New Reader....coming this summer!

The blog has taken a back seat to getting adjusted to a new job.  Being a school librarian is lots of fun, but very different than a public librarian!  I love working with the kids, but am finding it challenging to keep up with "latest and greatest" out there!  My biggest fear came true.

I'm still reading, but lacking motivation to blog about it.  That's okay.  Maybe once I find my "groove" I'll be back.

Plus, I'll have a new audience to read aloud with!  

Yep, this summer we'll have a new little person to read all sorts of great books to!  I can't wait! 

So, I resume my hiatus.  I'll try to stop by every now and again, but we are going to be busy, busy, busy!

Happy Reading!

The Harry Potter Project: Epic FAIL

I didn't do it.

Not even close!

I got distracted by a graduate class, summer fun, and other good books that I didn't read all the Harry Potter books before the last movie release on Friday. 

Oh, well!  That's the way the cookie crumbles.  I still really want to re-read them, but just not now. 

I have my ticket for the midnight opening!  SO excited!

School's Out for the Summer!

(Sorry if those lyrics are now stuck in your head!)

Clip art from http://www.free-extras.com/tags/1/summer.htm

Our last inservice was Monday, so I am on day 3 of summer break!  Can I get a WHOO-HOO?

I have big plans for this summer!  While I do have plans to be lazy, I want to be diligent with my time and get a lot accomplished too.  I have a feeling the next ten weeks are going to FLY by!

Because I'm a list maker, here's a list of things I would like to accomplish this summer...

• Complete the Harry Potter project
• I'm taking a graduate class in June...I'm sure that will keep me quite occupied!
• Develop a library curriculum for next year...a broad plan of what I'd like to cover and also ~6 weeks of lesson plans.   If you fail to plan you plan to fail! 
• Visit family in Florida!  
• Some house improvement projects.  Specific plans are yet TBD, but I'd really like to redo the living room:  paint, install a book case and such.
• Read, read, read!   Preferably in my hammock!
• There are some good movies coming out this summer I'm excited about seeing.  
• Spend time with family and friends. 

So there it is.  It's a busy summer, but I'm hoping for some fun times.  

Save Your Marriage in Five Minutes a Day by Bonnie Jacobson, PhD

This book is a self-help book stock full of strategies to save one's marriage.  Dr. Jacobson provides insight, examples and advice on how to pinpoint areas of weakness and slowly take action to make amends and work on one of the most precious relationships in our society...our marriage.

Throughout the book, one thing is made very clear...you cannot change your spouse, only yourself.  However, by communicating concerns and choosing to slowly address the problems...even at five minutes a day...positive change can be achieved.

What I Thought:
I would like to preface this by stating that my marriage is great!  Hubby and I are very happy and approaching our fifth wedding anniversary.  I know, I know...we're still practically newlyweds! 

I chose to review this book from the Thomas Nelson book review program because I figured it is never bad to read information and work on strengthening our marriage!  I've seen several friends divorce over the past few years, and it made me sad.  So, I considered this read as "proactive" and then figured it could be good to review every so many years just to keep that spark alive.

This book may not be the best for my intentions.   It really was more intended for couples who were looking to save their marriage, or at least their sanity.  Nothing hubby does drives me bonkers as to the point that I got the feeling of the examples in the book.  (I cannot speak for him though!)

However, it did provide several "aha" moments which got me thinking about things we could work on, so I was happy overall with the read.  I hope that we never get to the point where we need to use some of the strategies, but I have the resource in my pocket if needed. 

Now, I thought the book was well-written and laid out in a great way.  Each chapter included information about a potential trouble area in relationships and a story outlining an example of the problem and an effective way to communicate the issue with your spouse, along with five minute strategies on how to tackle the issue.  Extra credit snippets are also included to further work on the relationship!

(I do have to say that some of the example stories made me giggle...they seemed to resolve themselves a little too cleanly and properly.  Almost too perfect...too bad all conversations can't be that neat!)

If you are experiencing problems in your marriage and want to read a book about how to start working to fix them...even just a little at a time this is a wonderful book to read. 

Recommended. 

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon:  Save Your Marriage in Five Minutes a Day by Bonnie Jacobson, PhD.

Reviewed from a copy provided by the Thomas Nelson Publisher Book Review Bloggers program.

The Harry Potter Project

Last night, I finally got around to watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One on DVD.  Don't worry...I did see it on the big screen, but haven't gotten around to watching the DVD I purchased a couple of weeks ago.

