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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Reading Goals

Twenty-plus years ago, a teacher I admired greatly casually mentioned that she read, on average, a children's book a week. In an effort to be just like her, I made a new year's resolution to read 52 children's books that year (not counting picture books). I met my goal that year, and I've met or exceeded that goal every year since. Reading lots of books, keeping track of my reading in literature logs, participating in book clubs, and now, blogging about books, has made me the reader and the teacher I am today. 

Somewhere along the line, I added an additional goal of 20 adult books per year. I don't always make that goal. I won't this year because of all my reading for the NCTE Notables committee. 

There have been years when I challenged myself to read more nonfiction, and in 2009 Franki and I will be challenging ourselves to read more diversely.  

Here are my stats for this year:

92 children's/YA novels
11 adult novels
8 audio books (some children's, some adult)
3 professional books (good thing I looked back -- I didn't remember reading any!)
and +/- 600 2008 picture books/non-novels for the Notables (holy cannoli!)

6 comments:

  1. WOW!!! congratulations! that has to feel FANTASTIC! looking back at 2008, you can say with all the pride in the world: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

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  2. Good heavens. 600 picture books? When are the Notables announced?

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  3. Wow! That is impressive! (now, I feel like a lazy bum :)

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  4. Susan,

    We make our final decisions at IRA in Phoenix in late February, so I assume it will be in early March. By that time, I'll be starting to be up to my knees in 2009s!

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  5. Holy moley. Congratulations, Mary Lee. What fun that you keep track--I love seeing the stats!

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