Young Adult Challenge

I've found a lot of great book blogs, and Joy at one of my favorites, Thoughts of Joy, is hosting a 2008 Young Adult Challenge. Since I'm so busy with the baby, I haven't found as much time to read as much as I would like to, so I thought I'd commit myself to reading books in the upcoming year. What better way to do it than with a challenge! In addition to my weekly reviews, once a month, I will read and review a longer young adult book. I chose to do a challenge with young adult books for a couple of reasons: 1) This is a blog about children's literature, and I want to give parents and older kids some good recommendations, and 2) Young adult books are for the most part shorter than books for adults, and I'll be much more likely to fit them into my busy schedule.

As I was trying to narrow down 12 books out of so many young adult books out there, I was getting a little overwhelmed. Then I remembered that when I was in fourth grade, we had to read one Newbery Award Medal or Honor book a month. I really enjoyed it back then, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it now. I plan on reading the last 12 Newbery Award-Winning Books. Here they are:

1. 2007: The Higher Power of Lucky written by Susan Patron
   
2. 2006: Criss Cross written by Lynne Rae Perkins
   
3. 2005: Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
   
4. 2004: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread written by Kate DiCamillo
   
5. 2003: Crispin: The Cross of Lead written by Avi
   
6. 2002: A Single Shard written by Linda Sue Park
   
7. 2001: A Year Down Yonder written by Richard Peck
   
8. 2000: Bud, Not Buddy written by Christopher Paul Curtis
   
9. 1999: Holes written by Louis Sachar
   
10. 1998: Out Of The Dust written by Karen Hesse
    
11. 1997: The View from Saturday written by E. L. Konigsburg
    
12. 1996: The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
    

Join me....this should be fun!

If the idea of a challenge sounds fun, but you have young kids, check out the Young Reader's Challenge. Becky at Becky's Book Reviews designed it for kids 12 and under. This would be a great way to get your kids excited about reading and the perfect opportunity to read with them!