12) The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

The Tale of Despereaux is a children's novel, for ages 7-12, but I read it because I'm planning on reading a novel to my grade one class starting after March Break, and this was the novel they voted for.

However, I've decided I'm going to have to overrule their votes, and choose something else.

This story is just a little too "doom and gloom" for grade one kids.  It's the story of a little mouse, the only one to survive his litter, to a family who doesn't really believe he'll live long anyway.  He can read, and he falls in love with a story of a knight and a princess -- only to later come across Princess Pea who lives in the castle he calls home.  He falls in love with Princess Pea, but is banished to the dungeon so the rats can kill him because he broke the number one mouse rule -- do not be seen by the humans.

It continues on gloomily from there.  There's a creepy jailer in the dungeon who helps Despereaux, but there are some other characters who are pretty evil -- the rat, Roscuro, and the little girl Miggery Sow with the "cauliflower ears" she developed from years of abuse.

Yeah.  So not something I'm going to read to my going-on-seven-years-old students.  I thought it was going to be a fun little adventure novel -- nope.  It is the winner of the John Newberry Medal for American Literature for Children, but it's just not something I want to read to my class.

I think instead we'll read Charlotte's Web, it has its sad moments but it's a little more appropriate for this grade.

12 down, 88 to go!

The Classics: Which Ones Are Actually Good Reads?

I've made myself a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, and as a part of that list I decided that I'd like to read 5 'classic' novels.  Novels like Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre etc.  The only thing is -- I'm not sure which classic novels I should try!  I'm worried that they'll be very tedious and dull and that I'll take ages to get through them.

So tell me!  Which "classic" novels do you actually enjoy?  Which ones should I read?

Thanks for any suggestions offered!

11) Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

Oh, Stephanie Plum.  I will be so sad when I catch up completely and don't have any new adventures of yours to read.  Fortunately, Janet Evanovich is still actively writing this series.

Lean Mean Thirteen -- more Stephanie Plum, Bounty Hunter awesomeness.  Read this series if you don't already.  It. Is. Candy.

11 down, 89 to go!

10) Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich

I'm still on my Stephanie Plum kick.  I've just finished Plum Lovin', which is one of the "Between-the-Numbers" novels, and follows book 12.  The Between-the-Numbers books are very short little stories that all seem to be about a particular holiday (the first one was a Christmas story, this one was at Valentine's Day).  They seem to follow the theme of a strange guy named Diesel showing up, needing Stephanie's help on a case -- hilarity and trouble ensues.

I don't like them quite as much as the regular Stephanie Plum mysteries (which are all the 'numbered' titles -- "One for the Money", "Two for the Dough", "Three to Get Deadly", etc etc up to "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" so far).  They have a supernatural element to them which I think is supposed to be jokey, but it sort of takes away from the fact that the Stephanie Plum books aren't usually quite so silly as to have any supernatural elements. So, I don't know.  That part sort of bothers me, but if you just take them for some mindless entertainment and a little extra time with Stephanie Plum, then they're okay.

10 books in 2010 so far!  This is my 'March Break' from school, I'm hoping to be a reading machine, otherwise I'll never make it to 100 in a year!  90 more to go!

9) The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Having enjoyed the young adult novel, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, I've decided to continue to read the series.  My 11-year-old brother is reading the books first, then he passes them to me.  It's quite an enjoyable series -- I think anyone who likes Harry Potter or similar would enjoy these stories.  They're also full of Greek Mythology references, which I enjoy because I love Greek Mythology.

The film version of The Lightning Thief was also pretty good.  I took Scooter to see it last week.  It was different than the book -- an example being that Percy and Annabeth were clearly high school aged teenagers in the movie, but in the book they`re only in the sixth grade -- but it had enough details to keep the story on track enough that it didn`t feel overly changed.  Sure, there were missing characters and a few different locations of some of the events, but mostly it was pretty good.  I`d continue to see the films if they continue to make them.

This second story in the series, The Sea of Monsters, finds Percy and Annabeth on another perilous adventure -- this time to the Sea of Monsters to face a Cyclops and attempt to rescue Grover and obtain the Golden Fleece.  It`s a good little adventure.  I liked the first book just a bit more than this one, but this one has a great twist ending that should make book three pretty interesting.

It`s a good series, definitely check it out if you were a Harry Potter fan or sometimes like reading some of the novels that are written for the younger crowd, but are still entertaining for adults.  If you have a kids in your family, ages 10 or so and up, I definitely recommend these books.

9 down, 91 to go!

8) Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

Oh hai -- that's right, I'm back already!  I actually finished this book between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon -- like I just said, these books are like candy.

I think "Twelve Sharp" is one of my favourites in the entire series.  It had a great storyline, and just enough of the love triangle (which is a love triangle I actually really enjoy and don't find 'frustrating' like in other novels).

Again: read these novels!  They are laugh-out-loud funny, and so quick to read!

8 down, 92 to go!

7) Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich

Book Seven of "The Insane Reading Goal of 2010" was my next book to read in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, "Eleven on Top".  I am loving these novels.  I practically read each one in one sitting -- and I'm determined to catch up to book 15, the most current book in the series, over the next few weeks.  You'll notice the next few books on my list may all include Stephanie Plum, the unlikely awesome bounty hunter.

Since I'm quite far in the series, I don't want to write a synopsis lest I give you spoilers!  All I can say is: read these books!  They're like candy, so fun and so funny!

7 down, 93 to go!