ŷ������

.1 Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books):

teen Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Volume 2 by CLAMP 1/28/2011
teen-fiction Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Volume 2 by CLAMP 1/28/2011
poetry A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 1/25/2011
graphic-novel Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Volume 2 by CLAMP 1/28/2011
graphic-novels Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Volume 2 by CLAMP 1/28/2011
children A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 1/25/2011
children-books A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 1/25/2011
childrens A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 1/25/2011
children-s A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 1/25/2011
childrens-books A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 1/25/2011
children-s-books A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 1/25/2011
philosophy - The Shack by William P. Young 1/25/2011
50 points

1.2 20 points: being the first month of the New Year: read an author's first novel (ie. debut novel)
In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming completed 1/24
You Are Next by Katia Lief completed 1/14
The Shack by William P. Young completed 1/25
The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling 3/30/2011
80 points

1.3 30 points: 26 January is Australia Day: Read a book written by an Australian author or where it is mostly set in Australia


1.4 20 points: Second Monday in January (10th in 2011) is Coming of Age Day in Japan: Read a manga or YA books set in Japan (or for the main protagonist to at least visit Japan in the story - flashbacks do not count)
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Volume 2 by CLAMP 1/28/2011 20 points

1.5 30 points: Third Monday in January (17th in 2011) is Martin Luther King, Jr Day in the US: Read a book with civil rights as the theme or written by African American author
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston completed 1/16/2011
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill completed 2/15/2011
60 points

BONUS: A book with a mostly black cover:
The Shack by William P. Young completed 1/25/2011 25 points

February 2011

2.1 Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books):

thriller - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins completed 2/20/2011
thrillers - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins completed 2/20/2011
guilty-pleasures - Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson completed 2/24/2011
sf-fantasy - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins completed 2/20/2011
science-fiction-fantasy - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins completed 2/20/2011
scifi-fantasy - [[book:The Hunger Games|2767052] by Suzanne Collins completed 2/20/2011
sci-fi-fantasy - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins completed 2/20/2011
contemporary - Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson completed 2/24/2011
contemporary-fiction - Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson completed 2/24/2011
music
english - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins completed 2/20/2011
erotica - Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence

2.2 20 points: Groundhog Day (2nd): Read a book with animal/s on the cover or about animal/s or main character is an animal (mythical creatures acceptable)
Virals by Kathy Reichs completed 2/7/2011
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins completed 2/20/2011
The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson 2/27/2011
60 points

2.3 20 points: Valentine's Day (14th): Read a book with cholocate / candy / heart / mostly red / pink on cover -
Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson completed 2/24/2011
The Last Queen: A Novel by C.W. Gortner completed 3/31/2011
Juliet by Anne Fortier Completed 3/21/2011

60 points

2.4 30 points: February being Library Lovers' Month: Read a book involving a library (eg. librarian character -not necessarily the main protagonist, set in the library or at least for a character to visit the library, etc) AND (optional) express your love for your library: How to Love your Library

1. Virals by Kathy Reichs completed 2/7/2011
2. Hidden Wives by Claire Avery completed 3/15/2011
3. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness 4/30/2011

90 points

2.5 30 points: Reading around the world:
Read a book written by an author from* or where it is mostly set in a country of your choosing but... your choice for this month is limited to a country where the first initial starts with the letters a, b, c, d, e. Use only this List of Countries for this challenge
*either by birth / currently residing or if they have passed away, where they are interred.
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill (Canadian Author) completed 2/15/2011
Juliet by Anne Fortier (Author from Denmark) completed 3/15/2011
60 points

Bonus - Celebrating Chinese New Year, for 30 points, read a book which either contains your Chinese Zodiac character as either a word in the title or a picture on the cover.
Remember to, at least, start reading your book by 21st Feb
The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson completed 2/27/2011
30 points

MARCH 2011

3.1 Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books):

paranormal - The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling 3/30/2011
2007 - The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway 3/31/2011
anthologies - The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway 3/31/2011
anthology - The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway 3/31/2011
fiction - The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling 3/30/2011
ya-fiction - The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling 3/30/2011
ya - [[book:The Hunter's Moon|398479] by O.R. Melling 3/30/2011
ya-lit - The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling 3/30/2011
contemporary-romance - Partners by Nora Roberts
harlequin - Partners by Nora Roberts
american - The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway 3/31/2011
american-history

3.2 20 points - Read the Month: "The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of the year and named Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war": Read a book that contains, either in title, character, or author’s name, a Roman god’s / goddess�� name from below list (exact spelling please):

12 Major Roman gods / goddesses:
Apollo
Bacchus
Ceres
Cupid
Diana
Fauna
Flora
Fortuna - Juliet by Anne Fortier completed 3/21/2011
Janus
Juno
Jupiter
Mars
Mercury
Minerva
Neptune
Pluto
Saturn
Venus
Vesta
Vulcan

20 points

3.3 20 points - Reading the Rainbow: Read books with the following (predominantly) colored covers:

Red - by C.W. Gortner
Orange
Yellow
Green -
Blue
Indigo - by Charlaine Harris
Violet

Note: there are 7 colors of the rainbow �� you can read up to 5 books per challenge but to claim points for up to 5 books, read a different colored cover for this particular challenge.

