The 104 Book Challenge - 2014 discussion

Within my 104, I'm going to try and read:

-All the Newbery Award winners
-One non-fiction a month
-Re read all of Harry Potter (though I'm cheating by having done 1 & 2 in the last weeks of 2013)

Good luck everyone!

#1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

I won't waste time 'reviewing' this one, since I'm pretty sure you'd have to be living in Azkaban to not know the big stuff about this one. But I do like this one because its really your first glimpse into how well-thought out Jo was in her writing.

Those are always on a re read (HP)

#2 The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

This is the most recent Newbery Award winner, and I absolutely think its one of the best I've read in years. I loved Ivan and the other characters, the story was sweet and compelling, highly recommend it! Plus it only took a couple of hours to read, so there's no excuse for missing out.

Jen wrote: "#2 The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

This is the most recent Newbery Award winner, and I absolutely think its one of the best I've read in years. I love..."

I am adding this one to my list of books to read, it looks great! :)

#3 Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

My second Newbery for the year. This is an almost-sorta-kinda biographical tale of a summer Jack Gantos spent in his hometown of Norvelt. It's very funny, a few scenes (like checking to see if an old lady was dead while wearing his Grim Reaper Halloween costume) were downright hilarious to picture. Very well written, I enjoyed it.

#4 A Million Bucks by 30: How to Overcome a Crap Job, Stingy Parents, and a Useless Degree to Become a Millionaire Before (or After) Turning Thirty by Alan Corey

This is my January non-fiction choice, and I really enjoyed it. I figured a financial book was a good way to start the New Year, keep me interested and motivated in being more responsible yadda yadda yadda.

The author is a normal dude, and he talks like one. Its refreshing to read about a regular joe who just eats ramen for months and chooses to be a spendthrift to make a million, instead of 'get rich quick and easy' or 'preachy' self help finance books. His methods aren't for everyone, but a few are applicable to all, I think. He references pop culture, as you would expect from someone under thirty, but since it was written in 2008, some of the references are out of date. I found it amusing, honestly, to read about him buying the latest iPod or finding friends on MySpace.

I'd recommend this, short and quick and amusing.

#5 Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

I read this as a young girl, but not in 20 years or so. I really like the story, and I would be interested in going to California and finding the real Lost Woman's grave and tribe information in the museums there.

#6 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

I think I read this in third or fourth grade, but remembered nothing other than a character dies. And my little cousin read it for school and there was an uproar over whether it was age appropriate for them ( I think third grade at the time?).

I teared up at the end. I started the first few pages not really thinking I would like this one, but I ended up loving Jess and Leslie and May Belle so much more than I expected. Jess is such a good character, and I even though I think he's more self aware than is necessarily accurate for a ten year old, it makes for good reading.

That was one of my favorite books as a kid, but I don't remember much about it now. Putting it on my list to reread!

#7 Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray

I had this book as a kid, and I read it several times then. It's about an eleven year old boy in England in the last 1290s. Adam's father is a minstrel and one day Adam manages to lose him while chasing after his stolen dog. Adam ends up wandering England for several months alone, meeting various people and having adventures along the way. I enjoy it because its one of those books that tell you a lot about how day to day life worked back then, which always interests me. But it's such a crazy thought, this pre-teen wandering the country alone, dependent on strangers for a place to sleep.

#8 Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

This is a recent Newbery winner, and I liked it but didn't love it. Neat story with one of those 'story within a story' aspects, which I enjoyed. The issue I found was that the inside story was more compelling than the main story, I liked those characters better and the story was more interesting. I can see why it's acclaimed, though, it has all the right 'important-life-lesson' and 'interesting-historical-setting' and 'inner-turmoil-of-a-bright-child' stuff that seems so prevalent in recent Newberys.

#9 Holes by Louis Sachar

I love this book, I've read it multiple times since it was published and I always enjoy it.

#10 The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

Fictionalized account of Marie van Goethem, the inspiration for Edgar Degas' "Little Dancer, aged fourteen" and her sister Antoinette. Very interesting and well researched.

#11 The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

I wanted to like this more than I did. I like cute stories, but this was too precious even for me. Plus it just felt...thin. The plot and the characters and the motivations all came across as...tinny is the word I want to use. Cheaply made and not nearly as solid as it should be. Color me disappointed.

#12 The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

I liked this one, it's a fantasy novel about a girl named Aerin who tries to save her kingdom of Damar. I didn't expect a Newbery fantasy novel, so I was pleasantly surprised. The language was a bit forced and awkward at times, and I wish there was more background on Aerin's mother and the magic Aerin possesses and things like that. But I like Robin McKinley's work in general, and I do like this as well. Apparently the first Damar book, The Blue Sword, won a Newbery Honor.

#13 Everyone Wants to Be Me or Do Me: Tom and Lorenzo's Fabulous and Opinionated Guide to Celebrity Life and Style by Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez

I love Tom and Lorenzo's blog, it's hilarious and spot on. So I was really excited for their satirical self help book to release. It's just as witty and intelligent as the blog, which is wonderful.

#14 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

This book is amazing, as is the whole Time Quartet. Even after numerous readings, I still gleaned new insight this time around.

#15 Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

Super quick read, written in letter and diary format.

#16 The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin

March's non-fiction choice. Interesting read, though I think she is using the word 'happy' instead of the more accurate 'contentment'.

#17 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis


Another Newbery, I liked this more than I thought I would. Its about a young African American boy in Depression Era Michigan.

#18 The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Had to finally read this before the movie releases!

#19 The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare