Stephanie Howell

What I'm Reading 2014 // January 2014 Edition

One of my goals for 2014 is to be more intentional about reading. To track my books via Goodreads, to pay attention to what I read and didn't read, to share what I'm reading here.

I hope this will be a monthly feature, but I've learned by now never to say anything for sure. HA!!

Let me share how I devour read and choose books.

My favorite thing about the end of the year is the "Best Of" lists you can find. I've pinned several of them to my Books Pinterest board HERE.

As I read the lists I add books to my Goodreads "to read" list.

The other day I added a bunch of books from the Kirkus Best Fiction of 2013 list...and when I got to the library I pulled up my Goodreads app and went from there.

When I go to the library I check out all the books that catch my eye. I don't expect that I'll read them all, but I'm not sure which ones will and won't get read. I take a stack and return the ones that I'm not feeling.

 

 

January List:

1.Wild by Cheryl Strayed

2. The Returned by Jason Mott

3. Canada by Richard Ford

4. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

5. Very Bad Men by Harry Dolan (just noticed this one is 2nd in a series I haven't read the 1st of...probably won't be reading it).

6. The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

7. The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

 

Books I completed last month:

1. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett- Didn't like this one. Ann Patchett is a beautiful, poetic author but I really disliked this book. It bored me (no matter HOW MUCH I wanted to like it) and the ending ticked me off.

2. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon- Loved it. Beautiful, lyrical, spine-tingling and mesmerizing. Makes me want to visit Barcelona badly.

3. Christmas Bliss by Mary Kay Andrews- Devoured it in a few hours. It's another Weezie/BeBe Savannah book and it was adorable. I didn't want it to end. My only complaint is that it made me miss Savannah terribly.

4. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes- I fell in love with this and never wanted it to end. I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

5. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain- Thanks to Paula, I'm now obsessed with the Lost Generation and the Jazz Age. I've always been intrigued by Hemingway/Fitzgerald/Stein/Joyce etc...and this book sealed the deal. Highly recommend.

6. Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand- It was okay. Highly forgettable but passed the time just fine. I've already forgotten about it.

 

Okay, there you go!

Hopefully I can keep up with this all year!

What are YOU reading?

xoxo

S

Read-Aloud Recommendations for Children | A Compilation

 

 

So I got to thinking. And as recommendation after recommendation poured in on this weekend's post...I knew I had to do something with all of the amazing comments.

So I alphabetized, linked, them, and put them all in one giant list.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I'm nuts. And I totally am, but in a good way. HAHAHA!

When I was searching for read-alouds for my girls I did NOT find a great comprehensive resource. So I decided to make one.

I hope you find it as helpful as I do. I'm now just ITCHING to read to my girls.

You know why I love read-alouds? Well...there are a million reasons. I know it's good for their little brains to listen to stories. I want to instill in them the same love (obsession??) of reading I have.

 

But mainly? I love that on a day when it's just not going well...on a day where I want to string all four of them up by their tiny toes, I can just say "That's IT! We are all getting in Mommy's bed and reading!".

I'm grateful for books.

If you are too, then this list's for you.

Here you go!

A

A to Z Mysteries- Ron Roy

Alfie the Werewolf Series- Paul Van Loon

All of a Kind Family Series- Sydney Taylor

Amelia Bedelia Series- Peggy Parish

Anne of Green Gables Series - L.M. Montgomery 

Araminta Spookie Series- Angie Sage

 

B

Baby Island- Carol Ryrie Brink 

The Babysitters Club Series- Ann M. Martin 

A Bear Called Paddington- Michael Bond

Because of Winn Dixie- Kate DiCamillo

Betsy, Tacy, & Tib Series- Maud Hart Lovelace 

The BFG- Roald Dahl

 The Bobbsey Twins Series- Laura Lee Hope

 The Boxcar Children- Gertrude Chandler Warner

Bridge to Terabithia- Katherine Paterson

Bunnicula Series- Deborah and James Howe

 

C

Caddie Woodlawn- Carol Ryrie Brink

Calef Brown Books

Captain Underpants Series- Dav Pilkey

Catwings Series- Ursula Leguin

The Chalet School Series- E.M. Brent Dyer

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- Roald Dahl

Charlotte’s Web- E.B. White

The Chocolate Touch- Patrick Skene Catling

The Christmas Mystery- Jostein Gaarder

Clementine Series- Sara Pennypacker

Coraline- Neil Gaiman

The Cricket in Times Square- George Selden

 

D

David Walliams Books

The Doll People Series- Ann M. Martin

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz- L. Frank Baum

Dragon Rider- Cornelia Funke

Dummie the Mummie Series (in Dutch)- Tosca Menten

 

E

Ella Enchanted- Gail Carson Levine

Eloise Series- Kay Thompson

Emily Windsnap Series- Liz Kessler

Encyclopedia Brown Series- Donald J. Sobol

 

