FAIRY TALES, FABLES and SHORT STORIES
Fairy Tales (1835) - Hans Christian Andersen
Aesop's Fables (1484) - Annonymous
One Thousand and One Nights (1706) - Annonymous
Grimm's Fairy Tales (1812) - Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
The Jungle Book (1894) / The Second Jungle Book (1895) - Rudyard Kipling
Just So Stories (1902) - Rudyard Kipling
Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) / The House at Pooh Corner (1928) - A.A. Milne
Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals (1697) - Charles Perrault
New Arabian Nights (1882) / More New Arabian Nights (1885) - Robert Louis Stevenson
Book of Enchantments (1996) - Patricia C. Wrede
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Reading List: Young Adult Mystery & Suspense
MYSTERY
The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series (190 books, 1927 - 2005) - Franklin W. Dixon (pseudonym for multiple ghost authors)
Harriet the Spy (1964) - Louise Fitzhugh
Paper Towns (2008) - John Green
Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series (175 boos, 1930 - 2003) - Carolyn Keene (pseudonymn for multiple ghost authors)
A Series of Unfortunate Events series (13 books, 1999 - 2006) - Lemony Snicket
Encyclopedia Brown series (26 books, 1963 - 2009) - Donald J. Sobol
SUSPENSE
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973) - Lois Lowry
Killing Mr. Griffin (1978) - Lois Lowry
Summer of Fear (1976) - Lois Lowry
Remember Me (1989) - Christopher Pike
Fear Street series (117 books, 1989 - 2005) - R.L. Stein
The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series (190 books, 1927 - 2005) - Franklin W. Dixon (pseudonym for multiple ghost authors)
Harriet the Spy (1964) - Louise Fitzhugh
Paper Towns (2008) - John Green
Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series (175 boos, 1930 - 2003) - Carolyn Keene (pseudonymn for multiple ghost authors)
A Series of Unfortunate Events series (13 books, 1999 - 2006) - Lemony Snicket
Encyclopedia Brown series (26 books, 1963 - 2009) - Donald J. Sobol
SUSPENSE
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973) - Lois Lowry
Killing Mr. Griffin (1978) - Lois Lowry
Summer of Fear (1976) - Lois Lowry
Remember Me (1989) - Christopher Pike
Fear Street series (117 books, 1989 - 2005) - R.L. Stein
Reading List: Young Adult Contemporary Fiction
CONTEMPORARY NOVELS (Set after 1959)
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2007) - Sherman Alexie
Speak (2001) - Laurie Halse Anderson
Burger Wuss (1999) - M.T. Anderson
Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret (1970) - Judy Blume
Forever (1976) - Judy Blume
Superfudge (1980) - Judy Blume
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series (4 books, 2001 - 2007) - Ann Brashares
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) - Stephen Chbosky
The House on Mango Street (1984) - Sandra Cisneros
*The Ramona series (1955-1999) - Beverly Cleary
*Walk Two Moons (1995) - Sharon Creech
Just Listen (2006) - Sarah Dessen
*My Side of the Mountain (1960) - Jean Craighead George
Looking for Alaska (2005) - John Green
The Outsiders (1967) - S.E. Hinton
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (4+ books, 2007 - ?) - Jeff Kinney
*From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1968) - E.L. Konigsburg
To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) - Harper Lee
Monster (1999) - Walter Dean Myers
*The Black Pearl (1968) - Scott O'Dell
Bridge to Terabithia (1978) - Katherine Paterson
*The Great Gilly Hopkins (1979) - Katherine Paterson
*Jacob Have I Loved (1980) - Katherine Paterson
*Hatchett (1988) - Gary Paulsen
*The Westing Game (1978) - Ellen Raskin
Where the Red Fern Grows (1961) - Wilson Rawls
*Holes (1999) - Louis Sachar
Maniac McGee (1990) - Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl (2000) - Jerry Spinelli
*Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976) / Let the Circle Be Unbroken (1981) - Mildred D. Taylor
Homecoming (1981) / *Dicey's Song (1982) / A Solitary Blue (1983) - Cynthia Voigt
