The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

30.1 - Ms. Anderson's task: How Do I Say This...?
We all know how important communication is--without it, we wouldn't have anything to read! Roll two dice to determine which methods of communication you're going to explore. If you roll doubles, you will do the same option twice. Remember, the 100-page rule applies to everything!

Roll 1: Talk to Me, People!
The spoken word is arguably the most obvious method of communication. Read a play. Examples: Hamlet, Waiting for Godot

Roll 2: A Picture's Worth
Early writing came in the form of cave drawings and pictographs. Read a graphic novel, an illustrated book, or a book with photographs. The 500+ page rule regarding picture books and newspaper comic strips applies. Make sure to say where the pictures are if it isn't obvious! Examples: Every Thing on It, Batman: Hush, Vol. 1, To Hell and Back

Roll 3: To Whom It May Concern
For many, many years, writing letters was the only way to keep in touch with people who lived far away. Read a book, fiction or nonfiction, that is a collection of letters. Diaries will NOT work. Examples: Ella Minnow Pea, As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto

Roll 4: Mr. Watson, Come Here
During the 19th century, some interesting methods of long-distance communication were invented, including one we all know and love: the telephone. Read a book by an author whose initials are found in any order in B-E-L-L and/or P-H-O-N-E. Examples: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, Sisterland by Linda Newbery. If the author uses a middle name or initial, all of their initials must be found in B-E-L-L and/or P-H-O-N-E.

Roll 5: Books@BooksBooksBooks.Books
We're all here communicating with each other online about something we all love: books! Because tech is awesome, read an ebook or a book that includes emails, blog/Facebook posts, or instant messages in the text. Remember--all ebooks with no print equivalent must be cleared in the proper thread! Examples: ttyl, Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit Signs on to Facebook, My Life Undecided
Required: Please include the link to the ebook if using that option or explain how e-communication was used in your book if it is not explained in the GR book description.

Roll 6: Roll 6: Lost in Translation
If there's a lot of ways to communicate, there are more languages in which to do so! Read a book originally written in a language other than your native tongue. If you're multi-lingual, read a book written originally in a language you don't know. Examples: The Count of Monte Cristo (French), The Center of the World (German), Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom (Japanese)
Required: State the language in which the book was originally written and what language(s) you speak.

Clarifications About Confusing Stuff

Roll 2: The only things that need to be 500 pages are picture books (like the ones for little kids) and comic strips (like the ones you read in the newspaper)--that's a challenge rule. Graphic novels just need to be 100 pages, like a regular book.

Roll 4: You can use any of the letters B-E-L-L-P-H-O-N-E in any order. Both L and E can be used twice, but the others only once.

Roll 5: As long as there are blog entries, IM conversations, emails, texts, tweets, etc. in the text, it'll work. For ebooks, it just needs to be the electronic edition--the book can have print edition, too.

I can't wait for Saturday! ^_^

I rolled two 4's.
Do I roll again?

Kathy G. wrote: "I rolled two 4's.
Do I roll again?"

Wow, I can't believe I forgot that! I think there should be enough possibilities for each roll that doubles can be used. In other words, stick with your first roll.

So, it's okay to pick two Option 4's :-)
I'm hoping to read two Holly Black books.

Kathy G. wrote: "So, it's okay to pick two Option 4's :-)
I'm hoping to read two Holly Black books."

Sounds good :D

Thank you!!!

Does anyone have some recommendations for 3? The only books I've ever read in letter format were Dear Mr. Henshaw, Daddy Long Legs (neither of which I was very impressed with) and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which I liked well enough.

Here's a few ideas:

Letters from a Lost Generation: First World War Letters of Vera Brittain and Four Friends

Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda

The Love Letters of Dylan Thomas

http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Greatest...

I remember liking 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, Jennifer. It's a series of letters between Hanff and the owner of an antiquarian bookshop in London.

The one I suggested, Ella Minnow Pea, is absolutely amazing and a really fun read (which is why I suggested it lol). I've heard West from Home: Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder, San Francisco, 1915 is really good, too.

I really liked West From Home- but it's a "children's book" and I don't think it would work here.

Kathy G. wrote: "I really liked West From Home- but it's a "children's book" and I don't think it would work here."

