YA Lit:: 999 Reading Challenge Part Huit

Earlier this year, I took on this 999 Reading Challenge. It basically means that I'm looking to read 9 books in 9 categories in 2009. Some of the categories have changed throughout the year. Just because.

I wish I'd been more specific about some categories, and I wish I'd created more categories for graphic novels. Ha ha. Still, this isn't so great or bad, considering it's the end of the year.

As usual, new entries are in italics.

• 9 teen books with multicultural characters
  ~The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
  ~The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party, by M.T. Anderson
  ~Deep in the Heart of High School by Veronica Goldbach
  ~The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim
  ~Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins
  ~The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 2: The Kingdom on the Waves, by M.T. Anderson
  ~Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
  
• 9 teen award-winners (Category finished! 10.08.09)
  ~Japan Ai: A Tall Girl's Adventures in Japan by Aimee Major Steinberger
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Life Sucks by Jessica Abel
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Luna by Julie Anne Peters
  [National Book Award Finalist, 2004]
  ~Absolutely, Positively Not by David LaRochelle
  [Sid Fleischman Humor Award, 2006]
  ~Sucks to be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe) by Kimberly Pauley
  [YALSA's 2009 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers]
  ~One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones
  [2005 Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association]
  ~Teach Me by R.A. Nelson
  [2006 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age]
  ~The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  [New York Times Notable Children's Book for 2008]
  
• 9 graphic novels (Category finished! 05.01.09)
  ~The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Skim by Mariko Tamaki
  ~Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
  ~Watchmen by Alan Moore
  ~Awkward and Definition by Ariel Schrag
  ~Abandon the Old in Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
  ~American Widow by Alissa Torres
  ~Blankets by Craig Thompson
  
• 9 blogs & podcasts
  ~YALSA blog
  ~The YA YA YAs
  ~Stuff You Should Know podcast
  ~Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast
  ~Book Lust with Nancy Pearl podcast
  ~Sound of Young America podcast
  
• 9 webcomics
  ~Unshelved
  ~Cyanide and Happiness
  ~Achewood
  
• 9 Overdrive audiobooks
  ~Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  ~Something Rotten by Alan M. Gratz
  ~The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
  ~True Story by Bill Maher
  ~A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
  ~Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
  
• 9 picture books (Category finished! 04.08.09)
  ~Dad Runs Away with the Circus by Etgar Keret
  ~Chester by Melanie Watt
  ~Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
  ~A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
  ~Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
  ~The Cat's Tale by Doris Orgel
  ~When Randolph Turned Rotten by Charise Mericle Harper
  ~Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems
  ~Wink! The Ninja who Wanted to be Noticed by J.C. Phillips
  
• 9 non-fiction books
  ~Obama: The Historic Journey by The New York Times
  ~The Oxford Project by Peter Feldstein
  ~Barack Obama is Your New Bicycle by Matthew Honan
  ~Finding Serenity: Anti-Heroes, Lost Shepherds and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon's Firefly by Jane Espenson
  ~The Big Skinny: How I Changed my Fattitude by Carol Lay
  ~The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman
  ~The Impostor's Daughter by Laurie Sandell
  
• 9 titles I never thought I'd read
  ~The Coffee Trader by David Liss
  ~The Arrival by Shaun Tan
  

YA Lit:: 999 Reading Challenge Part Sept

Earlier this year, I took on this 999 Reading Challenge. It basically means that I'm looking to read 9 books in 9 categories in 2009. Some of the categories have changed throughout the year. Just because. I feel like I'm on a pretty steady track. I'm still reading graphic novels and picture books even though technically those categories are finished.

As usual, new entries are in italics.

• 9 teen books with multicultural characters
  ~The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
  ~The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party, by M.T. Anderson
  ~Deep in the Heart of High School by Veronica Goldbach
  ~The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim
  ~Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins
  ~The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 2: The Kingdom on the Waves, by M.T. Anderson
  
• 9 teen award-winners
  ~Japan Ai: A Tall Girl's Adventures in Japan by Aimee Major Steinberger
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Life Sucks by Jessica Abel
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Luna by Julie Anne Peters
  [National Book Award Finalist, 2004]
  ~Absolutely, Positively Not by David LaRochelle
  [Sid Fleischman Humor Award, 2006]
  
• 9 graphic novels (Category finished! 05.01.09)
  ~The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Skim by Mariko Tamaki
  ~Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
  ~Watchmen by Alan Moore
  ~Awkward and Definition by Ariel Schrag
  ~Abandon the Old in Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
  ~American Widow by Alissa Torres
  ~Blankets by Craig Thompson
  
• 9 blogs & podcasts
  ~YALSA blog
  ~The YA YA YAs
  ~Stuff You Should Know podcast
  ~Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast
  ~Book Lust with Nancy Pearl podcast
  ~Sound of Young America podcast
  