Izzy, Willy-Nilly (1986) - Cynthia Voigt
The Book Thief (2006) - Marcus Zusack
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2007) - Sherman Alexie
Speak (2001) - Laurie Halse Anderson
Burger Wuss (1999) - M.T. Anderson
Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret (1970) - Judy Blume
Forever (1976) - Judy Blume
Superfudge (1980) - Judy Blume
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series (4 books, 2001 - 2007) - Ann Brashares
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) - Stephen Chbosky
The House on Mango Street (1984) - Sandra Cisneros
*The Ramona series (1955-1999) - Beverly Cleary
*Walk Two Moons (1995) - Sharon Creech
Just Listen (2006) - Sarah Dessen
*My Side of the Mountain (1960) - Jean Craighead George
Looking for Alaska (2005) - John Green
The Outsiders (1967) - S.E. Hinton
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (4+ books, 2007 - ?) - Jeff Kinney
*From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1968) - E.L. Konigsburg
To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) - Harper Lee
Monster (1999) - Walter Dean Myers
*The Black Pearl (1968) - Scott O'Dell
Bridge to Terabithia (1978) - Katherine Paterson
*The Great Gilly Hopkins (1979) - Katherine Paterson
*Jacob Have I Loved (1980) - Katherine Paterson
*Hatchett (1988) - Gary Paulsen
*The Westing Game (1978) - Ellen Raskin
Where the Red Fern Grows (1961) - Wilson Rawls
*Holes (1999) - Louis Sachar
Maniac McGee (1990) - Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl (2000) - Jerry Spinelli
*Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976) / Let the Circle Be Unbroken (1981) - Mildred D. Taylor
Homecoming (1981) / *Dicey's Song (1982) / A Solitary Blue (1983) - Cynthia Voigt
Izzy, Willy-Nilly (1986) - Cynthia Voigt
The Book Thief (2006) - Marcus Zusack
Reading Lists: Young Adult Historical Fiction
HISTORICAL NOVELS (Set prior to 1959)
Little Women (1868) / Little Men (1871) / Jo's Boys (1886) - Louisa May Alcott
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation (2006 - 2009) - M.T. Anderson
*The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1992) - Avi
A Great and Terrible Beauty (2003) / Rebel Angels (2006) / The Sweet Far Thing (2007) - Libby Bray
*Caddie Woodlawn (1936) - Carol Ryrie Brink
A Little Princess (1905) - Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden (1911) - Frances Hodgson Burnett
*My Brother Sam Is Dead (1975) - James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
What Katy Did series (5 books, 1872 - 1890) - Susan Coolidge
*Lord of the Flies (1954) - William Golding
Captain's Corageous (1897) – Rudyard Kipling
Kim (1901) - Rudyard Kipling
A Separate Peace (1959) - John Knowles
Pippi Longstocking (1945) / Pippi Goes on Board (1946) / Pippi in the South Seas (1948) - Astrid Lindgren
*Sarah, Plain and Tall (1985) / Skylark (1994) / Caleb's Story (2001) - Patricia MacLachlan
The Children of the New Forest (1847) - Frederick Marryat
Bloody Jack series (7 books, 2002 - 2009) - L.A. Meyer
The Anne of Green Gables Novels (8 books, 1908 - 1921) - L.M. Montgomery
Pollyanna (1913) / Pollyanna Grows Up (1915) - Eleanor H. Porter
Fire from Heaven (1969) / The Persian Boy (1972) - Mary Renault
The King Must Die (1958) / The Bull from the Sea (1962) - Mary Renault
Catcher in the Rye (1951) - JD Salinger
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1943) – Betty Smith
*The Bronze Bow (1962) - Elizabeth Speare
*The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1958) - Elizabeth George Speare
Kidnapped (1886) - Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island (1883) – Robert Louis Stevenson
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) / Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) / Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894) / Tom Sawyer, Detective (1896) – Mark Twain
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) - Mark Twain
The Prince and the Pauper (1882) - Mark Twain
The Boxcar Children series (19 books, 1924 - 1974) - Gertrude Chandler Warner