If someone wants to read it, I'll accept it, especially since they're letters to her husband. But even among her novels, many of them won the Newbery Honor medal, and anything Newbery is fair game in my opinion (as long as it fits the 100+ page rule, of course).

Long story short, I'll accept West from Home if anyone wants to read it.

Do volumes of comics fall under "graphic novels" for 2? For example, could I read The Walking Dead, Volume 5: The Best Defense?

That's great!
Thanks Ms. Anderson :-)
I often didn't understand the difference

Kate wrote: "Do volumes of comics fall under "graphic novels" for 2? For example, could I read The Walking Dead, Volume 5: The Best Defense?"

Oh yes, very much so!

Would We Need to Talk About Kevin work?

It is letters from a woman to her estranged husband. Thanks

Kathy G. wrote: "That's great!
Thanks Ms. Anderson :-)
I often didn't understand the difference"

For me, at least, I use my students as a guide. If I'd let the average seventh grader use it on his/her book log, I'll allow it. If I'd give them a Look when they asked me to sign off on it, I usually won't take it for a task lol

Last year, I had some trying to get me to check off Goosebumps and Animorphs, and I sent them away with a few suggestions by the same authors, but more suited to seventh grade (and not, y'know, third).

Cindy wrote: "Would We Need to Talk About Kevin work?

It is letters from a woman to her estranged husband. Thanks"

That will work. Let me know how it is; I've looked at it a few times and debated picking it up, but I'm not sure.

I'm a first grade teacher. I guess I just thought if it didn't say YA in the genre list on here then we could not use it. But, that's good to know. I don't have to be so "fearful" of using the wrong book. :-)

For people looking for books of letters. A good letter book if you like fantasy is Sorcery and Cecelia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede. (I don't plan on reading it as I've already read it, but someone might like the suggestion.)
I've also read and enjoyed Nonfiction letters
A Bully Father: Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to His Children ; Letters of E. B. White, Revised Edition; Now the Drum of War: Walt Whitman and His Brothers in the Civil War ; Loving Letters from Ogden Nash: A Family Album
Fiction:
Homeland; From A to X; The Year the Music Changed: The Letters of Achsa McEachern-Isaacs & Elvis Presley; Fred & Edie

For option 3 , novels in letters I found list in wikipedia

wiki list of contemporary epistolary novels

I think I will read

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I rolled a 5 - ebook. I am thinking that this option is to read an ebook edition...not necessarily a book in electronic formation only.

I have Pride and Prejudice from Project Gutenberg. I can read tt for the task, correct?

Would work for option #4?

I rolled a two and I've never delved into the world of graphic novels before. I just want to make sure that this is ok: Mercy Thompson: Homecoming.

Bea wrote: "I rolled a 5 - ebook. I am thinking that this option is to read an ebook edition...not necessarily a book in electronic formation only.

I have Pride and Prejudice from Project Gutenberg. I can r..."

You're right. The book doesn't need to be ebook-only, just the ebook edition of a book, so the ebook of Pride and Prejudice will work.

Midu wrote: "Would work for option #4?"

There's only one N in the two words, so you can only use N once. This book, unfortunately, won't work.

Sassafrass wrote: "I rolled a two and I've never delved into the world of graphic novels before. I just want to make sure that this is ok: Mercy Thompson: Homecoming."

That will work. Hope you like it! Graphic novels are fun.

For option 4 is it BELL or PHONE or BELL and/or PHONE. Your examples are from each word separately, so I wasn't sure. Thanks!

Karen GHHS wrote: "For option 4 is it BELL or PHONE or BELL and/or PHONE. Your examples are from each word separately, so I wasn't sure. Thanks!"

You can use just one of the words (so Lois Lowry would work, for example).

Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "For option 4 is it BELL or PHONE or BELL and/or PHONE. Your examples are from each word separately, so I wasn't sure. Thanks!"

You can use just one of the words (so Lois Lowry w..."

Thanks,-- that's how I read it, but then I got confused by the answer about two Ns above. That happens to me a lot as I get older;)

Karen GHHS wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "For option 4 is it BELL or PHONE or BELL and/or PHONE. Your examples are from each word separately, so I wasn't sure. Thanks!"