F

The Famous Five Series- Enid Blyton 

Flat Stanley Series- Jeff Brown

Frindle- Andrew Clements

From the Mixed up Files of  Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler-  E.L. Konigsburg

 

G

The Giving Tree- Shel Silverstein

The Golden Goblet- Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Gooney Bird Greene Series- Lois Lowry

The Gruffalo- Julia Donaldson

 

H

Hank the Cowdog Series- John R. Erickson

Harriet the Spy- Louise Fitzhugh

Harry Potter Series- J.K. Rowling

Hatchet- Gary Paulsen

Heidi- Johanna Spyri

The Hobbit- JRR Tolkien

Holes- Louise Sachar

Horrid Henry Series- Francesca Simon

The Hundred Dresses- Eleanor Estes

 

I

Ida B- Katherine Hannigan

Igraine the Brave- Cornelia Funke

The Indian in the Cupboard Series- Lynne Reid Banks

The Invention of Hugo Cabret- Brian Selznick

The Iron Man- Ted Hughes

Island of the Blue Dolphins- Scott O’Dell

Ivy and Bean Series- Annie Barrows

 

J

The Jack Sparrow Series- Rob Kidd

James and the Giant Peach- Roald Dahl

Johnny Texas- Carol Hoff

Joey Pigza Series- Jack Gantos

Judy Moody Series- Megan MacDonald

Julie of the Wolves- Jean Craighead George

Junie B. Jones Series- Barbara Park

Just So Stories- Rudyard Kipling

 

K

Katie Kazoo Series- Nancy Krulick

 

L

Land of Elyon Series- Patrick Carman

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles- Julie Andrews

Little House on the Prairie Series- Laura Ingalls Wilder

A Little Princess- Frances Hodgson Burnett

Little Women- Louisa May Alcott

Lotta Series- Astrid Lindgren

 

M

Madeline Series- Ludwig Bemelmans

Magic Tree House Series- Mary Pope Osborne

Maniac Magee- Jerry Spinelli

Mandie Series- Lois Gladys Leppard

Martha Matilda O’Toole- Jim Copp

Matilda- Roald Dahl

Millie's Marvellous Hat- Satoshi Kitamura

Milly Molly Mandy Series- Joyce Lancester Brisley

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel- Virginia Lee

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane- Kate DiCamillo

Momo- Michael Ende

The Mouse and the Motorcyle- Beverly Cleary

Mr. Popper’s Penguins- Richard and Florence Atwater

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh- Robert C. O'Brien

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Series- Betty MacDonald

My Father’s Dragon- Ruth Stiles Gannett

My Naughty Little Sister Series- Dorothy Edwards

My Side of the Mountain- Jean Craighead George

My Weird School Series- Dan Gutman

The Mysterious Benedict Society- Trenton Lee Stewart

 

N

Nancy Drew Series- Carolyn Keene

Narnia Series- C.S. Lewis

 

O

Olga Da Polga Series- Michael Bond

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark- Jill Tomlinson

 

P

The Paperbag Princess- Robert Munsch

The Penderwicks Series- Jeanne Birdsall

The Phantom Tollbooth- Norton Juster

Piper Reed Series- Kimberly Willis Holt

Pippi Longstocking- Astrid Lindgren

The Puppy Place Series- Ellen Miles

The Pushcart War- Jean Merrill

Purple, Green and Yellow- Robert Munsch

 

R

The Railway Children- E. Nesbit

Ramona Series- Beverly Cleary

Rascal- Sterling North

Roman Mysteries Series- Caroline Lawrence

 

S

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes- Eleanor Coerr

Saddle Club Series- Bonnie Bryant

Sarah, Plain and Tall- Patricia MacLachlan

Scaredy Squirrel- Melanie Watt

Scrawny,the Classroom Duck- Susan Clymer

The Secret Garden- Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Secret of Zoom- Lynne Jonell

A Series of Unfortunate Events Series- Lemony Snicket

Sheep-Pig retitled Babe the Gallant Pig- Dick King-Smith

Shoes Series- Noel Streatfeild

Skippjon Jones Series- Judy Schachner

Sophie Series- Dick King-Smith

The Spiderwick Chronicles Series- Tony DiTerlizzi

Strawberry Girl - Lois Lenski

Stuart Little- E.B. White

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble- William Steig

 

T

The Tale of Despereaux- Kate Dicamillo

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing- Judy Blume

Tashi Series- Anna Fienberg

The Trumpet of the Swan- E.B. White

Tuesdays at the Castle- Jessica Day George

 

V

The Velveteen Rabbit- Margery Williams

 

W

Warriors Series- Erin Hunter

When Santa Fell to Earth- Cornelia Funke

The Witches- Roald Dahl

The Wizard of Oz- L. Frank Baum

Wonder- R.J. Palacio

A Wrinkle in Time- Madeline L’Engle

 

Extra Resources for Selecting Literature

A Mighty Girl- a thematic list of girl positive, “girl power” literature

Florida Young Sunshine State Readers Awards

The Read Aloud Handbook

Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt

Read for the Heart by Sarah Clarkson

 

Y'all. Seriously. I'm blown away by how great of a resource this is. Thank you SO much for taking the time to comment, email, and tweet with your suggestions.