• 9 webcomics
  ~Unshelved
  ~Cyanide and Happiness
  ~Achewood
  
• 9 Overdrive audiobooks
  ~Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  ~Something Rotten by Alan M. Gratz
  ~The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
  ~True Story by Bill Maher
  ~A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
  ~Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
  
• 9 picture books (Category finished! 04.08.09)
  ~Dad Runs Away with the Circus by Etgar Keret
  ~Chester by Melanie Watt
  ~Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
  ~A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
  ~Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
  ~The Cat's Tale by Doris Orgel
  ~When Randolph Turned Rotten by Charise Mericle Harper
  ~Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems
  ~Wink! The Ninja who Wanted to be Noticed by J.C. Phillips
  
• 9 non-fiction books
  ~Obama: The Historic Journey by The New York Times
  ~The Oxford Project by Peter Feldstein
  
• 9 titles I never thought I'd read
  ~The Coffee Trader by David Liss

I still feel like I need to change that last category. Maybe I need a Spanish language category, or a category for the books I read out loud with my husband. Hmmm...

YA Lit:: 999 Reading Challenge Part Six

Another 999 category finished. We are about to hit the mid-year mark, but I think I'm doing aight.

As usual, new entries are in italics.

• 9 teen books with multicultural characters
  ~The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
  ~The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
  ~Deep in the Heart of High School by Veronica Goldbach
  ~The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim
  
• 9 teen award-winners
  ~Japan Ai: A Tall Girl's Adventures in Japan by Aimee Major Steinberger
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Life Sucks by Jessica Abel
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Luna by Julie Anne Peters
  [National Book Award Finalist]
  
• 9 graphic novels (Category finished! 05.01.09)
  ~The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Skim by Mariko Tamaki
  ~Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
  ~Watchmen by Alan Moore
  ~Awkward and Definition by Ariel Schrag
  ~Abandon the Old in Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
  ~American Widow by Alissa Torres
  ~Blankets by Craig Thompson
  
• 9 blogs & podcasts
  ~YALSA blog
  ~The YA YA YAs
  ~Stuff You Should Know podcast
  ~Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast
  ~Book Lust with Nancy Pearl podcast
  
• 9 webcomics
  ~Unshelved
  ~Cyanide and Happiness
  
• 9 Overdrive audiobooks
  ~Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  ~Something Rotten by Alan M. Gratz
  ~The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
  ~True Story by Bill Maher
  ~A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
  ~Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
  
• 9 picture books (Category finished! 04.08.09)
  ~Dad Runs Away with the Circus by Etgar Keret
  ~Chester by Melanie Watt
  ~Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
  ~A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
  ~Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
  ~The Cat's Tale by Doris Orgel
  ~When Randolph Turned Rotten by Charise Mericle Harper
  ~Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems
  ~Wink! The Ninja who Wanted to be Noticed by J.C. Phillips
  
• 9 non-fiction books
  ~Obama: The Historic Journey by The New York Times
  
• 9 titles I never thought I'd read
  ~The Coffee Trader by David Liss

And in the face of the often traumatic summer reading programs at public libraries across the nation, I send all you children's and teen librarian a hug for your summer headaches.
(^-^)/

YA Lit:: 999 Reading Challenge Part Cinq

You may remember my 999 Reading Challenge, comprised of 9 books in 9 categories in 2009. Looks like I've finished off the easiest of the groups: picture books. Aw hells yeah!

Now, when will I get cracking on those non-fiction books? And what the hell did I mean by my "titles I never thought I'd read" category? Like, books in Hindi or Greek or something?

As usual, new entries are in italics.

• 9 teen books with multicultural characters
  ~The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
  ~The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
  
• 9 teen award-winners
  ~Japan Ai: A Tall Girl's Adventures in Japan by Aimee Major Steinberger
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Life Sucks by Jessica Abel
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  ~Luna by Julie Anne Peters
  [National Book Award Finalist]
  
• 9 graphic novels (non-manga)
  ~The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Skim by Mariko Tamaki
  ~Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
  ~Watchmen by Alan Moore
  ~Awkward and Definition by Ariel Schrag
  ~Abandon the Old in Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
  ~American Widow by Alissa Torres
  
• 9 blogs & podcasts
  ~YALSA blog
  ~The YA YA YAs
  ~Stuff You Should Know podcast
  ~Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast
  ~Book Lust with Nancy Pearl podcast
  
• 9 webcomics
  ~Unshelved
  ~Cyanide and Happiness
  
• 9 Overdrive audiobooks
  ~Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  ~Something Rotten by Alan M. Gratz
  ~The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
  ~True Story by Bill Maher
  ~A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
  
• 9 picture books (Category finished! 04.08.09)
  ~Dad Runs Away with the Circus by Etgar Keret
  ~Chester by Melanie Watt
  ~Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
  ~A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
  ~Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
  ~The Cat's Tale by Doris Orgel
  ~When Randolph Turned Rotten by Charise Mericle Harper
  ~Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems
  ~Wink! The Ninja who Wanted to be Noticed by J.C. Phillips
  
• 9 non-fiction books
  ~Obama: The Historic Journey by The New York Times
  
• 9 titles I never thought I'd read
  ~The Coffee Trader by David Liss

And now, on to May of '09!
(^-^)/

YA Lit:: 999 Reading Challenge Part Quatre

It's only been a couple of weeks or so since my last update but I want to *slay* this challenge. The more I think about it, the more likely I am to, you know, do it. The more I post about it... you get the point.