I decided that I really needed to re-read the series before the movie finale comes out on July 15.   And perhaps have a HECK of a movie-a-thon! 

So here goes nothing.  I'm setting aside my long "to-read" list for Harry Potter.  I won't be disappointed...it's been much too long and I'm excited to return to Hogwarts!
 

  I just REALLY hope I can finish in time! 

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Genny is a 17 year old girl, living a normal life.  Sure, she has an eccentric aunt...one who came and went as she pleased and lived life freely without worrying about obligations.  However, she always had room for Genny.

One day Aunt Peg disappeared...with no word.  Until one day her family received a phone call telling them she died.  Not too long after, Genny received a package of envelopes directing her to travel to Europe following several rules including no electronics, bring only what you can fit in a backpack, no money and no guidebooks.  She is instructed to open each envelope only after she has finished the task directed in the letter she holds.   She is taking a step of faith, and leaping out of her comfort zone.

Through her travels, Genny meets a variety of interesting people and travels all over Europe while discovering a lot about her deceased aunt.   Oh, and there some adventures along the way! 

What I Thought: 
This book has been on my "to-read" list for quite a while, and I'm so glad I finally got around to it!  I loved Genny's story and found myself wishing I was more adventurous and could just take off backpacking around Europe.  Of course, Genny wasn't the personality to that either...she had to be pushed to do so. 

This book did reignite my desire to go to Greece.  Hubs and I have always wanted to visit there, we need to start saving now!

Johnson crafted a wonderful story full of adventure, some romance, and even a little mystery!  I anxiously wanted to know what each letter would say and where Genny would end up next. 

This was the first book I read using the Kindle app.  I'm not quite ready to jump from purely paper books to e-books, but when this book was released as a free download by Kindle, I jumped at the opportunity to download and read it.  It was very nice to always have a book on my iPhone and I read at just about every free chance I got.  I'm not completely sold on reading on my phone though...it's convenient and cool but I did miss holding the actual book in my hand.  Not gonna lie!

(I might feel different with an actual Kindle, Nook or iPad though.  I'm just not quite ready to jump just yet.  Well, I do want an iPad.  I'm ready to get one of those...my wallet just isn't though!) 

Great book, highly recommended!

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson.

Reviewed from a personal copy.

The sequel, The Last Little Blue Envelope comes out today!  (April 26, 2011.)  I'm excited to see what happens to Genny!

Regret Free Parenting:Raise Good Kids and Know You're Doing it Right by Catherine Hickem

Catherine Hickem is a licensed psychotherapist and founder of the organization Intentional Moms, and most importantly a mother of two!  In this book she encourages mothers to be intentional.  She writes about purpose, about being intentional, about raising kids who are emotionally intelligent, about how to survive those bumpy teenage years!

Each chapter focuses on a different area, but through it all Hickem is encouraging and offers biblical wisdom with practical insight and tips on how to become a regret-free parent. 

What I Thought
I'm not a mother, but wanted to read this book for preparation of when that day comes!   This book is absolutely chock-full of great nuggets of wisdom and lots of things to ponder.

I appreciated all of her thoughts and biblical backing.   She never promises that being a parent is easy...just the opposite in fact!  Hickem provides many examples from her life, both as a parent and examples from some of her clients.  She points out successes, and scenarios that could have been handled differently.  However, in those situations she provides insight on how to resolve the issue. 

I found a lot of things that I could use in the classroom as a teacher! 

Definitely a great book for parents who want to do a great job raising their children...of any age!

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Regret Free Parenting:Raise Good Kids and Know You're Doing it Right by Catherine Hickem.

Reviewed from a copy provided by the Thomas Nelson Publisher Book Review Bloggers program. (I'll be stashing this book away for future reference!)

God and Football: Faith and Fanaticism in the SEC by Chad Gibbs

In the south, SEC football is an important part of life to many people.  Many of these same people claim to Christians, but where does their true passion lie?  With their beloved football team, or their religion?

Gibbs sets off on a journey to investigate just that: faith and fanaticism in the Southeastern Football Conference.  Is it possible to be a die-hard fan for you favorite football team and on fire for Jesus at the same time?  He commits to visiting every SEC stadium for a game visiting with various fanatics and school religious groups.  He caps off every trip by visiting a local church in each college town, each a different denomination.


