Sunday, October 30, 2016

Why October is a Book Crazy Month

Why is October such a book crazy month? Well, we've had...

 ...the Inprint Houston book readings of Ann Patchett and Lauren Groff...


...Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon...


...the Cybils...


...our Scholastic Book Fair...


...Literacy Night and Dress as a Book Character Day. Quite a month.


Next weekend isn't October but the book frenzy continues as we will be heading to Austin for the Texas Book Festival.


What Arrived in My Mailbox This Week





What I Read This Week


Reviews coming soon.




What are you reading today?


What is the Sunday SalonImagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them,and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. Click here to join the Salon.

The Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news and recap the past week.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share books that we found in our mailboxes last week. 
 It is now being hosted here.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which you can share the books you've acquired.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is now being hosted at The Book Date.


Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Literacy Night: Dress As Your Favorite Book Character

Literacy Night is this week. We are to dress as our favorite book character. But who can decide?

I've been Cat in the Hat lots of times.

Red Riding Hood is always fun.

Fancy Nancy is perfect for me.

I also have Mary Poppins and Dorothy from Wizard of Oz plus Snow White and oodles more.
I have an entire closet of costumes. 
How can I possibly choose?


For more wordless photos, go to Wordless Wednesday.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy ReadsTo participate in Saturday Snapshot: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken and then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky at West Metro Mommy Reads.



Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Scary Books I'll Never Read

Have I told you that I don't do scary? 

Here are some scary books I'm too afraid to read.

I'd never read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Even the cover creeps me out.

I didn't try Gone Girl either. I knew that book would give me nightmares.



Anything by Stephen King. Even if Stephen King came out with a nice little children's book about puppies, I wouldn't read it. I'd be too scared to read anything with his name on the cover.


I read Robert R. McCammon's amazing book, Boy's Life, years and years ago and it's stuck with me as one of the best books I've ever read. I'd never have opened it if I'd known McCammon writes mostly horror.

I had these three books at my elementary library in Houston and they were constantly checked out. I was curious about them and tried the first story in book one. It's called The Big Toe. I couldn't read past the title. Terrifying.

No true crime for me. No way Jose.

This is the scariest book I keep in my primary school library. The third story is horrifying. It's called The Green Ribbon. Don't read it. Trust me on this.



Do you like scary books? Have you read any of these? Am I missing out?




Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Time for a Readathon!

dewey's 24 hour readathon.jpg

There's really only one way to read and review 78 books in one day, and that's a readathon.


That's my goal for today. I'll be co-hosting from 1-3 pm CST, so stop by and say hello at 24hourreadathon.com if you get a chance. If you haven't readathon-ized before, you will definitely want to drop in and join in for a mini-challenge or two, and don't forget to visit some blogs and encourage people on. 

Hour 0: Opening Meme

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? 
I'm here in Alvin, Texas, 
between Houston and Galveston.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? 
This is Not a Book
The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read
Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery...
And, most of all, We Found a Hat

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? 
Coffee.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself! 
School librarian. Reader. Blogger. 
I love to read happiness books, travel stories, 
literary fiction and nonfiction, and children's books.

5) What’s one thing you’ll do different today?
I will stay in my pajamas much of the day.
It's almost time to start. Ready? Set? READ!

Hour 1 and 2


Books read so far: 22
Titles read during this time: Barnacle is Bored
The Water Princess
They All Saw a Cat
A Hungry Lion or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals
The Typewriter
Little Red
Mother Bruce
Ideas Are All Around
The Night Gardener
Dragon Was Terrible
A Night of Great Joy
Hey, That's My Monster!
Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery
Worm Loves Worm
The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read
I'm a Girl
Hungry Bird
Groovy Joe: Ice Cream & Dinosaurs
King Baby
Into the Snow
Let's Play!
This is Not a Picture Book
Snacks consumed: Coffee and yogurt
Currently reading: More picture books


Hour 3 and 4 and 5 and 6

Books read so far: 55
Titles read during this time: The Mixed-Up Truck
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn
Creation
The Ugly Dumpling
Pirasaurs
Tell Me a Tattoo Story
The Wheels on the Tuk-Tuk
There is a Tribe of Kids
Be a Friend
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles
Thunder Boy Jr.
Puddles
Imelda and the Goblin King
Max at Night
One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree
The Lion Inside
Penny & Jelly Slumber Under the Stars
Henry Wants More!
Frank and Lucky Get Schooled
The Storyteller
Frankencrayon
Strictly No Elephants
Super Happy Magic Forest
Twenty Yawns
The Darkest Dark
Bloom
My Heart Fills With Happiness
Les Miserables (Board book)
I'm Sunny! (Board book)
This is Not a Book (Board book)
My Heart Fills With Happiness (Board book)
Hamsters on the Go (Board book)
Look! Birds! (Board book)
Snacks consumed: Water and M&Ms
Currently reading: More picture books


Hour 7 and 8

Co-hosting at 24hourreadathon.com

Hour 9 and 10 and 11

Out to eat with friends


Hour 12 and 13 and 14

Books read so far: 85
Titles read during this time: The Quickest Kid in Clarksville
We Found a Hat
Snappsy the Alligator Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!
Follow the Moon Home
From Wolf to Woof!
Hensel and Gretel: Ninja Chicks
Good Night, Baddies
If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't!
The White Cat and the Monk
Real Sisters Pretend
Grandma is a Slowpoke
Superhero Instruction Manual
Surf's Up
This is My Dollhouse
Before I Leave
A Piece of Home
The Sound of All Things
Normal Norman
Feathers for Peacock
Flora and the Peacocks
Little One
A Morning with Grandpa
Freedom in Congo Square
Daniel Finds a Poem
I Am a Story
Giraffes Ruin Everything
Follow Me!
Too Many Carrots
Ninja Baby
Hoot and Peep
Snacks consumed: More Water and M&Ms
Currently reading: I finished all my picture books! Hurrah!
Now on to my grownup books. 
First up...Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right

Hour 15-24

Sleep. Sigh.

End of Event Survey


  1. Which hour was most daunting for you? 9 pm. My body wants sleep.
  2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Children's picture books.
  3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next season? I think I'm going to create my own team like Brona did for her Australian bloggers. I will also use 15 minutes of each hour to blitz social media and check up on my team.
  4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I love knowing that hundreds of people are reading at the same time. It makes the world a happier place.
  5. How many books did you read? 85
  6. What were the names of the books you read? See above.
  7. Which book did you enjoy most? I can't reveal that until the Cybils voting is over on Jan. 1st.
  8. Which did you enjoy least? Can't reveal that either. Sigh.
  9. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? 100% likely. I don't know but I think I'll read and visit blogs next time.




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Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Trees in New Mexico



For more wordless photos, go to Wordless Wednesday.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy ReadsTo participate in Saturday Snapshot: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken and then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky at West Metro Mommy Reads.