Jen Vincent hosts "It's Monday, What Are You Reading?" every week. I don't always participate (partly because I feel embarrassed about how little I get read every week, compared to the people who post there), but this week I have read such a weird combination of books that this seems like a good way to share it.
For starters, I am a judge for the CYBILS Elementary and Middle Grade nonfiction committee. Since the end of October, I have read over 90 nonfiction picture books and short chapter books. We are getting close to the end of the process, and by the end of next week, we will have chosen our 5-7 books, written blurbs, and sent them on to the second round judges. I hate this part- I can always get down to ten or twelve favorites, but getting to seven that the entire committee can agree on, that's a different story! Suffice to say, I have spent a whole lot of time this week rereading our top contenders. I can't say which ones those are, but look for an announcement very soon.
WILD is an adult book, and one I have been wanting to read for a long time. The author, Cheryl Strayed, embarked on a backpacking trip on the Pacific Coast Trail from California to Oregon, in summer, 1995. She was 25 years old and had never been backpacking in her life, but Cheryl's life had been on a downward spiral, and she was desperate for a change. She had lost her 45-year-old mother to cancer, watched her family disintegrate, divorced her husband, and was struggling with heroin. I loved reading people's life stories and was delighted when I found this in one of those little neighborhood library boxes when I was walking the dog a couple of weeks ago. If you want to watch a trailer, with lots of pictures of Cheryl's hike, go
here. The trailer is at the bottom of the first page.
Right now, I'm about 50 pages into NAVIGATING EARLY. I loved Vanderpool's first book, MOON OVER MANIFESTO and picked up NAVIGATING EARLY at the library on Saturday. I'm doing my version of #bookaday, which is actually read a book every two or three days. Hoping to get at least five, maybe even ten books read over the break, but we will have to see.
2 comments:
How funny! I just picked up a copy of Wild from a little neighborhood free library box. I have not started it yet but am have wanted to read it for awhile. I also loved Navigating Early. Thanks for sharing. I am excited to see what is on the non fiction list.
I also loved Moon Over Manifest, it has its own uniquely-leisurely pace, but it's worth the wait. I hope to read Navigating Early soonest. I know what you mean about Cybils. I'm one of the secondround judges for the fiction picture book category and avidly waiting for the announcement of the finalists too! :)
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