Plus, I'm beginning to see the dangers of the list I created, in terms of overlapping. Technically I've read graphic novels (category 3) that are also award-winners (category 2). Some non-fiction books (category 8) are books I never thought I'd read (category 9). Does that mean each book can only apply to one category, or shall I apply some cheating rules here?

Would that make me a naughty librarian?

As usual, new entries are in italics.

• 9 teen books with multicultural characters
  ~The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
  
• 9 teen award-winners
  ~Japan Ai: A Tall Girl's Adventures in Japan by Aimee Major Steinberger
  [YALSA's 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens]
  
• 9 graphic novels (non-manga)
  ~The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Skim by Mariko Tamaki
  ~Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
  ~Watchmen by Alan Moore
  ~Awkward and Definition by Ariel Schrag
• 9 blogs
  ~YALSA blog
  ~The YA YA YAs
  
• 9 webcomics*
  
• 9 Overdrive audiobooks
  ~Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  ~Something Rotten by Alan M. Gratz
  ~The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
  
• 9 picture books
  ~Dad Runs Away with the Circus by Etgar Keret
  ~Chester by Melanie Watt
  ~Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
  ~A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
  ~Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
  ~The Cat's Tale by Doris Orgel
  ~When Randolph Turned Rotten by Charise Mericle Harper
  
• 9 non-fiction books
  ~Obama: The Historic Journey by The New York Times
  
• 9 titles I never thought I'd read
  ~The Coffee Trader by David Liss

* So I put webcomics on here to kind of kick start me into the regular perusal of such jewels. Well, it hasn't worked. I love webcomics but they don't keep my interest over a period of time. I'll tell you what I *do* enjoy, though. Podcasts. Next time, I think I'll have a new category: "webcomics and podcasts." Why the hell not?

And to welcome my podcast category, voila! Here's a comic by Greg Williams of the Tampa Tribune doing a pretty amazing job of capturing the essence of Chuck and Josh of the How Stuff Works podcast.

Ha!

YA Lit:: 999 Reading Challenge Part Trois

Just a wee update, now that we're in the beginning of March. New additions in italics. :D

• 9 teen books with multicultural characters
  ~The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
  
• 9 teen award-winners
• 9 graphic novels (non-manga)
  ~The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Skim by Mariko Tamaki
  ~Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore
  
• 9 blogs
• 9 webcomics
• 9 Overdrive audiobooks
  ~Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  ~Something Rotten by Alan M. Gratz
• 9 picture books
  ~Dad Runs Away with the Circus by Etgar Keret
  ~Chester by Melanie Watt
  ~Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
  
• 9 non-fiction books
  ~Obama: The Historic Journey by The New York Times
  
• 9 titles I never thought I'd read
  ~The Coffee Trader by David Liss
  

I don't have very long to really get cracking!

YA Lit:: 999 Reading Challenge Part Deux

Thanks to my GoodReads account, I'm able to verify that I'm already ahead on some of these.

• 9 teen books with multicultural characters
• 9 teen award-winners
• 9 graphic novels (non-manga)
  ~The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
  ~Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci
• 9 blogs
• 9 webcomics
• 9 Overdrive audiobooks
  ~Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  ~Something Rotten by Alan M. Gratz
• 9 picture books
  ~Dad Runs Away with the Circus by Etgar Keret
• 9 non-fiction books
• 9 titles I never thought I'd read
  ~The Coffee Trader by David Liss
  (I mean, it's a historical financial mystery. Not my average fare, fo' sho'.)
  

YA Lit:: 999 Reading Challenge

I love making lists. Filling them out and-- *drool*-- crossing them out. I'm all about a sense of accomplishment.

For those of you who also crave a little structure you may think about taking up the 999 Reading Challenge. No, you don't need to read 999 books. You are, however, encouraged to read 9 books in 9 categories in '09. You know, if a similar challenged had been cooked up back '01, I would sooo have been there.

So here are the categories I'll be sure to revisit later in the year:

9 teen books with multicultural characters
9 teen award-winners
9 graphic novels
9 blogs
9 webcomics
9 Overdrive audiobooks
9 picture books
9 non-fiction books
9 titles I never thought I'd read

What might yours be?