*Little House series (11 books, 1932 - 1974) – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Women (1868) / Little Men (1871) / Jo's Boys (1886) - Louisa May Alcott
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation (2006 - 2009) - M.T. Anderson
*The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1992) - Avi
A Great and Terrible Beauty (2003) / Rebel Angels (2006) / The Sweet Far Thing (2007) - Libby Bray
*Caddie Woodlawn (1936) - Carol Ryrie Brink
A Little Princess (1905) - Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden (1911) - Frances Hodgson Burnett
*My Brother Sam Is Dead (1975) - James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
What Katy Did series (5 books, 1872 - 1890) - Susan Coolidge
*Lord of the Flies (1954) - William Golding
Captain's Corageous (1897) – Rudyard Kipling
Kim (1901) - Rudyard Kipling
A Separate Peace (1959) - John Knowles
Pippi Longstocking (1945) / Pippi Goes on Board (1946) / Pippi in the South Seas (1948) - Astrid Lindgren
*Sarah, Plain and Tall (1985) / Skylark (1994) / Caleb's Story (2001) - Patricia MacLachlan
The Children of the New Forest (1847) - Frederick Marryat
Bloody Jack series (7 books, 2002 - 2009) - L.A. Meyer
The Anne of Green Gables Novels (8 books, 1908 - 1921) - L.M. Montgomery
Pollyanna (1913) / Pollyanna Grows Up (1915) - Eleanor H. Porter
Fire from Heaven (1969) / The Persian Boy (1972) - Mary Renault
The King Must Die (1958) / The Bull from the Sea (1962) - Mary Renault
Catcher in the Rye (1951) - JD Salinger
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1943) – Betty Smith
*The Bronze Bow (1962) - Elizabeth Speare
*The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1958) - Elizabeth George Speare
Kidnapped (1886) - Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island (1883) – Robert Louis Stevenson
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) / Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) / Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894) / Tom Sawyer, Detective (1896) – Mark Twain
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) - Mark Twain
The Prince and the Pauper (1882) - Mark Twain
The Boxcar Children series (19 books, 1924 - 1974) - Gertrude Chandler Warner
*Little House series (11 books, 1932 - 1974) – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Reading List: Young Adult Animal Novels
ANIMAL NOVELS
Watership Down (1972) - Richard Adams
*Sounder (1970) - William H. Armstrong
*Mr. Popper's Penguins (1939) - Richard and Florence Atwater
Paddington Bear series (1958 - 2008) - Michael Bond
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965) - Beverly Cleary
*Because of Winn-Dixie (2001) - Kate DiCamillo
The Magician's Elephant (2009) - Kate DiCamillo
The Tale of Desperaux (2003) - Kate DiCamillo
The Tiger Rising (2001) - Kate DiCamillo
*Old Yeller (1957) - Fred Gipson
The Wind in the Willows (1908) - Kenneth Grahame
Redwall series (20+ books, 1987 - ?) - Brian Jacques
*Hoot (2003) - Carl Hiaasen
*Rabbit Hill (1945) - Robert Lawson
*The Dr. Dolittle books (12 books, 1920-1952) - Hugh Lofting
The Call of the Wild (1903) - Jack London
White Fang (1906) – Jack London
*Shiloh (1992) - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
*Rascal (1964) - Sterling North
*Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of NIMH (1972) - Robert C. O'Brien
*Island of the Blue Dolphins (1960) - Scott O'Dell
My Friend Flicka (1941) / Thunderhead (1943) / Green Grass of Wyoming (1946) - Mary O'Hara
*The Cricket in Times Square (1961) - George Selden
Black Beauty (1877) - Anna Sewell
*Charlotte’s Web (1953) - E.B. White
Stuart Little (1945) - E.B. White
Trumpet of the Swan (1970) - E.B. White
Watership Down (1972) - Richard Adams
*Sounder (1970) - William H. Armstrong
*Mr. Popper's Penguins (1939) - Richard and Florence Atwater
Paddington Bear series (1958 - 2008) - Michael Bond
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965) - Beverly Cleary
*Because of Winn-Dixie (2001) - Kate DiCamillo
The Magician's Elephant (2009) - Kate DiCamillo