What I Thought: 
I enjoy the occasional college football game, but I am no where near a fanatic like many of my friends are.  My husband picked up this book and when he told me what it was about and the premise, my interest was peaked so I decided to give it a try.

Chad, a die-hard Auburn fan (who was a die-hard Alabama fan as a child, then converted in college), does an amazing job exploring this issue in a matter that is entertaining and wildly humorous way as he recounts his travels to the many SEC schools.  You will become friends with the many of the people Gibbs meets along the football circuit.

You will laugh out loud at his thoughts.  Promise.

If you are a football fan, or a fanatic about anything really, you will think about your passions and priorities.  Promise.

Overall, this is a great lighthearted read that will leave you thinking!

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: God and Football: Faith and Fanaticism in the SEC by Chad Gibbs.

Reviewed from a copy checked out from my local library.

Calvin Coconut: Zoo Breath by Graham Salisbury, illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers

It's research time in Calvin's class, and they have been charged with completing a primary research project with his partner Julio.  What should they research?  They decided to research stinky items and an attempt to remedy Streak's (Calvin's dog) horrible dog breath. 

What ensues is lots of fun...and lots of stinky things!

What I Thought:
Another great Calvin Coconut book!  He is such a lovable fourth grader and I have a great time discovering his world!  (And he lives in Hawaii...that doesn't hurt things!)

This book is laugh-out-loud funny and at times you'll shudder at the stinky things Calvin encounters...dog breath, dog droppings, and even a sewage pipe.  (As he watches the toilet get switched out!)   Calvin is also dealing with everyday problems...a teenage friend who stays with them and helps watch Calvin and his sister, a little sister, classmates, divorced parents...

This is a delightful book that kids will eat up!  Go Calvin!

Highly recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Calvin Coconut: Zoo Breath by Graham Salisbury, illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Read and Share Stories About Jesus by Gwen Ellis

A board book featuring 13 different Bible stories for young children.

What I Thought:
These are wonderful Biblical stories for children.  The author adapted the stories for young children very well and even included a discussion question for the adult and child to talk about with each story.

The cartoon illustrations are bright, colorful and correlate very well with each story.  One thing I found odd was the characters' noses...they seemed to be puppet-like and glued on their faces.  I found that distracting.

However, I thought the stories were excellent and the discussion questions correlated nicely and provided a great discussion starter for life application of the moral of each story.  

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Read and Share Stories About Jesus by Gwen Ellis.

Reviewed from a copy provided by the Thomas Nelson Publisher Book Review Bloggers program.

Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don't) by Barbara Bottner, illustrated by Michael Emberley

Miss Brooks loves books and wants her students to love them too!  But our narrator doesn't like books so much...they are too flowery, furry, or even yippety. 

But she has to bring a favorite book to class for Book Week.  Will our friend find a great book?

What I Thought:
I must have this book for my collection because Miss Brooks rocks!  I love her enthusiasm for books and her love for learning. 

And I hope to be just like her one day! 

I love that the little girl isn't such a fan of books...she's your typical reluctant reader.  But she FINALLY finds a book she adores and is excited about! 

Great illustrations and just a fun, relevant story.  There IS a book out there for everyone!

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don't) by Barbara Bottner, illustrated by Michael Emberley.

Reviewed from a public library copy.  

Animal Crackers Fly the Coop by Kevin O'Malley

Who doesn't like a good joke?

Apparently some farmers.

All these animals want to do is share jokes with their farm friends, but their farmers don't see the funny, they only see the animals not doing their farm jobs!  So one by one, they run away from their farms and run into each other...telling some great jokes along the way and even saving the day!


What I Thought: 
Such a fun book, and I will be using this soon with some older grades in my new school job!  (I'm thinking we'll read this book, talk about joke/riddle books and then maybe have our own little comedy club.)

The jokes are so corny, they are funny and I know kids will appreciate that.  There is a lot of double meaning jokes too that are much appreciated. 

This is a book you'll want to check out!

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Animal Crackers Fly the Coop by Kevin O'Malley.

Reviewed from a public library copy.

The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee

When the baby arrived, it was apparent who was boss.


He set up shop right in the middle of the house, called endless meetings, had many demands while enjoying all the perks...and all without the ability to say a single word!

Until one day...

What I Thought:
Another new favorite!  This book is beyond adorable!  This book is the perfect gift for new parents or parents-to-be...it'll give them a tongue-in-cheek glimpse of what they have to experience! 