40 points

3.4 30 points �� 8th March is International Women’s Day to celebrate “the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present, and future��. Read a book either:

a. about women’s issues (ie. rights to vote, discrimination, violence, etc). It can be fiction / non-fiction, that’s up to you. AND / OR

b. biography / autobiography of those who championed women’s causes, for example Susan B. Anthony (US), Elizabeth Cady Stanton(US), Amelia Jenks Bloomer (US), Miles Franklin (AUS), Germaine Greer (AUS), Mary Wollstonecraft (UK), Mary Stopes (UK), etc... All of the above I garnered from lists of feminists on Wikipedia but please these are only examples.

Hidden Wives by Claire Avery (about women living in polygamist sect)

30 points

3.5 30 points: Read around the world:
Read a book written by an author from* or where it is mostly set in a country of your choosing but... your choice for this month is limited to a country where the first initial starts with the letters P, Q, R, S, T. Use only this List of Countries for this challenge
*either by birth / currently residing or if they have passed away, where they are interred.
The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner (mostly takes place in Spain

30 points

BONUS: Read the 1st book on your to-read shelf
Faithless by Karin Slaughter 3/25/2011
100 points

APRIL 2011

1. Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books):

young-adult - Mossflower by Brian Jacques
young-adult-fiction - Mossflower by Brian Jacques
relationships - Truly, Madly by Heather Webber
juvenile - Mossflower by Brian Jacques
juvenile-fiction - Mossflower by Brian Jacques
picture-book - The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
picturebooks - The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
picture-books - The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
2006 - Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond
kids - Mossflower by Brian Jacques
kids-books - Mossflower by Brian Jacques
theory - Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond

2. National Poetry Month (US/Canada): 20 points for each book of poems BUT for the really overly ambitious, receive an additional 100 bonus points if you read 5 books of poems that were written in different centuries

3. April Fools Day: 20 points for reading ‘humorous�� book or one written by a comedian

4. This month we will also be celebrating World Health & Earth Days, your choice of classes are:

a. Introductory (20 pts): Read an ebook of your choice

b. Beginner (35 pts): Read a book in relation to health (physical / mental) or the environment - strictly Non-Fiction for this choice. This can be a self help book or a memoir.

c. Intermediary (50 points): Read any book you want (but it has to be one you owned or borrowed from library or one you received from a bookswap etc - any books purchased BRAND NEW in 2011 do not qualify for this challenge) and walk the number of pages (ie. for 500 pages, walk 500 steps). Using the stride & speed of an average person, I've calculated that 500 steps will approximately take you only 5+ minutes. We challenge you to pick up your Chunksters! Or if you already have a pedometer handy, it’s time to put it to use..., if you haven’t already.

d. Advance (80 points): Read any book you want (but it has to be one you owned or borrowed from library or one you received from a bookswap etc - any books purchased BRAND NEW in 2011 do not qualify for this challenge) and walk 5 minutes for every 10,000 words.
*A New feature in Amazon called ‘Text Stats�� will tell you the number of words in a book. Unfortunately, not all books will have this so you will have to check individual books before taking this class. Editions will not matter for this challenge (as long as it’s not abridged vs. Unabridged). When you view a book on Amazon, scroll down to the ‘Inside This Book�� section and click on ‘Text Stats��. The Time Traveller's Wife equates to 1.5 hours�� walk but Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas equates to only 20 minutes walk.
*or you can try AR Book Finder which looks like it is more user friendly.

e. Really Overly Ambitious (200 points): Listen to an audio book whilst taking a walk / a jog. This audio book is dedicated to your choice of exercise (ie. you can only listen to this audio book whilst walking / running �� whether it be to the train/bus station in the morning to go to work or to the shops or on your treadmill etc)

