Ella did it. She read more than 200 books in 10 calendar
months. Yup. That about sums it up. Awesome. A sweet, great achievement.
I'm guessing you want some details.
Here's the background: I made a grand bet with my seven
year old. I bet her she could read 200 books in 9 calendar
months. Around about the start of summer, with camp and vacation and just needing
a break, we extended the reading challenge by one additional month.
The revised bet: Ella could read 200 books between
December 1 and October 1. In first grade, we set a goal of 100 chapter
books during the school year, which she hit. A goal of 200 books in second
grade seemed the obvious next step. Heaven help my family books budget and her
reading schedule if this keeps growing exponentially. By 8th grade she will
need to move into a convent and spend all day reading.
Bet you want to know what she read? Almost all of the
books were chapter books suitable for a second grader or older. Her school uses
the guided reading program/levels. Using this program, we read books between
levels "N" and "V." She choose a majority of the books
herself. I picked a select few "required" books. These tended be
books of the classic sort, books moms like their kids to read.
But among the classics, she had plenty of choice. I set aside a pile of
classics and she chose from those ones that interested her the most. Some day
Ella will have to read certain books just because someone (a teacher,
professor, etc) says so. But for now I want her to enjoy reading as much
as possible. I want her to read stories that get her excited and keep her up
late. There is no shortage of classics to choose from and it was interesting
for me to see what she gravitates toward and what she is intrigued by.
She read about fairies (so many fairy books), dragons (and more dragons),
wild horses, magic horses, talking dogs, cats, one-eyed serpents, Greek goddesses,
princesses, siblings, star wars, oragami, mice, goddesses, world record holders, deer, fried worms, parents and so much more.
The incentive? Of course there was a prize. The prize for
successfully hitting her goal was three fold. First, lunch with mom at a place
of her choosing. Thankfully she didn't pick Trump Plaza. Second, dessert (as
grand and sweet and piled as high as she wants) at a place of her choosing.
Third, a $100 gift card to Barnes and Noble to be used on books, writing
journals, and magazines ENTIRELY of her own choosing. I am going to put a
future blog on the structure of the winnings and why we picked these three
specific things.
What did mom love the most about this reading challenge?
Ella's spirit of excitement as she plowed through books, especially as she hit
the last 30 days and figured out a strategy of how many books she needed to
read each day (including selecting certain rest days where she didn't read a
thing). Those 200+ books -- their plots, characters, lessons, settings,
descriptions -- are all in her head now, swimming around, sparking new ideas
and thoughts, spilling off into her creative endeavors, and reminding her
again, and again, about the power, the wonder, the joy that comes from stories.
Books Read Between Dec. 1
2012 and Sept. 30, 2013
How to Eat Fried Worms
By Thomas
Rockwell
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5
Guided reading level: R
The Trouble with Tuck
By Theodore Taylor
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.1
Guided Reading Level: R
Nerds Series (3)
Michael Buckley
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.3
Guided Reading Level: V
Goddess Girls Series (4)
Joan Holub
Interest Level: Grades 4 - 7
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3
Guided Reading Level: S
Beastquest (12)
By Adam Blade
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.6-5.2
Dealing with Dragons (2)
(Enchanted Forest Chronicles Series)
By Patricia C. Wrede
Interest Level: Grades 6 - 8
Grade Level Equivalent: 7.3
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (Series)
By Tom Angleberger
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4
Guided Reading: T
The Penderwicks
By Jeanne Birdsall
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.8
Guided reading level: S
Chincoteague Series (1)
By Marguarite Henry
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.8
Guided reading level: R
My Fathers Dragon
By Ruth Stiles Gannett
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.8
Guided reading level: N
Judy Moody Saves the
World
By Megan McDonald
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.3
Guided reading level: M
Judy Moody Predicts the Future
By Megan McDonald
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2
Guided reading level: N
Judy Moody Predicts the Future
By Megan McDonald
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2
Guided reading level: N
Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record
By Annie Barrows
Interest Level: Grades K - 2
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.7
Socks
By Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.4
Guided reading level: O
Ribsy
By Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.1
Guided reading level: O
Smart Dog
By Vivian Vande Velde
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.8
Wings of Fire
By Tui T. Sutherland
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 7
Princess School (2)
By Jane B. Mason
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3
Guided reading level: P
Fairy Magic Series (23)
By Daisy Meadows
Interest Level: Grades 1 - 4
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.7 – 4.6
Guided Reading Level: M
Lucky Stars Wish Upon a Pet
By Phoebe Bright
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3
Guided reading level: M
Baily School Kids Series (6)
By Marcia Thornton Jones
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3
Guided reading level: M
4th Grade Fairy Series (2)
By Eileen Cook
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2
Guided reading level: P
Magic Pony
By Elizabeth Lindsay
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.6
Guided reading level: N
Origami Yoda – Secret of the Fortune Wookie
By Tom Angleberger
Interest Level: Grades 4 - 7
Grade Level Equivalent: 5
Guided Reading: U
Origami Yoda -- Darth Paper Strikes Back
By Tom Angleberger
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5
Guided Reading: V
The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet
By Tom Angleberger
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 7
B Magical
By Lexi Connor
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3
Junie B. Jones Series (7)
By Barbara Park
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.1-2.3
Genre: Comedy and Humor, Realistic
Fiction, Series
Guided Reading: M
Muggie Maggie
By Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.1
Guided Reading O
Going Going Gone
By Judy Blume
Interest Level: Grades K - 2
