Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Spring Reading Thing List


Well this is going to be an interesting challenge.  I have several books I need to read and review over the next few months.  I’ve gotten behind in reading with everything going on at school and at home.  So I am using this challenge and Spring Break to give me a hand up in meeting my goals.  I can guarantee you that this list will change over time.  Partly because I am not adding all of the books I need to read.
 This may look like a lot but in actuality I read and post reviews several times a week.

Picture Books
It Stinks to be Pink – Kathryn L. Novak
Queen-a-Bella Finds a Best Friend – Lisl Fair & Nina De Polonia
Not Another Boring ABC Book – Sharon Cohen
All Sheep Love to Sing – Paula McBride
Chickens In Birthday Suits – Nancy Mauerman
Truthy Ruthy – Sari Barel
Goodnight Farm Animals – Sharlene Alexander
Hero Cat – Eileen Spinelli
Mia’s Tooth Fairy – Yosifia Porat
Case and Bella Face Their First Bully – Anna Stover
Bob and Larry in the Case of the Missing Patience – Karen Poth


Middle Grade/Young Adult
Time Square: The Shift – S.W. Lothian
The Take Back of Lincoln Junior High – Roseanne Cheng
I Don’t Wanna Be an Orange Anymore – Hank Kellner
This Star Won’t go Out – Esther Earl
The Rise of Mallory – Roy Huff
 
TouchDown Tony Crowne and the Mystery of the Missing Cheerleader – Petery Guy George
The Case of Secrets – Alfred M. Struther
Sacket’s Harbor Powder Monkey – Hope Irwin Marston
Eye on the Iditarod Aisleys Quest – Hope Irwin Marston
Across the Tumen – Moon Young-Sook
Jayden and the Mysterious Mountain
The Sphere – Kevin Turner



Adult
Dancing in Rhythm with the Universe – Barbara Miller
The Savage Murder of Skylar Neese
They Way of Grace – Cathy Bryant
Pilgrimage of Promise – Cathy Bryant
First Light – Alec Frost

Spring Reading Thing 2014 Instructions


Welcome to Spring Reading Thing 2014!  Coming to you in 3 Days!

This year has been a difficult one for me.  I was not sure I was going to be able to host this challenge.   As always this is a fun way to catch up on some of the books you have not had a chance to read or finish. You may not have much time to read.  If you can only read 2 books that is fine.  Keep this simple and fun. 


Most of what you will read has been borrowed from Katrina’s site.  I wanted to make sure the  basic rules are the same for those who have participated in years past.

Here are the basics  you will need to do if you wish to participate in this reading challenge.

1.     Make a list of books you want to read this Spring.  Since this is a stress free challenge you may feel free to modify your list as needed if it is not working for you.  I often do this because I get requests for a book review with a due date.
2.     Write a blog post containing your list and submit March 20th to the Mr. Linky that will be at the bottom of that post.
·      Then begin reading!  The Challenge runs from March 20th through June 20th.
·      Check out other participants’ lists and add to your own to-read-someday pile

You might want to check out  last year’s Spring Reading Thing Challenge to see what others did and to find answers to any questions you may have.

Posting Guidelines
1.     Write your post before you sign up on the linky list that will go live on March 20th.  Please have your post written and published on your blog before you add your name to the linky list.  If I click on your name/link and do not see your post and reading list, or if it takes me to a post that says you will be participating, but will post your list later, I will delete your entry from the list.  It is unfair to those participants who have already prepared their lists and blog posts.  If I delete your entry please come back and submit your name again once your post/list is up.
 
 
2.     Use a permalink when you sign up.  Make sure your linky list is linked to your Spring Reading Thing post, not just the front page of your blog.  Mr. Linky will go live on March 20th.  There will be a space marked “Your Name” where you will type your name (or your blog’s name) and a space under it for “Your URL,” or website address.  This is where you will put your permalink to your Spring Reading Thing post.
 
    Instead of something like :  http://myspecialblog.com  you would want something like this: 
    http://myspecialblog.com/2013/03/spring-reading -thing.html
 
These addresses are made up, but you get the idea. Blogging Basics 101 has an article on how to find the “permalink” to a particular post HERE.
 
 
3.     Keep your post family-friendly.  Please make sure any book titles or book coverts you include would be safe for younger people to see.  In years past Katrina has had kids participate in the reading challenge and my students participate.  I want to make sure the links presented on the official Spring Reading Thing list are safe for them.  Links to posts with explicit titles or covers may be deleted. 
 
 
4.  Get ready to read!  I have included time each week in my classroom for reading to give me and my students time to work on our reading goals.  I also use this time to check out what other participants are reading.  It is a wonderful way to add books to our ever growing reading list.
 
Mr. Linky
My plan at this time is to put up the official Spring Reading Thing 2014 launch post at 6:00 a.m. (EST) on Thursday March 20th.   I teach all day and may not be able to check  if something goes wrong with the linky list until that evening.    If you have any questions please email me at skstiles612 [at] yahoo [dot] com.  I will do my best to answer your questions.

I will be giving away two prizes as part of the 2014 Spring Reading Challenge: Two $20 Amazon Gift Cards
 
To be eligible you must:

·      Post your initial Spring Reading Thing 2013 post  ( and enter it on the linky list on my blog) by midnight on March 24th
·      AND post a wrap-up post on your blog at the end of the challenge (and enter it on the linky list I’ll have up then) by midnight on June 24th

That is it.  I’ll randomly draw the winners shortly after the end of the challenge.

You may get the button below. 


SRT-14 SM photo SRT-14sm.jpg

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Spring Reading Thing

I will get a post up by Wednesday morning at the latest. Within the last 3-4 weeks we've had a death in the family and my mother, who lives with us fell and broke both feet and an ankle.  To say life has been a little hectic is an understatement.  I apologize. Let me see what I can get done by tonight or early tomorrow morning, unless someone else wants to run with this.  If so please email me at my school email stiles@manateeschools.net.  It is the only email I can check during the day.  If I don't hear from someone by 3:30 eastern time I will put something up tonight.