48 Hour Book Challenge - Final Numbers

Here are my final stats.

Books Read - 6 and a half, listened to 1/3 of another (What can I say? I'm a slow reader!)
Time Spent Reading - 21 hours
Time Blogging/Reviewing - 45 minutes

TOTAL TIME - 21 hours and 45 minutes

If you want to check out the updates from the weekend, you'll find them here.

• Update 7
• Update 6
• Update 5
• Update 4
• Update 3
• Update 2
• Update 1
• Introductory Post

I must now go back to the work of grading and preparing for class tomorrow. Reviews and final thoughts coming soon!

48 Hour Book Challenge - Update 7

I must go make dinner, but before I do, here is how I finished the day.

Time Reading - 5:30 - 7:00 (1.5 hours)
Book Read - half of Letters from Rapunzel by Sara Lewis Holmes

I'll be back after kitchen duty to tally the results.

48 Hour Book Challenge - Update 6

I finally got wise and decided to listen to an audiobook while doing the mindless work of laminating and cutting. I'm still not finished, but I got a good bit of listening in on a book I've had in the queue for a long time.

Time Reading - 3:00 - 5:00 (2 hours)
Book Read - M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman
Time Blogging - 5 minutes

I've told the family I won't be making dinner until AFTER my time expires. Hey, they can eat a few snacks until then! Since I'm making a donation to Flying Horse Farms based on the number of hours read, I'm pushing myself a little. I won't make 25 hours, but still plan to donate $50.

My final book? I've decided to spend some time reading the letters written to Box #5667. This one's a "new" old favorite. I've read it before, but it's a heartfelt book that I adore and just seemed like a perfect title to the mark the end of the challenge.

I'll be back later with my final update and (hopefully) some reviews!

48 Hour Book Challenge - Update 5

After mass this morning I took myself out to breakfast, did a bit of shopping, and came home to a heap of laundry. I did eventually get back to reading. I'm taking a break now to go to school for a bit of work (laminating) and to grade some papers. I do hope to get in a few more hours before my time is up at 7:00 pm. My guess is that the reviews and wrap-up will come after I'm off the clock.

Time Reading - 11:00 -2:00 (3 hours)
Books Read - Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston
Time Blogging - 5 minutes

If you're counting, that's 17.5 hours. I think my total last year was 18 hours. (I'd check this but all my posts from last year are gone--who knows why? I certainly can't explain it!) I should just pass this mark. I don't think I'm going to jump into Book 6 just yet, so I'll need to mull over the book that will carry me through to the end.

I'll be back later. Happy reading to you!

48 Hour Book Challenge - Update 4

Good morning early birds! I just packed husband and son off to work, but I will soon be getting ready for 8:30 mass, not reading. Here's how I fared after an hour of bedtime reading last night.

Time Reading - 10:00 -12:30 (2.5 hours)
Books Read - Finished The Sorceress: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Time Blogging - 5 minutes

So far I have 14.5 hours under my belt, but I'm pretty sure I won't make the 20+ club. If it warms up we'll be heading to the pool. There are also papers to grade and some materials to laminate. for class tomorrow I also have a few reviews to write before I begin Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston.

Enjoy the morning! I'll be back later.

48 Hour Book Challenge - Update 3

We had lunch out today, got to sit in a fire truck, (because even the local fire department went to free ice cream day!) and rearranged my son's room. I also made dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. The house is not falling apart around my ears, and that's a good and rather amazing thing. Here's where I am now.

Time Reading - 5:00 -9:00 (4 hours)
Books Read - Finished The Robe of Skulls: The First Tale From the Five Kingdoms by Vivian French and nearly 2/3 of the way through The Sorceress: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Time Blogging - 5 minutes

I must read to my son and put him to bed, so no book reviews yet, but I'll get there some time tomorrow.

I have gone through a series of macabre and fantastical reads, moving in the last two from one aging sorceress to another, though I don't think Perenelle Flamel is evil. And forgive the spoilers please but can I just say ... Shakespeare and Billy the Kid?! I am having WAY too much fun.

I'll be back on the clock after bedtime reading. So long for now.

48 Hour Book Challenge - Update 2

Moving right along this morning, this is where I find myself.

Time Reading - 8:30 -11:30 (3 hours)
Books Read - A Taste for Red by Lewis Harris and nearly half of The Robe of Skulls: The First Tale From the Five Kingdoms by Vivian French
Time Blogging - 5 minutes

I will be blog a bit later about these books, but let me just say that A Taste for Red was a lot of fun. Here's an excerpt.

"There's something wrong about Ms. Larch. I can't explain it, but I know it. I knew it the moment I stepped into her classroom." I didn't want to go overboard, but the words came spilling out. "She's just strange. The way she looks and acts. The way she dresses. It's like she's some kind of alien fashion model."

