Summer of Shelf Discovery Week 11: The End
NOTE: PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN THE READALONG, AND YOU’LL BE ENTERED IN A GIVEAWAY FOR SWAG FROM SHELF DISCOVERY AUTHOR LIZZIE SKURNICK!
And this brings us to the end of the Summer of Shelf Discovery readalong, in which we read a chapter of Lizzie Skurnick’s book memoir Shelf Discovery each week, plus a book she covered in that chapter.
Ten weeks, ten chapters, and this is the one that goes to 11, the recap. What did I learn this summer?
Re-reading books from childhood is fun. I should do it more often.
Some books have lasting appeal; some were of their place and time. Some were complete crap. (Ahem, Alice.)
Some books might be more beloved because of early imprinting, and those who come late experience them differently (Wrinkle in Time).
Some books are polarizing. (Harriet the Spy)
I have a severe book-buying problem. (I didn’t just learn this, but it was certainly reinforced. I collected a LOT of kids books this summer.)
And, as a result of buying all those books and not reading them, I will probably do this readalong next summer. I have grand visions of an email list with weekly reminders.
What did you think? What did you read? What did you learn?
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:20 am
I loved this and would love to do it again next summer. Although I had a few “urgs” (Alice most notably), there were things I really loved revisiting, and things I wish I’d had time to get to.
In a related note, I saw another blogger talking about Rumer Godden’s kids’ books, which I also read and loved as a child, and I just picked up a couple of those at the library.
August 22nd, 2012 at 12:02 pm
I enjoyed this summer readalong, especially because I was ill for a good portion of it and reading was about all I could do! I especially enjoyed revisiting the Beverly Cleary “teen” books - Fifteen, Sister of the Bride et al. They seemed just as old-fashioned and sweet as I remembered them, even if I was a little bit more aware of their now politically incorrect views of men and women! I re-read quite a few of the Judy Blume books as well - Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself stands out as being one that was obviously completely over my head as a pre-teen … totally missed the Holocaust horror and creepy neighborhood guy stuff as a kid. I veered off the path slightly, re-reading Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards, my all-time favorite book as a kid, and the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace (really got caught up in this series!). There are also plenty I didn’t get to, including Harriet the Spy and the Madeleine L’Engle books. I’ve also always wanted to read Understood Betsy and STILL didn’t get to that one so I’m game for next summer! Thanks for the ideas and the encouragement along the way!
August 23rd, 2012 at 12:16 pm
i enjoyed this reading challenge, but i did falter at chapter 9 and never got back on the horse (how did the remaining weeks fly by so quickly?! summer, come back!)
i would have loved to re-read flowers in the attic with a group. when i brought up this title with my bookclub, NONE of them had read it - i was shocked! my whole class read this book back then.
there are plenty more titles i meant to get to, and i’m up for a reprise next summer