BUT regardless of platform, an entry

much include the #CybilsReadDown to be valid.

Step 4: Between 6/15/2020 and 6/17/2020. Check-In with an "after" photo on Twitter or Instagram; or (b) the new number on our "TBR CHALLENGE FINISH LINE" post on Facebook.

Facebook:

• Join the event HERE
• Post your review (blog, vlog, Goodreads, etc in our "TBR CHALLENGE REVIEWS" post
• Post your bookstack image on the "SHOW US YOUR STACK" post on Facebook

Goodreads:

• Join our GoodReads community HERE
• RSVP to the Challenge on GoodReads HERE
• Create a Challenge-related GoodReads Shelf to track your reading and post the shelf name in our Event Discussion Board

Instagram:

• Follow @CybilsAwards on Instagram
• Show us your (dwindling) bookstack in an Instagram post (max. entry: 3 per week)

Twitter:

• Follow @CybilsAwards on Twitter
• Tweet or retweet a Challenge Invitations (max. 3 entries total)
• Tweet about your progress (max. entry: 3 per week)

BONUS ENTRIES:

! Share your GoodReads review in our GoodReads group, on Twitter, and on our Facebook "TBR CHALLENGE REVIEWS" post.

! Tweet about or Instagram post a book you want nominated in the upcoming Cybils Awards cycle (Publication dates: 10/16/2019 - 10/15/2020).

! Read AND review any book on the Cybils Awards Finalists (any category) between 2009 - 2019. Find books HERE

Reminder: When posting via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, be sure to use the hashtag #CybilsReaddown to have your entries count.

Other Important Points (aka Terms and Conditions)

• You must live in the United States or Canada to win the tote. We can't ship overseas.
• We will use http://www.randomnumbergeneratory.com to determine the winning entry.

GOOD LUCK AND STAY SAFE!

2016 Reading Challenges Wrap Up and my 2017 Reading Challenges

Well, the day of reckoning has arrived and it's time to look at how I did on my 2016 Reading Challenges and decide which ones I am going to participate in this year.

2016 Reading Challenges:

2016 was my first Goodreads Reading Challenge and I had no real idea about how many books I read in a year. I read books for this blog, for my other blog, for a children's book committee I am on, for Cybils Middle Grade Fiction round two judging, and occasionally I even read an adult book or two. So for 2016, I set my goal at 150 and, officially, I finished with 222 books (not counting some I forgot to list). So this year, I set my goal at 250 books.

I love the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge hosted by Alyson Beecher at Kid Lit Frenzy because it really does challenge me to read more nonfiction than I might otherwise and in one of my favorite forms - picture books. And each year I set my goal and never reach it, or it looks like I don't reach it because I sometimes forget to link my post. In 2016, I set my goal at 25 books and read a total of 19, some not linked.

I did exactly as pitifully on the 2016 Newbery Reading Challenge as I did on the 2015 Newbery Challenge hosted by Julie at Smiling Shelves. Out of a goal of 29 points, I managed 7. Try again in 2017?

2017 Reading Challenges:

 As I said, I upped the ante on this challenge by 100 books to a total of 250.  We'll see what happens.

The 2017 Old School Kidlit Reading Challenge is being hosted by Katie Fitzgerald at Read-At-Home-Mom. As Katie writes, each month will focus on a different category and challengers are to choose a book that fits the category, read it and review it somewhere. You can find more information about what makes a book old school and the monthly categories on the challenge page.

The 2017 Picture Book Reading Challenge is being hosted by Becky at Becky's Book Reviews. There are three ways to do this challenge: a Bingo card, a checklist or an ABC list following the letters of the alphabet.  I've decided to do the Bingo card, which looks like this:

I've decided to sign up for one more reading challenge this year. I still have some books I haven't read that I got from Netgalley and Edelweiss and I've decided it's time to get them off my TBR list. Bookish Things & More is hosting the ideal reading challenge to meet my goal of finishing these books. For this challenge, I've chosen the Silver Level of 25 books, even though I don't have that many.   