The Tale of Desperaux (2003) - Kate DiCamillo
The Tiger Rising (2001) - Kate DiCamillo
*Old Yeller (1957) - Fred Gipson
The Wind in the Willows (1908) - Kenneth Grahame
Redwall series (20+ books, 1987 - ?) - Brian Jacques
*Hoot (2003) - Carl Hiaasen
*Rabbit Hill (1945) - Robert Lawson
*The Dr. Dolittle books (12 books, 1920-1952) - Hugh Lofting
The Call of the Wild (1903) - Jack London
White Fang (1906) – Jack London
*Shiloh (1992) - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
*Rascal (1964) - Sterling North
*Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of NIMH (1972) - Robert C. O'Brien
*Island of the Blue Dolphins (1960) - Scott O'Dell
My Friend Flicka (1941) / Thunderhead (1943) / Green Grass of Wyoming (1946) - Mary O'Hara
*The Cricket in Times Square (1961) - George Selden
Black Beauty (1877) - Anna Sewell
*Charlotte’s Web (1953) - E.B. White
Stuart Little (1945) - E.B. White
Trumpet of the Swan (1970) - E.B. White
Reading List: Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy
FANTASY NOVELS
The Chronicles of Prydain (5 books, 1964-1973) - Lloyd Alexander
The Oz Books (14 books, 1900 - 1920) – L. Frank Baum
The Enchanted Wood (1939) / The Magic Faraway Tree (1943) / The Folk of the Faraway Tree (1946) - Enid Blyton
The Adventures of the Wishing Chair (1937) / The Wishing Chair Again (1950) / More Wishing Chair Tales (1997) - Enid Blyton
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) / Through the Looking Glass (1871) - Lewis Carroll
Artemis Fowl series (6+ books, 2001 - ?) - Eoin Colfer
*The Dark Is Rising Sequence (5 books, 1966-1977) - Susan Cooper
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) / Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (1972) - Roald Dahl
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2006) - Kate DiCamillo
Ranger's Apprentice series (9+ books, 2004 - ?) - John Flanagan
The Inkworld Trilogy: Inkheart (2003) / Inkspell (2005) / Inkdeath (2008) - Cornelia Funke
Coraline (2002) - Neil Gaiman
*The Graveyard Book (2008) - Neil Gaiman
The Princess Bride (1973) - William Goldman
The Goose Girl (2003) - Shannon Hale
*Princess Academy (2005) - Shannon Hale
Howl's Moving Castle (1986) / Castle in the Air (1990) / House of Many Ways (2008) - Diana Wynne Jones
The Phantom Tollbooth (1961) - Norton Juster
*Ella Enchanted (1998) - Gail Carson Levine
The Chronicles of Narnia (7 books, 1950 - 1956) - C.S. Lewis
*Afternoon of the Elves (1990) - Janet Taylor Lisle
The Abhorsen series (4 books, 1995 - 2006) - Garth Nix
The Borrowers series (4 books, 1952 - 1961) - Mary Norton
The Song of the Lioness series (4 books, 1983 - 1988) - Tamora Pierce
Inheritance Cycle: Eragon (2002) / Eldest (2005) / Brisingr (2008) - Christopher Paolini
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (1995) / The Subtle Knife (1997) / The Amber Spyglass (2000) - Phillip Pullman
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series (5+ books, 2005 - ?) - Rick Riordan
Harry Potter series (7 books, 1997-2007) - J.K. Rowling
The Little Prince (1943) - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
Everlost (2009) - Neal Shusterman
The Mysterious Benedict Society series (3+ books, 2007 - ?) - Trenton Lee Stewart
The Hobbit (1937) - J.R.R. Tolkein
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (4 books, 1985 - 1990) - Patricia C. Wrede
SUPERNATURAL NOVELS
Thirsty (1998) - M.T. Anderson
Tuck Everlasting (1975) - Natalie Babbit
House of Night Series (6 books, 2007 - ?) - P.C. Cast
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2007) / City of Ashes (2008) / City of Glass (2009) - Cassandra Clare
Twilight (2005) / New Moon (2006) / Eclipse (2007) / Breaking Dawn (2008) - Stephenie Meyer
Matilda (1988) - Roald Dahl
Vampire Academy series (4+ books, 2007 - ?) - Richelle Mead
Shiver (2009) - Maggie Stiefvater
Beautiful Creatures (2009) - Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Peeps (2005) / The Last Days (2006) - Scott Westerfeld
SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS
Feed (2002) - M.T. Anderson
Ender's Game (1985) - Orson Scott Card
