Monday, April 2, 2012

Reading Check-In (March and Plans for April):

I wanted to briefly check-in on my (lack of) accomplishments in reading for the month of March. I had high hopes going into the month, especially with regards to Adam's Magical March Event. But with starting a new job the first week of the month to other chaotic events, I really didn't get through as many classics as I had hoped.

I was fairly successful in reading things related to school, as you'll see by the list. My juniors in my Exploring Literature class want to read Catching Fire once the seniors leave halfway through May, so I decided to read through once more to be a little more familiar with it. Then I had to finish out the story, so I crammed a reread of Mockingjay in on Saturday.

Anyway, here is what I read in March:
  1. The Girl who was on Fire edited by Leah Wilson (Read to plan for The Hunger Games unit I'm teaching) 
  2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 
  3. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess 
  4. Journey to the Center of the Earth  by Jules Verne
  5. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
  6. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Yep, a month dominated by books not on my classics reading list. And while normally I would beat myself up for it, I know that it was for a good purpose. :)

Anyway, in April I have a few more plans. I am tackling Clarissa for a month-long readalong. I am also reading Ender's Game, The Color of Water, and The Crucible for my classes, so I need to reread them as well. I've also accepted a couple of books from publishing houses (I know, out of character for me), so I'll get to those as well.

I'm aware that the above probably sounds crazy to you. I'm going to be incredibly busy and all over the place this month. But, I feel like I finally have a handle on school and what I need to do there to be productive with my kids. I'm hoping that I'll have a solid balance between home and school once we go back in a week.

Anyway, nothing is official, and I'm not sure I'll even stick to these plans. I'm debating ignoring all the challenges I signed up for at the end of last year and just reading what grabs me for the next few months, but I'll have to see. I'm still working through what I want my blog to be.

Let me know what your plans are for the month!

6 comments:

  1. Well, Clarissa sounds slightly crazy to me, on top of the school rereads, BUT, I've been known to cram many, many pages of reading into a short time frame when I've been on a deadline, so I have confidence that you can to it! (Especially as I think you're a faster reader than I am.) My plans for the month are to simply read--no specific deadlines/books to finish, just read.

    I also wanted to let you know that all your posts on The Hunger Games (plus the movie talk) have made me decide that I'm going to read the books sometime this year (...IF the hold list at the library ever shrinks).

    Enjoy your break and your books!

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  2. Best wishes on your reading April, Allie! I feel I accomplished less than nothing in March, on the reading front. You read way more than me. :)

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  3. I liked McBride's "The Color of Water" so much; I hope you do to. I know I need to read some SciFi/Fantasy to broaden my reading knowledge. Many have raved about "Ender's Game" so I'm interested in reading your review to know whether that should be the "classic" I read in that genre. My college-freshman daughter loved "The Hunger Games" and sequels. I guess I should read them sometime.

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  4. I freakin' LOVED the Ender's series. Bean is da bombdiggity. Hope you dig it too!

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  5. Well, it doesn't sound particularly sane, but then again, sanity's overrated ;) And I am intending to read Clarissa and two other books this month, not counting the five books I'll have to read for class, so I'm really not one to talk.
    Good luck!

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  6. I am awarding you the Sunshine Blog.

    Please check out the details here; http://vsudia.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/sunshine-blog-award/

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