Life/Family:
One more week of school and we're outa' here! The trip to Oman is going to be a long one, but one we've done a bunch of times. I've managed to do it this time with only two flights each way (Los Angeles to London and London to Muscat). What? Where's Muscat? Check out the map so you can see.
This past week we made great strides on Turn the Page Uganda, the non-profit my friend and I are creating. We are now officially a corporation (how strange is that?!) and are now in the 60-day process of getting our 501(c)3 (non-profit) status.
Work:
One more week of work/school and we're on vacation! I am collaborating on a really fun project (studying 20th century decades in the US) with a history teacher and it's been great to be in a history classroom again. However, it makes me realize that I am glad that I work in the Library now: class sizes have grown (we're up to 35 per class), there are more and more requirements on classroom teachers (think: testing and nit-picky forms to fill in), and some of the students in these classes just don't want to be there. I definitely do not miss the minutia and discipline aspects of classroom teaching! I do love the intellectual conversations and helping students to do better on their projects and assignments by showing them how to research and work more efficiently.
Books and Reading:
It is so amazing to me that 2010 is almost over though I guess I feel that way every December. However, this December is my first after blogging for a whole year so I am excited to reflect on my reading.
Number of books read in 2010: 129 (Confession: I had no idea I'd read that many!)
Number of challenges in 2010: 16 out of 16 completed (with lots of overlap)
Books that I gave a rating of 5 out of 5 in 2010: I realize looking at this list that books received the highest rating from me for different reasons and that in reality I would rank some of these higher than others. Oh well, 30 books with a great rating is so exciting and awesome!
Room by Emma Donoghue
The Day the Women Got the Vote by George Sullivan
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
Every Little Thing in the World by Nina deGramont
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
Between Two Worlds by Zainab Salbi
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Sold by Patricia McCormick
Animal Dreams by Barabara Kingsolver
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Shine Coconut Moon by Meminger
Body Drama by Redd
The Writing on My Forehead by Nafisa Haji
Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo
Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The God Box by Alex Sanchez
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Freaks and Revelations by Hurwin
Pedro and Me by Judd Winick
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Debbie Harry Sings in French by Brothers
War Horse by Michel Morpurgo
And, my top picks for 2010 are...
Sold by Patricia McCormick
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini
What were your favorite books of 2010?
9 comments
Hey, no fair! Sophia did the review of Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. Just kidding. I really liked this book and wanted to tell you I got to stand and chat with Christopher Paul Curtis at a reception held in the home of another member of our library committee which brought the author to town. Curtis is an interesting person. Maybe you'll get to meet him some day.
129 books is awesome! I am not even sure I will break 100.
Have a great time in Oman!! Your 2010 top picks are all on my wishlist. Gotta bump them up!
Bonnie--Ah, but she read Bud, Not Buddy aloud to me! :-) I am so jealous that you met Christopher Paul Curtis
Stephanie--I realize the number of books isn't really important to me, it's did I enjoy them. And, many of mine were YA, which are quick reads
Aths--You have a great wish list if a lot of these books are on it
I don't think I can yet pick my top 10 for the year since I haven't finished reading for the year yet...
Amanda--It did feel strange to pick the best before the year is done, but I went out on a limb. If I read something better between now and December 31 I will definitely give it a special post :-)
We have some 5/5 books in common this year, Room, The Help, Hunger Games, Catching Fire.
I've added Wintergirls to my wishlist (sounds right up my alley1).
I didn't really notice how much everyone loved Mornings in Jenin until I see it cropping up on a few 'best of' lists. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for it now.
Alexandra--Oooo, the ones you have in common with my list are SO good! You'll like Wintergirls as well, I'm sure
Farmlanebooks--Glad to hear Mornings in Jenin is appearing on other people's top lists as well.
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