The illustrations give the story that extra boost...I love the facial expressions on the boss baby...he's so determined while his poor parents look overwhelmed and exhausted.

A fantastic book you won't want to miss!

Very highly recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee.

Reviewed from a library copy. 

2011 American Library Association Youth Media Awards

Here are the award winner announced this morning!
(I think I got them all.  If you see any errors, please let me know!)

Newbery Honors:
Dark Emporer and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by
Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm


Newbery Medal Winner:
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool


Caldecott Honors:
Dave the Potter illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill
Interrupting Chicken written & illustrated by David Ezra Stein


Caldecott Medal Winner:
A Sick Day for Amos McGee illustrated by Erin Stead, written by Philip Christian Stead


Printz Honors:
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
Nothing by Janne Teller


Printz Medal Winner:
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi


Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor:
Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow: the story of a young Jimi Hendrix illustrated by Javaka Steptoe, written by Gary Golio


Coretta Scott King Illustrator Medal:
Dave the Potter illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill


Coretta Scott King Author Honor:
Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers
Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Yummy: the last days of Southside Shorty by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DeBurke


Coretta Scott King Author Medal Winner:
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia


Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamiliton Practitioner Award for Lifetime Achievement:
Henrieta Mays Smith from the University of Florida


John Steptoe Award for New Talent:
Author Award: Zora and Me by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon
Illustrator Award: Seeds of Change illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler, written by Jen Cullerton Johnson


Geisel Honors:
Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same! by Grace Lin
We Are in a Book by Mo Willems


Geisel Medal Winner:
Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee


Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award
Peter Sis


Alex Awards:
The Reapers Are Angels by Alden Bell
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni
The Vanishing of Katharina Linden by Helen Grant
The Radleys by Matt Haig
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray
The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Didn't Have to by DC Pierson

Batcheldor Honors:
Departure Time by Truus Matti
Nothing by Janne Teller


Batcheldor Medal Winner:
A Time of Miracles by Anne-Laure Bondoux


Belpre Illustrator Honors:
Fiesta Babies illustrated by Amy Cordova written by Carmen Tafolla
Me Frida illustrated by David Diaz, written by Amy Novesky
Dear Primo: a letter to my cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh


Belpre Illustrator Award:
Grandma's Gift by Eric Valesquez


Belpre Author Honors:
Ole!  Flamenco by George Ancona
The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba by Margarita Engle
90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis


Belpre Author Award:
The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Peter Sis


Carnegie Medal:
The Curious Garden


Margaret A. Edwards Award:
Sir Terry Pratchett


William C. Morris Finalists:
Hush by Eishes Chayil
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber





William C. Morris Winner:
Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston


Odyssey Honor:
Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green


Odyssey Medal Winner:
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex


Schneider Awards:
Children--The Pirate of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Lynne Avril
Middle-- After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
Young Adult-- Five Flavors of Dumb by Anthony John


Sibert Honors:
Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenburg and Sandra Jordan, illustrated by Brian Floca
Lafayette and the American Revolution by Russell Freedman


Sibert Medal Winner:
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Nic Bishop


YALSA Award of Excellence Finalist:
Janice Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel
They Called Themselves the KKK: the birth of an American terrorist group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
The Spies of Mississippi: the true story of a spy agency that tried to destroy the civil rights movement by Rick Bowers
The Dark Game: True Spy Stories by Paul B. Janeczko
Every Bone Tells a Story: Hominin Discoveries, Deductions and Debates by Jill Rubalcaba and Peter Robertshaw


YALSA Award of Excellence Winner: 
 Janice Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel

Stonewall Award
Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green
Freaks and Revelations by David Willis Hurwin
Love Drugged by James Klise
The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams


Laura Ingalls Wilder Award
Tomie DePaola

ALA Youth Media Awards 2011

Snow Day, snow day!

Hooray!

I was kind of sad about not being able to watch the live feed of the 2011 ALA Youth Media Awards this year because I would have a class in the library (my very first!), but we got 3-1/2" of snow yesterday.  So, no school and I get to watch the announcement! 

It's always an exciting morning for me because I like to see if I did a good job with my collection development (when I was at the public library) and we have the books in our library already.  If we don't, we've got to get those ordered!

