When I was a kid, in elementary school, every summer the public library had a Summer Reading Challenge. I think libraries still have something like that. My clearest memory of the summer reading challenge is one summer when I was maybe 9 or 10, in about 1963, maybe.
My mother, sister, brother and I had gone to the library to sign up. My brother was too young to be reading yet and my sister was also younger than me. The friendly librarian signed us up and got us started on our first book. I don't remember exactly how she convinced me, but my memory is getting pushed into choosing Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling. She definitely talked the book up; maybe it was a favorite from her own childhood.
I spent the entire summer reading that book and I don't remember a darned thing about it. And I was a fanatic reader - I would read for hours. My mother would tell me to turn on a light, I was going to ruin my eyes reading in the dimming light. Puck of Pook's Hill was not an enjoyable read for me. It was a slog.
Fast forward to the present- the lovely and brilliant ladies at Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic (https://carterhaughschool.com/) have presented an unorthodox summer reading challenge. Their passion is for folklore, fairy tales, and all that goes along with those things. Their summer reading challenge is quirky, intriguing, but not limited to folklore and fairy tale related books.
One item on the list is "finish a book that you started and like but somehow keep drifting away from and never finish." For me this was Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. I'm a big fan of Neil Gaiman but when I first tried reading Good Omens it gave me weird dreams. I began it again and really got into it this time - no dreams.
Other suggestions on their list include "read a book in translation," "read a book with a blue cover," "puzzle through a book that challenges you," and "read your best friend's favorite book." I'm about to begin "read a book you own but have never read" - I Am Murdered, by Bruce Chadwick It's about George Wythe, who was Thomas Jefferson's teacher and who was indeed murdered. It also has a blue cover!
I certainly won't be able to complete the whole list, but that's not the point, of course. Wishing you all happy reading!
I love this kind of reading challenge. The unorthodox ways of choosing a book make it fun and interesting, Good luck with the challenge. Happy reading.
ReplyDeleteThank you! We'll see how well I do.
DeleteI must admit I do not remember reading challenges as a child, but I sure had lots of years working with librarians to create ones that were relatable and challenging! Yet my favorite reading challenges of all times were the years I challenged struggling readers to read 100 books and I would do sommersaults down the school hallway, ONE student met the challenge and I did the sommersaults! It was even in the lobal paper!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome!
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