The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games (2008) / Catching Fire (2009) / Mockingjay (2010) - Suzanne Collins
The City of Ember (2003) - Jeanne DuPrau
*House of the Scorpion (2002) - Nancy Farmer
*A Wrinkle in Time series (5 books, 1962 - 1989) - Madeleine L'Engle
*The Giver (1993) / Gathering Blue (2000) / The Messenger (2004) - Lois Lowry
Maximum Ride series (5+ books, 2005 - ?) - James Patterson
House of Stairs (1991) - William Sleator
When You Reach Me (2009) - Rebecca Stead
Uglies (2005) / Pretties (2005) / Specials (2006) / Extras (2007) - Scott Westerfeld
The Chronicles of Prydain (5 books, 1964-1973) - Lloyd Alexander
The Oz Books (14 books, 1900 - 1920) – L. Frank Baum
The Enchanted Wood (1939) / The Magic Faraway Tree (1943) / The Folk of the Faraway Tree (1946) - Enid Blyton
The Adventures of the Wishing Chair (1937) / The Wishing Chair Again (1950) / More Wishing Chair Tales (1997) - Enid Blyton
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) / Through the Looking Glass (1871) - Lewis Carroll
Artemis Fowl series (6+ books, 2001 - ?) - Eoin Colfer
*The Dark Is Rising Sequence (5 books, 1966-1977) - Susan Cooper
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) / Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (1972) - Roald Dahl
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2006) - Kate DiCamillo
Ranger's Apprentice series (9+ books, 2004 - ?) - John Flanagan
The Inkworld Trilogy: Inkheart (2003) / Inkspell (2005) / Inkdeath (2008) - Cornelia Funke
Coraline (2002) - Neil Gaiman
*The Graveyard Book (2008) - Neil Gaiman
The Princess Bride (1973) - William Goldman
The Goose Girl (2003) - Shannon Hale
*Princess Academy (2005) - Shannon Hale
Howl's Moving Castle (1986) / Castle in the Air (1990) / House of Many Ways (2008) - Diana Wynne Jones
The Phantom Tollbooth (1961) - Norton Juster
*Ella Enchanted (1998) - Gail Carson Levine
The Chronicles of Narnia (7 books, 1950 - 1956) - C.S. Lewis
*Afternoon of the Elves (1990) - Janet Taylor Lisle
The Abhorsen series (4 books, 1995 - 2006) - Garth Nix
The Borrowers series (4 books, 1952 - 1961) - Mary Norton
The Song of the Lioness series (4 books, 1983 - 1988) - Tamora Pierce
Inheritance Cycle: Eragon (2002) / Eldest (2005) / Brisingr (2008) - Christopher Paolini
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (1995) / The Subtle Knife (1997) / The Amber Spyglass (2000) - Phillip Pullman
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series (5+ books, 2005 - ?) - Rick Riordan
Harry Potter series (7 books, 1997-2007) - J.K. Rowling
The Little Prince (1943) - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
Everlost (2009) - Neal Shusterman
The Mysterious Benedict Society series (3+ books, 2007 - ?) - Trenton Lee Stewart
The Hobbit (1937) - J.R.R. Tolkein
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (4 books, 1985 - 1990) - Patricia C. Wrede
SUPERNATURAL NOVELS
Thirsty (1998) - M.T. Anderson
Tuck Everlasting (1975) - Natalie Babbit
House of Night Series (6 books, 2007 - ?) - P.C. Cast
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2007) / City of Ashes (2008) / City of Glass (2009) - Cassandra Clare
Twilight (2005) / New Moon (2006) / Eclipse (2007) / Breaking Dawn (2008) - Stephenie Meyer
Matilda (1988) - Roald Dahl
Vampire Academy series (4+ books, 2007 - ?) - Richelle Mead
Shiver (2009) - Maggie Stiefvater
Beautiful Creatures (2009) - Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Peeps (2005) / The Last Days (2006) - Scott Westerfeld
SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS
Feed (2002) - M.T. Anderson
Ender's Game (1985) - Orson Scott Card
The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games (2008) / Catching Fire (2009) / Mockingjay (2010) - Suzanne Collins
The City of Ember (2003) - Jeanne DuPrau
*House of the Scorpion (2002) - Nancy Farmer
*A Wrinkle in Time series (5 books, 1962 - 1989) - Madeleine L'Engle
*The Giver (1993) / Gathering Blue (2000) / The Messenger (2004) - Lois Lowry
Maximum Ride series (5+ books, 2005 - ?) - James Patterson