So...here's who I hope wins...
Caldecott--Jon Muth for City Dog, Country Frog
Newbery--One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia....though Mockingird by Kathryn Erskine will be in the running too
Geisert--We Are in a Book by Mo Willems

The rest I'm afraid I don't have enough knowledge to make a good guess.  So I'll just wait and see what happens! 

You can watch live by clicking here: http://alawebcast.unikron.com/.  There will be lots of flurry on Twitter and I'm sure facebook will have lots of action too.  I'll post back after the announcements are made the winners and my thoughts!

A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

It's a sleepover for Mouse and Bear, and that surely means an interesting night for this unlikely duo.


What I Thought: 
I'm a fan of Mouse and Bear and thought this book was another great installment about these characters. 

Bear requires complete silence when he sleeps and Mouse disturbs his sleep, Bear gets frustrated.  But in the middle of the night when Bear hears noises, it's Mouse who calms his fears.  A sweet, fun story!

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: A Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Ch-ch-changes in 2011

Life has taken quite a turn lately!

First...I have finally graduated with a M.S. in Information Sciences.  I'm proud to add this to my M.A. in Education, and I have dubbed them "the twins." 

It's not a great picture, but you can see it's real!  

Next, I made the difficult decision to leave my beloved position at the public library and accepted a position with a local elementary school as their school library media specialist.  The public library has had a lot of drama going on all that I have absolutely no control over, and when the school position came up I decided to apply.  When that job came through, I decided it was time to jump ship.  It was a hard decision and caused a lot of sleepless nights and so many tears!  I'm usually not much of a crier but I bawled a lot making this decision. 

Now that the decision is made, I am super excited about my new position.  It is going to be different in many ways, but the root is the same: to encourage kids and families to fall in love with books and reading! 

I'm looking forward to an exciting 2011! 

Wrapping up 2010

2010 is over? 

But, but...I didn't meet my reading goal! 

(Photo Credit: http://krud.no-ip.org/awesome/index.php?id=12415)

You know what?  That is okay.  I knew last January it would be a long shot and in August I knew there was NO WAY that I would reach my goal.  I did read 55 wonderful books. 




1. Gooney Bird and the Room Mother by Lois Lowry
2. The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang
3. Where the Mountain Meets the Mood by Grace Lin
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
6. Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Plum Fantastic by Whoopi Goldberg
7.  The Baby-Sitters Club: The Summer Before by Ann M. Martin (ARC)
8.  Slob by Ellen Potter
9.  The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O'Connor
10. Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford
11. Smile by Raina Telgemeier
12. Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
13. Oggie Cooder by Sara Weeks
14. Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
15.  The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk
16.  Band Geeked Out by Josie Bloss
17.  Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan 
18.  Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
19.  God's Promises for Boys by Jack Countryman and Amy Parker
20.  A Brand-New Me! by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
21.  Lawn Boy Returns by Gary Paulsen
22.  Pictures of Hollis Wood by Patricia Reilly Giff
23.  The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
24.  Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
25.  Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell 
26.  Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (again!)  See my review here from when I read it in 2008. 
27.  Lincoln and His Boys by Rosemary Wells, illustrated by P.J. Lynch
28.  Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (again). See my review here from when I read it in 2008. 
29.  The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan 
30.  Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
31.  Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff


32. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
33.  Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypacker
34.  House Rules by Jodi Picoult
35.  Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
36.  The Help by Kathryn Stockett 
37.  Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
38.  The First Part Last by Angela Johnson (again)
39.  Heaven by Angela Johnson
40.  Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson
41.  Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half by Steve and Annette Economides
42.  The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements

43.  If I Stay by Gayle Forman

44.  84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
45.  Oogy: The only dog a family could love by Larry Levin
46.  Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes
47. Bobby the Brave (Sometimes) by Lisa Yee
48.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney 
49.  One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
50.  Two Times the Fun by Beverly Cleary
51.  Crunch by Leslie Connor
52.  Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo, Alison McGhee and illustrated by Tony Fucile
53.  Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Shane Prigmore
54.  Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
55.   The Memory Bank by Carolyn Coman and Rob Shepperson



Hey, I'm proud!  Not bad for a girl finishing up a graduate degree and putting together her first home, right?  Right!

I am trying again in 2011! 

However, I've made a more realistic goal of 75 books.  You can check out my goals and keep up with my progress here http://ttulizzy.blogspot.com/p/watch-me-read-during-2011.html  or by clicking the "Watch Me Read--2011" tab at the top of the page. 

So in 2011, let's all read a good book.  I'm excited!