My Reading Life Challenge

 As I have posted I enjoy using the categories of several reading challenges to help with my book choices throughout the year. This year is no different. 

However one challenge this year was completely different in its structure: Modern Mrs. Darcy My Reading Life Challenge.

This one surprised me in a very good way. While she has previously given categories for the twelve books in her challenge, this year she left it up to you. But you don't choose just any categories your want, instead she has provided a packet to work through asking about why you want to read more, what you need in your reading life and how to incorporate books into your life in other ways. It is extremely creative and really made me think about reading and why I want to read. 

While I still struggled with my categories, I have selected my twelve for the year that are a reflection of some of the books I'm already planning to read and others that I want to read that I keep putting off. So for accountability I'm putting my categories here and planning to read these types of books this year.

My Reading List:

1. Non Mainstream Classic
2. Fantasy
3. A Book Previously Abandoned
4. A Business Book
5. A Book I've Been Meaning to Read
6. A Biography
7. A Book I Chose for the Cover
8. A Book Chosen by Jim
9. A Book that Intimidates Me
10. Youth Fiction
11. A Book I've Read Before
12. A Classic I Didn't Read in School

While there is certainly crossover in categories from other challenges I'm working on, I chose these because of the answers to the other questions I worked through in the packet. Some of the books I have already picked out as well. Let's see how I do!

If you were making your own challenge, what categories would you chose?

Even More Reading Challenges

 So right now you may thing I'm a bit psycho, but honestly I love reading challenges, seeing the categories and seeing how what we're reading fits or giving me ideas for different things that I might not read. Jami Balmet had links to two other challenges that I took a peek at. 

1. 2021 Intentional By Grace Reading Challenge- This one looks so fun. It has a guided outline if you're wanting to ease into a reading challenge and has three levels of books. Leigh Ann advises walking through the first 13 categories and working into the other two if you are growing in reading up to 52 books for the year. I'm skipping around since I had already started other challenges but there are great categories.

This challenge has many categories that my novel, Together or Apart, would apply to. Why don't you check it out!

2. The Anchored Women Book Club- This challenge has a book each month that they have picked. Because I'm reading books with my children as well as trying to read the books on my shelves, I'm not sure if I will read any of the books this hear, but there are several on this list I would like to read.

So many choices for challenges! I love reading challenges!

More Reading Challenges

Reading! It's one of our favorite past times in the Manor Manor (when we remember that we enjoy it better than watching something! 😆) This year I really want us to get back into reading more both as individuals and as a family. In fact, the kids and I have already read three books this year that are more that a children's book intended for one sitting. 

Per usual I am attempting the Back to the Classics Challenge and I'm excited to hopefully succeed in finishing and posting a summary this year!

For additional challenges I am using the three I have used previously (but I'm also going to look at a couple of others that are recommended for other ideas!)

1. Tim Challies 2021 Reading Challenge has up to 104 books. Though my goal for this year on Goodreads is 55, I hope to read closer to 104. If I count board books I'll definitely reach that number! 😂 But in all seriousness between read alouds with the children and taking a little time to read each day I'd like to blaze by 55 to 104 even if they don't fit his categories perfectly.

If you're needing a book to fit into the category for Book Published in 2020 or 2021 you can get my book Together or Apart in print or on Kindle.

2. Modern Mrs. Darcy The 2021 MMD Reading Challenge is a little different this year. She is providing worksheets to help you figure out your reading goals and design a reading life. I'm not 100% sure what this is going to entail as I have not fully looked at the sheets yet, but I'm excited to delve in and grow in my reading life this year.

3. The Christian Reading Challenge 2021 with Jami Balmet from Young Wife's Guide has always been interesting to me, even when I fail to read the books on her list. This year they have combined the men's and women's challenges into one and have not given book titles for the specific categories. Instead there are recommendations for each category listed on the website which I may or may not read this year, but will take note of for the future if I don't. 

My book, Together or Apart, can be used for Christian fiction, which is a new category for her challenge this year!

Jami has listed other challenges I'd like to check out, but this is a good start as between the three a LOT of ground is covered!

So what are you reading??? Join me, won't you!

Back to the Classics Challenge 2021

 It's time for the Back to the Classics Challenge once again! 

Last year took some unexpected turns and I ended up petering out in the challenge after Esther was born. The turns were good and God clarifying some things for our family, and now we're getting back into a more settled routine. So here's to hoping I can read what I'm planning to this year!

The categories for this year are:

1. A 19th century classic: any book first published from 1800 to 1899

2. A 20th century classic: any book first published from 1900 to 1971. All books must have been published at least 50 years ago; the only exceptions are books which were written by 1971 and posthumously published.

3. A classic by a woman author.

4. A classic in translation, meaning any book first published in a language that is not your primary language. You may read it in translation or in its original language, if you prefer. 