You may choose a different class for each book

5. Celebrate Easter for 30 points:
You may do a and /or b for up to 5 books
a. Religious Feast: Read a book with word in title / picture on cover of the following:
Jesus, Christ, Cross, Death, Rise, Life, Bread, Wine, Blood, Lamb, Good, Holy
b. Secular Feast: Read a book with words in title / pictures on cover of the following:
Bunny, Rabbit, Hare, Spring, Basket, Life, Egg, Chocolate, Candy, Gift, Hide, Hunt


Mid Month Challenge:

Passover holiday is being celebrated in April this year. The Passover Seder (Hebrew: סֵדֶר�� [ˈsedeʁ], "order, arrangement"; Yiddish: Sayder) is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. (Ref: Wikipedia)

Order of the Seder:

1. Kadeish (blessings and the first cup of wine): Read a book with a picture of a cup on the cover or the word ‘wine�� on title

2. Ur'chatz (wash hands) : Read a book with either ‘hand/s�� on cover or on title

3. Karpas (appetizer) - one custom is to dip vegetable into salt water to serve as a reminder of the tears shed by their enslaved ancestors: Read a sad historical fiction

4. Yachatz (breaking of the middle matzah): Read a book that is part of a series BUT not the first or the last of the series

5. Magid (The telling): Read a book of retelling (either fairy tales or bible stories or classics like P&P&Zombies)

6. Rohtzah (ritual washing of hands): Read a book with either ‘hand/s�� on cover or on title

7. Motzi ("who brings forth bread from the earth"): Read a book with some type of cooking involved OR with a chef / baker / chocolatier / etc as main character

8. Matzah (bread?): Read a book with a picture of bread on the cover or the word ‘bread�� on title

9. Maror (bitter herbs): Read a book with a name of herb on title (ie. basil, rosemary, etc)

10. Koreich (sandwich): Read a book that is part of a series BUT not the first or the last of the series

11. Shulchan Orech (the meal): Read a book with some kind of (savoury) food in the title or on the cover.

12. Tzafun (eating of the afikoman): Read a book with some kind of (sweet) food in the title or on the cover.

13. Bareich (Grace after Meals): Read a book with a female character whose name also has another meaning in common English (Grace, Rose, Patience.,etc.)

14. Hallel (songs of praise): Read a music-related book (can be musician bio / musician main character in fiction, etc)

15. Nirtzah: Read a book of retelling (either fairy tales or bible stories or classics like P&P&Zombies)

You can choose your "challenge" however your choices are limited to the following conditions:
If your birthdate falls on 1-10 inclusive, your choices are #1-5 of the above
If your birthdate falls on 11-20 inclusive, your choices are #6-10 of the above
If your birthdate falls on 21-31 inclusive, your choices are #11-15 of the above

The Israelites wandered through the dessert for 40 years, therefore, receive 40 points for taking up this challenge.

#10. Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
40 points

Wide (25 points):
Mossflower by Brian Jacques

Thick (50 points):

Total for month:

MAY 2011

Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books or less):

scifi -Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
sci-fi - Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
science-fiction - Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
sf - Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
20th-century - Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
religion - Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
short-stories - Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener
mysteries - A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming
mystery - A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming
mystery-suspense - A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming
mystery-thriller - A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming
christian-fiction - Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

2. Winner of You Choose, Karen (of the Bookworm), Task on Election in May for 30 points: Read a political themed book (which can include biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, history, etc)

The Overton Window by Glenn Beck 5/17/2011

30 Points

3. In May: VE Day, Europe Day, and Holocaust Remembrance Day: For 30 points: Read a book on, during and / or about Wold War 2 BUT only in European setting.

4. 2010 GR Choice Awards: For 20 points: Read a book which either has won or was nominated for an award of your choice of category BUT to claim up to 5 books, read from 5 different categories.
Note: some books maybe have won or been nominated for different categories however that still counts only as one but you can choose which category to claim that one on.

5. 25 May is Towel Day (a tribute to Douglas Adams): For 20 points: Read books to spell “TOWEL�� either by title or author’s first / last name BUT only in (Outer) Space setting. For the Really Overly Ambitious: Bonus 100 points, if you choose one category only (eg. Only spell towel by first name of authors etc)

Short stories for May mid month challenge

It appears that May is National Short Story Month (most possibly in the US) though it's not quite official; it is being run by some blogs. I wish that I found out sooner so I could've included in the monthly challenge however we can still participate by:

Reading some short stories... One book of short stories for 31 points (for the 31 days in May) BUT for the Really Overly Ambitious Reader: 31 points PER story - read 31 stories from today until 31 May 2011 (so that's a GINORMOUS total of 961 points!!)