House of Stairs (1991) - William Sleator
When You Reach Me (2009) - Rebecca Stead
Uglies (2005) / Pretties (2005) / Specials (2006) / Extras (2007) - Scott Westerfeld
Saturday, January 2, 2010
52 Books a Year Challenge
OVERVIEW
The title pretty much says it all--your goal is to read a book a week, or 52 books in a year. This is something I've done the last few years myself.
WHAT TO DO
Finish 52 books this year. I found it easier to aim for four books per month than a book a week, and usually was reading two or three books at a time. You might want to alternate fiction and nonfiction, focus on a specific genre each month, or try to read four different types of books each month (for instance a mystery, a classic, a memoir, and a humor book). If there's a genre you've never read, ask a friend who loves that genre for recommendations (for instance, if you've never read science fiction/fantasy, ask a friend who loves those books which author they recommend). If you start a book and don't like it, put it aside and try something else. Don't force yourself to finish a book you don't enjoy.
Find a regular time to read that works for you. If you work, it may be during your lunch hour. If you commute, try audio books (they count). I have a colleague who picks a book he loves to read only while walking on the treadmill--it makes his workout fly by and motivates him to exercise. If you have kids, it may be a chapter during naptime, or before you go to sleep after the kids are in bed. You could choose an appropriate novel to read to your kids, a chapter each night. If your kids are older, you may even want to implement a family reading hour where each member of the family reads their own book.
Keep a notebook or a spreadsheet to track your progress listing the author, title, the date you finished, a brief note on what you thought, and your personal rating. You may also want to include copyright year, ISBN, and genre. You'll be surprised by how much you can read when you make a conscious effort, and you'll probably cut back on TV (especially when you find a book you can't put down).
The title pretty much says it all--your goal is to read a book a week, or 52 books in a year. This is something I've done the last few years myself.
WHAT TO DO
Finish 52 books this year. I found it easier to aim for four books per month than a book a week, and usually was reading two or three books at a time. You might want to alternate fiction and nonfiction, focus on a specific genre each month, or try to read four different types of books each month (for instance a mystery, a classic, a memoir, and a humor book). If there's a genre you've never read, ask a friend who loves that genre for recommendations (for instance, if you've never read science fiction/fantasy, ask a friend who loves those books which author they recommend). If you start a book and don't like it, put it aside and try something else. Don't force yourself to finish a book you don't enjoy.
Find a regular time to read that works for you. If you work, it may be during your lunch hour. If you commute, try audio books (they count). I have a colleague who picks a book he loves to read only while walking on the treadmill--it makes his workout fly by and motivates him to exercise. If you have kids, it may be a chapter during naptime, or before you go to sleep after the kids are in bed. You could choose an appropriate novel to read to your kids, a chapter each night. If your kids are older, you may even want to implement a family reading hour where each member of the family reads their own book.
Keep a notebook or a spreadsheet to track your progress listing the author, title, the date you finished, a brief note on what you thought, and your personal rating. You may also want to include copyright year, ISBN, and genre. You'll be surprised by how much you can read when you make a conscious effort, and you'll probably cut back on TV (especially when you find a book you can't put down).
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