"Hey, you don't have to lose a beauty contest to be a science teacher. I like looking at Ms. Larch a lot more than I ever liked looking at Mr. Boyd--although he was definitely funnier."

Boys are so limited.

More about this book later, as well as some thoughts about Robe of Skulls when I am finished. For now I am now officially off the clock.

Did you know that it's FREE ICE CREAM DAY at Friendly's? That's right, you get one free scoop between 12 and 5. William and I are going out to lunch and then for some ice cream. I also promised to help him rearrange his room this weekend. So, I have 8 hours under my belt. That will suffice until later this afternoon when I can get back to it. I hope those of you reading are enjoying the time. I sure am having fun.

48 Hour Book Challenge - Update 1

Here are my stats so far.

Time Reading - 7:30 pm-12:30 am (5 hours)
Books Read - How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Time Blogging - 20 minutes

At this point I can't stop thinking about How to Steal a Dog. So much heartbreak, so much pride, so many moral dilemmas. At first, I could understand (sort of) Mama working to get them a new place. But when Georgiana said "Maybe you could act like a mother," I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. She goes on to say this.

"Mothers are supposed to take care of their kids," I said. "Not let them sleep in creepy old houses and wash up in the bathroom at McDonald's."

And then the questions started in earnest. What would I do if I found myself in a similar? Would I swallow my pride and do what was best for my son? Would I ask for help? Would I hide it and try to fix it myself? Then I thought about William and the notion of taking only one bag of belongings. What would he take? How would he ever choose? Would he ever get over being forced to do it?

I found myself angry with Mr. White. We train our teachers to recognize signs of abuse and neglect. Surely he must have seen the changes. Why wasn't he more proactive? I actually know the answer to this one, having been in the unenviable position of reporting families to social services. It's hard to know you have set in motion the ultimate act of a child being removed from a home, even when it may be the best thing for the child. It's just hard to see the good you may be doing when you're in the midst of the turmoil.

When we train preservice teachers to recognize child abuse and neglect we watch videos, listen to guest speakers from social services, and do some role playing. I think I'm going to add reading a few excerpts from this book. Here is one set that would generates some good discussion about what a teacher should be doing/thinking.

I studied myself in the mirror of the bathroom at McDonald's. My hair hung in greasy clumps on my forehead. Creases from the crumpled-up clothes I had slept on were still etched in the side of my face. (p. 47)

Mr. White had said plenty. He'd said how he couldn't understand my bad attitude lately. And he was so disappointed in my lack of effort recently. And then he had to go and ask me if everything was all right at home. (p. 50)

There's more. Lots more. I won't tell you the ending, but I cried when Georgina confessed all to Carmella. I cried at the end. And now, I can't stop thinking about it.

When I finished I went straight for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, knowing I needed a bit of comic relief. I certainly found it. My favorite part? The independent study project on building a robot.

That's it for now. Breakfast has been made and cleaned up. Dad's gone to work. William is reading and doing some coloring. Time for some reading of my own.

Let the Reading Begin!

The kitchen is clean and everyone has their marching orders. My pajamas are on and I'm about to curl up with How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor.

Beginning in 5..4..3..2..1..
Start Time: 7:30 pm

48 Hour Book Challenge - Caving In to Peer Pressure

I swore I wasn't going to do it this year. My first year participating (2007) I had just returned from China and was exhausted. I did get a few books read, but not nearly as many as I'd hoped. Last year I never got out of my pajamas on Saturday, but still didn't match the output of some folks. I don't know how some of those speed readers did it!

Given that I was away from home for quite a while recently, I didn't feel right asking to spend a whole weekend reading. However, I have given in to the need to read. I probably won't reach the hours I put in last year (18?), but I'm certainly going to have fun reading what's on my pile. Here's what I have.

• How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor - I've been reading her blog for ages, but haven't read any of her books. How did this happen? This is first on my list.
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney - Okay, I haven't read these either. I guess it's about time.
• Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston - I bought this one in April with the hopes of highlighting it for National Poetry Month. The best laid plans, you know.
• The Robe of Skulls: The First Tale From the Five Kingdoms by Vivian French - I've been interested in this one ever since Jacket Whys included it on her list of Best Covers of 2008.
• A Taste for Red by Lewis Harris - I picked this up today because the cover reads "What happens if your sixth-grade science teacher is also your immortal enemy?" How could I not be intrigued? One reviewer at Amazon called it "Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Nancy Drew."
• The Sorceress: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott - This is book 3 in the series. In book 2 we met Joan of Arc and Machiavelli. I can't wait to see what new immortals appear in this installment.
• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling - With a new movie coming out, I need/want to revisit book 6.

I'll be posting updates throughout the weekend once I start reading. This year I'll be donating $2 for every hour I read to . . .

Flying Horse Farms

Okay, I'm off to make dinner and get my life in order so I can begin the challenge. More later.