5. A classic by BIPOC author; that is, a non-white author.

6. A classic by a new-to-you author, i.e., an author whose work you have never read.

7. New-to-you classic by a favorite author -- a new book by an author whose works you have already read. 

8. A classic about an animal, or with an animal in the title. The animal can be real or metaphorical. (i.e., To Kill a Mockingbird).

9. A children's classic. 

10. A humorous or satirical classic.

11. A travel or adventure classic (fiction or non-fiction). It can be a travelogue or a classic in which the main character travels or has an adventure. 

12. A classic play. Plays will only count in this category.

I am still figuring out what to read for each of the categories, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Books I didn't get to last year that I would like to read include:

City of God

Little Women

Anne of Green Gables

Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas

What would you read in each category?

Medicine News

This book was part of our Core C History with Sonlight.

Being a nurse this book was very interesting to read with my children and share with them discoveries that are directly related to the medical field. Most of the stories, shared in newspaper article form or advertisements, I was familiar with through my nursing studies, but some were new stories showing how things have grown and been applied over the years. I found this extremely interesting and enjoyed sharing this with my children. Our eight-year-old has expressed interest in being a nurse also, so it was good for him to learn this history as well.

Given what's going on in the world, you can see how we have gotten to some of the things we have today. As I relearned this medical history I see how far we have come in the ability to help people heal and preserve earthly life, but I also see where paranoia has come from and some of the detriment that has come from discoveries. This makes for interesting discussions as you recount these discoveries with what is being done in our current situation to see how it is helping us and how it's hurting us. 

I definitely recommend this book as a basic overview of medical history.

4.5 stars

Cornstalks A Bushel of Poems

 This book of poems is part of our Core C reading with our Sonlight curriculum. 

It is a book of poems of different forms, most short and kind of strange. I think the children enjoyed reading the poems in this book. Some of them were "designed" in their writing which made them visually appealing and a lot of the poems they laughed at simply because of their strangeness. 

Personally, I did not care much for the book. If you enjoy poetry and figuring out what short pithy poems are trying to say, you would probably enjoy it. I had a hard time with most of the poems. Because of the ease of reading it was a good book to let the children practice reading out loud for everyone. 

I would give this book maybe 3 stars.

Maps and Globes

This book is a part of our Core C Sonlight history and geography curriculum.

Maps and Globes is a good short introduction to teaching how to read maps and globes (hence the name). It is basic and easy to understand, so all of our children were able to listen and understand to some degree. It explains different keys, different types of maps and how to use the legend to read the map. As a starting point in the subject it is right on. 

5 stars for this book.

The Aesop for Children

 This book was part of our Core C studies from Sonlight.

My children really enjoyed reading and discussing The Aesop for Children. Many of the stories are familiar in some form or fashion, so hearing them again and discussing the moral or lesson and how it applies was really great for character development, especially as we compared them to Proverbs or other Scripture verses that backed up the point being made. There were even a couple of stories that we said, "Wait, what?" and realized the point was worldly wisdom and not Godly, like "The Lark and Her Young Ones." This copy of these fables also had beautiful drawings that enhanced the stories which the children enjoyed looking at as we read. On the whole, the family enjoyed reading this book together.

4.5 stars for this version of these tales.

The Usborne Book of World History

This book is part of our history studies in our Sonlight Core C curriculum.

Usborne is known for their excellent book and resources and this one did not disappoint. All of our family members enjoyed reading this book as it gives a snapshot of different periods throughout history with timelines. The pictures add life to this book, giving you a look at what things could have looked like and been like at different points in history. The ancient history clearly has some supposition, but on the whole it was a great overview of history. 

5 stars for this history book

Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case

 This read aloud is part of our Core C curriculum with Sonlight.

Who doesn't love a good mystery??? I have never read any of these books so I wasn't sure what I was getting. Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case was such a fun book! The children and I loved reading each chapter and guessing the who done it and how Encyclopedia knew the answer. What a great way to teach listening, looking for clues and introductory logic. Now that we know what these books are like, all of us are excited to read more in this series and solve more mysteries both together and individually.

5 stars for this fun read

The Awesome Book of Bible Facts

 This book was part of our Bible education in Core C with Sonlight.

On the whole I really enjoyed this book. The children definitely enjoyed reading fun facts about the Bible and learning some Bible time period history as well. This is a very basic book, so not necessarily something I would point people to as a resource, but because of its simplicity most of our children could understand the facts that were shared on at least some level. The drawings also helped with interest and understanding.

My only qualm with it is that it made light of a few things that need to be taken more seriously, like sin. Because they were more focused on facts surrounding the Bible I can understand why they didn't do this well, but without a deeper understanding of the importance of these facts, the facts themselves are useless.

4 stars for this resource