I have to admit, these seem like a very ambitious goals for 2017.  I just wish I were a faster reader.

2014 Reading Challenges

For some reason, I did not do all that well with my reading challenges last year.  It wasn't like I went overboard with the number of reading challenges I chose or that I chose to read just too may large books.

So far this year, I have decided to do only one reading challenges.  I would like a YA and picture book challenge but haven't found any that appeal to me, so if you hear of any, perhaps you will let me know.  I am kind of hoping that Alyson at Kid Lit Frenzy will host another year of her Nonfiction Picture Book challenge.

The one reading challenge I am going to participate in is the 2014 Newbery Reading Challenge hosted by Julie at Smiling Shelves.  This challenge is done a little differently than most.  I'll let Julie explain it.

Each book you read is worth points. You get:

• 3 points for a Newbery Medal Winner
• 2 points for a Newbery Honor Book
• 1 point for a Caldecott Medal Winner (Gotta give the picture books some love, too.)

In addition to that, you pick a level to aim for:

• L'Engle: 15 - 29 points
• Spinelli: 30 - 44 points
• Avi: 45 - 59 points
• Lowry: 60 - 74 points
• Konigsburg: 75+ points

Given how things went last year, I think I will go for the L'Engle level to begin with.  

Have any reading challenges attracted your attention yet?

Indulging in Reading Challenges

I can't believe I am doing this, but besides the three reading challenges I have already signed up for, I am adding two more to the list - they are just too good to pass up.

The first new addition is the 2013 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy.  For this reading challenge, I am hoping to read 25 nonfiction picture books from various years, not just 2013.

The next reading challenge is hosted by Gathering Books and is the 2013 Award Winning Reading Challenge. I think, however, I will sign up for level 1 (10 books or less) - Bronze Medal and stick to picture, middle grade and YA books.  Any medial counts so this is a really broad category.

Both of these should be lots of fun and I am looking forward to them.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I started Randomly Reading too late in 2012 to really participate in any reading challenges, so it is rather exciting to be able to do that now.

I am reading a lot of MG/YA Fantasy now since I am on a children's book committee so naturally I was drawn to the 2013 YA/MG Fantasy Challenge hosted by The Book Cellar.  The goal is to read 10 YA/MG fantasy books over the year, which should be lots of fun.



The next reading challenge I am interested in is the Dystopia 2013 Reading Challenge hosted by Blog of Erisred.  I am committing to Level 1: Recruit 1-6 books.  There are several novels or sequels that fit this category that I haven't read yet, so I am really looking forward to it.


The last reading challenge is on I also signed up for on my other blog, The Children's War.  It is the 2013 Pre-1960 Classic Children's Books Reading Challenge hosted by Turning the Pages.  I love old children's books and have saved many from my own childhood that would probably qualify for this reading challenge since they were hand me downs to begins with.

I am really looking forward to the coming year.

2nd Annual Spooktacular Paranormal Reading Challenge

What fun, I thought, when I saw that Marie at Ramblings of a Daydreamer was hosting her 2nd Annual Spooktacular Paranormal Reading Challenge.  Participation is easy -

1- just read a minimum of three paranormal books between October 1st and October 31st and post your reviews somewhere - your blog, Amazon, GoodReads, etc.  And when you link up your review over at Ramblings of a Daydreamer, you will automatically be entered into Marie's giveaway, a copy of her new book Undressed;

2- follow Marie on GFC;

3- Grab this button and place it on your website

4- Start reading.

Oh yes, one last thing - what counts as a paranormal book for this challenge?  According to Marie, it can be paranormal, fantasy, urban fantasy - basically any ‘creature’ or ‘otherworldly’ book counts - vampires, werewolves, faeries, shape shifters, zombies, angels, demons, mermaids, dragons, witches/wizards/sorcerers, trolls, sirens, banshees, etc.