48 Hour Challenge: Finish Line Post

The Finish Line
Well, I did it.  With 754 minutes I just barely crossed the finish line of Mother Reader's 48 hour book challenge (the actual breakdown of time and books is at the bottom of this post).  However, it was a personal best for me (well, it was the first time I participated).  Best of all, I managed to read eleven books I think I may someday be able to recommend to students.  I did all of my reading on my Kindle.  It's nice to find titles available on the Kindle as I much prefer reading on an eReader device.

I began at 9 pm on Friday, June 8th, and finished this evening (Sunday, June 10th) at 9 at night.  This was the perfect way for me to get to know a few new titles.  I feel much more up-to-date thanks to the recommendations from my literacy colleagues on Twitter.

More Great Books

Trouble at the Zoo:  Bindi Wildlife Adventures by Bindi Irwin and Chris Kunz:  This book is one in a series of Wildlife Adventures based on the characters of Bindi, Robert, and Terri Irwin.  This is the family of Steve Irwin who dedicated his life to helping the public understand more about animals in the wild.  In this story, Bindi's birthday is being celebrated at the zoo in a big underwater sea themed event.  Lots of people visit the zoo to help Bindi celebrate and raise money to help save the whales.  Zac isn't happy to be spending his birthday at the zoo with his little sister.  He decides he might feel better if he is able to take home a water dragon.  Will Bindi be able to help?  There is an informational section at the end of the book that tells the reader more about the animals talked about in the story.

Marty McGuire by Kate Messner:  I liked Marty right from the start.  She's not a follower and has her own way of doing things.  It's obvious from the beginning that Marty likes science, nature and discovery. It's not surprising that she isn't happy to be given the part of the princess in her class play, "The Frog Prince."

Nancy Clancy Super Sleuth by Jane O'Connor:  Nancy enjoys a good mystery.  She and her friend, Bree, work to solve mysteries from their very own "Sleuth Headquarters."  Nancy can figure out who left fingerprints in her book, a secret a friend is keeping, but can she figure out who took Mr. Dudeny's special marble from the memento exhibit in their classroom?  I think readers would enjoy putting together the clues to help solve the mystery before Nancy and Bree can solve it.

The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin:  I've enjoyed Doreen Cronin's picture books, and found this book did not disappoint.  This book, as I have come to expect from Doreen Cronin, is about a few animals left home alone.  As I would also expect, these animals are a little too smart for their own good.  Moosh, the chicken, comes to J.J., a retired rescue dog, for help finding her lost chicks.  It isn't long before J.J. realizes he has been set-up by the inside dog, Vince.  When J.J. tries to save the chicks he finds himself in a little over his head and on his way to the vet for surgery intended for Vince.  Will J.J. be able to escape from Vince's evil plan?  As the story unwinds we learn that some chicks will do anything for a good book.  (Gotta love that!)

The One and Only Stuey Lewis:  Stories From the Second Grade by Jane Schoenberg:  This was the last book I read in the 48 hour challenge.  It seemed perfect as I read the last chapter which talks about the importance of beginnings and endings.  Having just ended a school year, I could relate to Stuey's feelings of not wanting the year to end and his worries about the coming new school year.  This book is a collection of four short stories about Stuey Lewis and life in second grade.  In this book Stuey wrestles with learning to read, pulling of the greatest Halloween Caper ever, living up to his big brother's soccer abilities, and saying goodbye to second grade.  Stuey and his good friend Will stick together through all of this.  I think the short story structure of this book make it perfect for helping young readers transition into longer texts.


Other Books Read:
Wonder, Franki Pickle and the Closet of Doom, Ivy and Bean
Roscoe Riley Rules #1, Heidi Heckelbeck Has a Secret, Keena Ford and the Second Grade Mix-Up

Time Read

I used BookTime on my Kindle to keep track of my reading.  I loved this app as it allowed me track my time, pause when I needed to stop for a second, and record notes about my reading.  I might just keep track of my minutes across the summer.  Maybe I'd surprise myself.

During this challenge I clocked 754 minutes which is just over 12 and a half hours.  629 minutes (almost 10 and a half hours) were spent reading early chapter books.  I so appreciated this time to catch up on many titles I've been wanting to read.  91 minutes (about an hour and a half) were spent writing reviews.  I wrote this review after the 48 hours so it is not included in my time.  I spent 34 minutes networking for #48hbc.  I pledged $2 per hour to Reading is Fundamental.