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.0
The Girls Book of How to Be the Best of Everything
By Juliana Foster
Interest Level: Grades 4 - 7
Ralph S Mouse
By Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.1
Guided Reading Level: O
Runaway Ralph
By Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.1
Guided Reading Level: O
Third Grade Angels
By Jerry Spinelli
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.3
Fourth Grade Rats
By Jerry Spinelli
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.6
Guided Reading Level: Q
Guinea Dog
Patrick Jennings
Interest Level: Grades K - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.3
Whatever After
By Sarah Mlynowski
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 6
Grade Level Equivalent: 3
Guided Reading Level: S
Fairy Godmother Academy
By Jan Bozarth
Age Range: 8 and up
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Ramona and Her Father
Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.4
Guided Reading Level: O
Ramona Quimby Age 8
By Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5
Guided Reading Level: O
Beezus and Ramona
By Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.8
Guided Reading Level: O
Geronimo Stilton Series (4)
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.4
Guided Reading Level: N
Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg
Gail Carson Levine
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.3
Guided Reading Level: Q
In the Realm of the Never Fairies: Secret World of
Pixie Hollow
By Monique Peterson
Age Range: 7 and up
Series: Disney Fairies
Moxie Maxwell Does Not Like Stewart Little
By Peggy Gifford
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.8
Aloha Kanani – American Girl
By Lisa Yee, Jennifer Hirsch and Sarah Davis
Age Range: 8 and up
Grade Level: 3 and up
McKenna – American Girl
By Mary Casanova
Age Range: 8 and up
Series: American Girl Today
Sage – American Girl
By Jessie Haas
Age Range: 8 and up
Super Fudge
By Judy Blume
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.2
Guided Reading Level Q
Fudge-a-Mania
By Judy Blume
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.5
Guided Reading Level Q
Frankly Frannie
By A.J. Stern
Interest Level: Grades 2 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.4
Secrets of Droon series (15)
By Tony Abbot
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.1-4.3
Clementine
By Tara Pennypacker
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.5
Guided Reading Level: O
Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great
By Judy Blume
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.2
Secret in the Attic Series (6)
By L.A. Peacock
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.2
Guided Reading Level: Q
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series (2)
By Jeff Kinney
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5-6.5
Guided Reading Level: S, T
Disney Fairies Series (8)
Age Range: 6 - 9 years
Grade Level: 1 – 4
Stink
By Megan McDonald
Interest Level: Grades 2 - 3
Grade Level Equivalent: 2
Guided Reading Level: M
A to Z Mysteries Series (3)
By Ron Roy
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.6-3.9
Guided Reading Level: N
Sophie Simon Solves Them All
By Lisa Graff
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.2
Owen Foote Super Spy
Stephanie Greene
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5
Guided Reading Level: N
My Weird School Series (13)
By Dan Gutman
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.1
Guided Reading: S
Guinness book of world records 2011
Guinness book of world records 2013
Sideways Stories from the Wayside school
By Louis Sachar
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.9
Guided Reading Level: P
Stone Fox
John Reynolds Gardiner
Interest Level: Grades 2 - 4Grade Level Equivalent: 4.0
Guided Reading Level: P
Dolphin Diaries
By Ben M. Baglio
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3
Guided Reading Level: Q
Animal Ark: Racehorse in the Rain
By Ben M. Baglio
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3
Penina’s Doll Factory
By Miriam Walfish
Around the World in 80 Days: Classic Starts
Age Range: 7 - 9 years
Grade Level: 2 - 4
The Fairy Realm
Emily Rodda
Interest Level: Grades 2 - 4
Mini Mysteries – American Girl (2)
Emily Windsnap Series (2)
By Liz Kessler
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.2
Agent P's Guide to Fighting Evil
Castle in the Attic
By Elizabeth Winthrop
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.9
Guided Reading Level: R
Fabled 4th graders of Aesop Elementary School
By Candace Fleming
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.3
Fabled 5th graders of Aesop Elementary School
By Candace Fleming
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.3
39 Clues Series (2)
By Rick Riordan
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.4
Guided reading R
Never Girls (3)
By Kiki Thorpe
Age Range: 6 - 9 years
Grade Level: 1 - 4
Little Wings #1:
Willa Bean's Cloud Dreams
By Cecilia Galante
Age Range: 6 - 9 years
Grade Level: 1 - 4
A Whale of a Tale (Mermaid Tales Series) (3)
By Debbie Dadey
Age Range: 6 - 9 years
Grade Level: 1 - 4
Chocolate Dreams (Candy Fairies Series) (3)
By Helen Perelman
Age Range: 7 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 5
Girl’s Best Friend (Maggie Brooklyn Mysteries Series)
(2)
By Leslie Margolis
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.5
Poppy’s Perfect Home (Flower Fairies Series) (2)
Age Range: 7 and up
Grade Level: 2 and up
A New Beginning (Magic Puppy Series) (3)
By Sue Bentley
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Honey’s New Friend (Kitten Club Series) (3)
By Sue Mongredien
Catch Us If You Can (Jewel Thieves) (2)
By Hope McLean
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 7
The Jewel Kingdom
By Jahnna N. Malcolm
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.9
Guided reading level: N
Magic Tree House Research Books (3)
By Mary Pope Osborne
100 Ways to Bug Your Parents
By Lee Wardlaw
Princess Primers:: A Fairy Godmother's Guide to
Being a Princes
By Stephanie True
Peters
Bambi – Disney
Classic Series
Spaceheadz
By Jon Scieszka
Age Range: 7 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 5
Bakugan
By Tracey West
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Snake Attack – Ninjago Series chapter book
By Tracey West
Age Range: 7 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 5
Legends of Chima chapter book: Attack of the
Crocodiles
by Greg Farshtey
Age Range: 7 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 5
Snake Attack – Ninjago Series chapter book
By Tracey West
Age Range: 7 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 5
Legends of Chima chapter book: Attack of the
Crocodiles
by Greg Farshtey
Age Range: 7 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 5
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