I will add any more suggestions as they come in.

This might be my favorite blog post of all time. ♡

xoxo

 

 

What are Your Favorite Read-Alouds?

Here are just a few of the books in our read-aloud basket right now.

We are currently reading (and LOVING) James and the Giant Peach but I'm always looking for more books to pick up at the library.

We have also read (and really enjoyed) these books in the past:

The Magic Tree House Series

Junie B. Jones

Mercy Watson

Ramona

anything by Kate Dicamillo

We haven't done Harry Potter yet. Do you think my girls would get it/appreciate it yet?

So...how about it? What are your favorite read-alouds?

xo

S

Confessions of a Bookworm.

I have been reading voraciously my entire life. Well, obviously not in my baby and toddler years...but you know what I mean.

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I started reading early. When I started crawling my mother would tell me to get a certain book and I'd crawl to the book basket and find it.

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When I was a baby, my favorite book was Splish Splash. I also loved Hand,Hand, Fingers, Thumb.

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My mom used to take me to the bookstore, and she'd leave me reading while she looked around. This would ensure that I'd read almost all the books I was interested in and she wouldn't have to buy them.

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When I was a little girl I loved the Ramona books. And Nancy Drew. And Little House on the Prairie. And Charlotte's Web. And the Mandie series.

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I read incredibly fast. Jimmy likes to watch my eyeballs. He swears I took a speed reading class and didn't tell him. I just read really fast.

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I don't read every word.

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If I don't love a book, I don't make myself finish it. Life's too short to read books I hate.

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Or depressing books.

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I check out as many books from the library as I want. I go by the synopsis and sometimes just because I like the author.I don't pressure myself to read them all when I get home. I read the ones I can. I abandon the ones I want to abandon.

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I'm a sucker for a good bookjacket.

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But I always take the jackets off if I buy a book. They will get destroyed and plus...they drive me nuts.

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I don't use bookmarks.

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I have a Goodreads account but never use it.

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I am a Luddite when it comes to reading. Don't tell me to get a Kindle. It will not revolutionize my life. It will break my heart. I will always love the feel, look, smell, of real books.

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I have a horrible memory when it comes to books. I've read SO many and I don't really ever remember anything except whether I loved or hated them. Hence the reason I should use Goodreads.

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I refuse to read books that everyone else is reading. I don't know why.

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There are two exceptions that I regret deeply.

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I hated the Twilight series.

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and 50 shades of Grey. Yuck. Horrible writing. I literally threw the book against the wall halfway through. Horrible.

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I won't judge you if you liked those books, seems I'm the only one who didnt.

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Believe it or not, despite what you just read, I am not a book snob. I love a good piece of chick lit.

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I love YA books.

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David Sedaris, Laurie Notaro,Jen Lancaster, Tina Fey, and Mindy Kaling make me laugh out loud when I'm reading their books. Repeatedly.

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I love Mary Kay Andrews. She's amazing. And she's the only author I've met in person. So I can say that and really mean it. :)

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Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns) was my favorite book this year. I read it on the plain to CA and laughed out loud so many times. My fellow travelers looked concerned. Now that is the mark of a good book.

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My favorite children's author is Mo Willems. He is a genius. And I'm not saying that in the Pinterest "GENIUS!" way. He is really a kid book genius.

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I have a hard time trusting someone who doesn't like reading.

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I make time for reading. Even if it's only 10 minutes right before I pass out from sheer exhaustion...I read. I read in the bath.I read in the carpool line and I read to show my girls what it looks like to love reading.

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I pray that at least one of my girls will be a bookworm like I am.

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I used to stay up all night and read books. Can't do that anymore. But I will again one day.

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Reading changed my life. It has been a passion and a free vacation and a gift and a and an obsession and a love and an addiction.

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Amen.

 

first book signing!

i was SO excited to meet one of my all-time favorite authors last night.

my friend jen and i went out to tybee for a mary kay andrews book signing. we may or may not have been WAY eager and we may or may not have been the second in line. :)

see...here's the (slightly dorky) deal. i'd rather meet an author than a hollywood type celebrity ANY day of the week.

mka isn't just a good author to me...she is like a friend. she has given me countless vacations,escapes,laughs,and tears. reading is a passion to me. and when i find an author i love i am very loyal.

so meeting her was a gift. and she was awesome. and hilarious. and we miiiiight have discussed magic mike. don't even ask. :)

have a beautiful weekend...and say hey if you get a chance. stephanie needs a DIVERSION this weekend. i need to be entertained.

because time is ticckkkkkkkkkinnnnnng. :)
xoxo