You can use just one of the wo..."

Yeah, if the letter appears twice, you can use it twice, but if it only appears once, you can only use it once.

And it's always better to ask than appear on the Wall of Shame! :D

Ms Anderson wrote: "You're right. The book doesn't need to be ebook-only, just the ebook edition of a book, so the ebook of Pride and Prejudice will work."

Thanks, Ms. Anderson.

Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "For option 4 is it BELL or PHONE or BELL and/or PHONE. Your examples are from each word separately, so I wasn't sure. Thanks!"

You can use..."

Actually, I don't know why I was worried about it because the incomparable Libba Bray's new book comes out in October anyway;)

The Diviners and that's what I'll be reading!

Karen GHHS wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "For option 4 is it BELL or PHONE or BELL and/or PHONE. Your examples are from each word separately, so I wasn't sure. T..."

How could I forget her new book is coming out?! I lovelovelovelovelove everything Libba Bray has ever written :D

Wow, I had no idea there were so many books written in letter format! Thanks everyone!

Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "For option 4 is it BELL or PHONE or BELL and/or PHONE. Your examples are from each word separately, ..."

Agreed - She's a great person, too. I was waiting in a very long signing line at the national library conference and there were lots of teens in line. When she arrived, instead of sitting and waiting to sign, she sat down on the floor in the line and spent time with as many teens as she could. Classy!

would Wicked Musical Tie-in Edition: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West work for option 1?

Rhiannon wrote: "would Wicked Musical Tie-in Edition: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West work for option 1?"

I'm looking for an actual script for a play for option 1.

Does this work for option 2, graphic novel? Troublemaker: Book 1 by Janet Evanovich. Do have have to come up with 500 pages?

Judy wrote: "I rolled a 2 and I'm not very familiar with graphic novels/comics. I was thinking about Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile- would this work? GR lists it at 128 pgs- would this work by itself, or do..."

Valorie wrote: "Does this work for option 2, graphic novel? Troublemaker: Book 1 by Janet Evanovich. Do have have to come up with 500 pages?"

Both of these will work.

The only things that need to be 500 pages are picture books (like the ones for little kids) and comic strips (like the ones you read in the newspaper)--that's a challenge rule. Graphic novels just need to be 100 pages, like a regular book.

Hi Ms. Anderson - great task! (I knew it would be)

I rolled a 6 and am working on choices for Lost in Translation. Would any of these work for this.

The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen

or

Helsinki White by James Thompson

or

The Track of Sand by Andrea Camilleri

Both The Absent One and The Track of Sand will work, since they were originally published in Danish and Italian (which I assume you don't speak).

Helsinki White looks to be originally published in English, (which I'm fairly certain you do speak *_~), so it won't work.

And thank you! I had fun planning this task!

Wow that was a really quick response. I wondered about the James Thompson book but will read it anyway. I'll have to see where I can fit that one in because I really like that series a lot. I've had it on hold from the library for months and it shows that is finally in transit to me.

My thing this year has been Scandanaian crime books and authors. I've been waiting on The Absent one for a while to be translated to English. The first book in the series The Keeper of Lost Causes was far and away my favorite book from the summer challenge.

Sheila wrote: "Wow that was a really quick response. I wondered about the James Thompson book but will read it anyway. I'll have to see where I can fit that one in because I really like that series a lot. I've..."

Do you have anything for the James Bond task? It would only fit one of the requirements, but you could use it. Let's see...or "Fiction" on Keltie Lee's task, or the real-place-name option for Butterflycager's task, or either part of the 15.2 eagerly awaiting task, or the 10.2 costume task (I've seen people go as spec ops chars before!). So I'm sure you'll find a place!

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to peruse "the plan". Hopefully we will get a lot of people finish in the next 10 days so we have some more tasks to choose from.

I just found a place for it. Did you know there was an White Astrachan apple?

Sheila wrote: "I just found a place for it. Did you know there was an White Astrachan apple?"

No, but it's funny you're using the color for your apple--I'm using a Blue Pearmain. I'm glad you found a place to use it!

Would you accept for option 3 A Lifelong Passion: Nicholas and Alexandra: Their Own Story.