Everyone, I'm sure, has reading comfort zones. For some, it's mysteries. Others gravitate toward romance, science fiction, or historical fiction. As a youth services librarian, it's important for me to read outside of my reading comfort zones (historical fiction and realistic fiction) in order to best serve our patrons. However, sticking to that is not always easy.
When I read about the 10-10-10 Reading Challenge from School Library Journal, I was immediately drawn to the fact that the ultimate goal is not to race to the finish goal (10 books in 10 genres that you normally don't read by 10-10-10). Frankly, I'm not sure I'm going to meet that goal. I'll try (even one of the founders is unsure that she will meet her goal). The main goal is to read outside of your comfort zone as much as possible, and that's a goal to which I heartily aspire!
Participants can choose "established" genres or make up their own. Here's my list (10 books from each genre):
1. graphic novels
2. science fiction
3. fantasy
4. scary stories
5. current adult fiction/nonfiction
6. sports stories
7. 1st (if possible) book in a series that I haven't read
8. folktale collections
9. mysteries
10.horse stories
Wish me luck! I'll post my progress on this blog and on the Kiddosphere Twitter account. It looks like I need to read 2.7 books in this list a week to make this goal (keeping in mind that I do have other things to read). Hmmmm. Well, I'll give a shot!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
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1 comment:
For the mysteries, I'd recommend any of the following:
Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow
(The sequel ~ entitled simply, The Innocent ~ has just been issued, twenty-five years after this, the original).
Red Dragon
(The prequel to Silence of the Lambs). This also qualifies as a very scary book.
The First Deadly Sin
by Lawrence Sanders. One of the first police procedurals. The second in the series is equally good.
Or if you want to go nineteenth-century obscure:
Armadale by Wilkie Collins. (His Woman in White is another classic that rewards the reader richly).
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