2009 Mini-Challenges

This seems really different and fun. It can be found at: http://www.caribousmom.com/2008/12/30/2009-mini-challenges-a-novel-challenge-yahoo-group/

Complete all 12 mini-challenges between January 1st and December 31st, 2009.
Challenges can be completed in any order.
Overlaps are allowed.
Have fun! Challenge yourself to do something literary every month of the year! ( **I LOVE THIS ! ! !)
Here are the 12 challenges:

1. Read a collection of short stories and either blog about it, OR tell the group about what you read.
2. Read a play. Blog about it, OR tell the group about your experience.
3. Read a nonfiction book; write a review on your blog or post it to the group.
4. Read an 2 essays from the same collection; write a review on your blog or tell the group about what you read.
5. Go to a book event; blog about it or tell the group about it.
6. DONE Borrow a library book, read it and review it on your blog (or tell the group about it).
7. DONE Read a book by a new to you author. Do a little research on the author…do they have a blog? How many books have they written? Have they won any prizes? Where do they live? etc… Blog about the book you read and the author OR tell the group about them.
8. DONE Make a donation. You can either donate to an organization that supports reading OR make a physical donation of a book (or books) to ANYONE. Blog about it or tell the group what you did.
9. DONE Promote literacy. This is wide open - use your imagination. You could give a child a book, or read a book to someone who cannot read, or volunteer at an event which promotes literacy, or donate to your local library, or write something on your blog with a link to a group which promotes literacy, or anything in between. The only rule with this one is that you must PROMOTE literacy in some way…
10. DONE Participate in a buddy read or Group discussion. This can be a face to face group, an on-line group or a one on one discussion with a friend who read the same book. Either way, blog about your experience or share with the group. Did the discussion give you greater appreciation or insight into what you read?
11. Read a book outside your comfort level or from a genre you don’t normally read. Blog about it, or tell the group about it.
12. DONE Read a classic (defined as anything published before 1970). Tell us why it fits the category of being a classic. Write a review or tell the group about the book.

My List:
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6. I usually have my limit of 25 out of the library, so this is easy. My 2009 Book #4: Tularosa by Michael McGarrity was taken from the Miller-Golf Links Branch of the Tucson/Pima Library, read, and reviewed on this blog on Jan. 9th. One down!
7. I researched quite a few new-to-me authors (and illustrators) such as Jen Bryant, Carrie Jones, and Michael McGarrity.
8. I donated books to the THA Library, and I sent a box of books to the middle school near Seattle that lost all its books in a fire around Thanksgiving. I donated many books to the Friends of Pima County Library for its book sale.
9. I try to promote literacy every day, since I teach literature to middle schoolers. But here are some special things that have come up:
A. Jan, 2009: My 7th and 8th graders have started a blog where they review YA literature for teens. They are very excited, and have even thought up pen names/pseudonyms. Check out: www.ReadingJewCrew.blogspot.com
10. Although my wonderful adult book group became defunct in 2009, I kept up (somewhat) with the TARC monthly meeting/discussions at Something Sweet.
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12. Feb. 2009: I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain) with my eighth grade class. I wasn't particularly impressed - you can read my review.