Note: For the ROAR-er challengers, the usual rule of mid-month of starting the book within 7 days is over-ruled, in this case only. An average of 2 short stories per day, achievable? C'mon, you know you want to ;)

I will be reading from these books"

Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I
Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files
Ford County StoriesAll Aunt Hagar's Children: Stories
Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener

From Tales of the South Pacific:

1. The South Pacific 5/15/2011
2. Coral Sea 5/16/2011
3. Mutiny 5/17/2011
4. An Officer and a Gentleman 5/18/2011
5. The Cave 5/19/2011
6. The Milk Run 5/20/2011
7. Alligator 5/21/2011
8. Our Heroine 5/22/2011
9. Dry Rot 5/23/2011
10. Fo' Dolla' 5/24/2011
11.Passion 5/25/2011
12.A Boar's Teeth 5/26/2011
13.Wine for the Mess at Segi 5/26/2011
14.The Airstrip at Kondora 5/27/2011
15.Those Who Fraternize 5/27/2011
16.The Strike 5/28/2011
17.Frisco 5/29/2011
18.The Landing at Kuralei 5/30/2011
19.The Cemetery at Hoga Point. 5/30/2011

From Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files:

20.A Restoration of Faith 5/17/2011
21.Vignette 5/18/2011
2.It's My Birthday, Too 5/19/2011
23.Heorot 5/20/2011
24.Day Off 5/21/2011
25.The Warrior 5/22/2011
26.Last Call 5/23/2011
27.Love Hurts 5/24/2011
28.Aftermath 5/25/2011

29.Power Study by Maria V. Snyder 5/31/2011

30. ?
31. ?

JUNE

1. Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books or less):

general
general-fiction
action
action-adventure
college
business
school
stories
horror
memoir
memoirs
economics

2. 30 points: LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) Pride Month as declared by Barack Obama on 1 June 2009. "The movement has three main premises: that people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity, that diversity is a gift, and that sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered"

Read a book about this movement / written by LGBT authors / contained LGBT characters.

Note: a number of other countries also celebrate in June (eg. Canada, etc) but a few celebrated in other times of the year

Possible Helpful Links:
The Best LGBT Books of 2009
Recommended GLBT Books
Most Anticipated LGBT (Relevant) Books of Fall 2010
List of LGBT Writers - Wikipedia
Lambda Literary Award
Stonewall Book Award

3. Spelling Bee (31 May - 2 June 2011): We love our spelling / reading games so choose a word from this list and read a book (your choice of title / author names but be consistent for the one word)

a. words with 5 letters or less: 20 points per book; OR
b. words with 6-10 letters: 20 points per book for the first 5 letters then 50 points per book for additional letter/s; OR for the Really Overly Ambitious
c. words with more than 10 letters: 20 points per book for the first 5 letters then 50 points per book for additional letter/s PLUS double (2x) your points upon completion

Maximum of 5 books per challenge rule is overrulled in this instance.

Example for option b: 'misspell' (8 letters): (20x5) + (50x3) = 250 points

Example for option c: 'interesting' (11 letters): [(20x5) + (50x6)] x2 = 800 points

4. 20 points: Opposites: Different parts of the world are experiencing different seasons. Let's celebrate our differences by reading seasonal books (by cover / word in title) of where you are located. For example, if you are in the US, read a summer-y covered book or book with 'summer' in the title OR if you are in Oz, read a winter-y covered book or book with 'winter' in the title.

For 100 bonus points: Read 5 books to celebrate all seasons: summer, winter, autumn / fall, spring... and to make up to 5 books: 'tropics' (for word in title: 'tropic' or 'tropical' acceptable) or 'season' (seasons, seasonal, etc acceptable)

5. 20 points: Father's Day: Read books you have gifted / are giving to a father* OR books of interests** to them.

*this can be your own father, your partner / father of your child, your father in law, etc... essentially any father figure you know

**It can be books on cars or camping or martial arts etc... wherever their interests lay

Mid-month


Popular Books:
On the top of your GR page, click on the arrow next to the 'friends' link and click on 'popular books'. This will then list popular books among your GR friends. Read a book off this list for 40 points (it can be a re-read).

JULY


1. Mini SAT: Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books or less):

fantasy
spirituality
nature
classic
classics
2000s
writing
children-s-literature
children-s-lit
childrens-picture-books
2003
all-time-favorites

2. 30 points: Independence Day (US, Canada, and quite a few countries) & Bastille Day:
Read books about / set during revolutionary era (of any countries). Fiction examples: Chains - Seeds of America 1 by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy, etc

3. 30 points: Read around the world:
Read a book written by an author from or where it is mostly set in a country of your choosing but... your choice for this month is limited to a country where the first initial starts with the letters k, l, m, n, o

Use only this List of Countries for this challenge


4. 20 points: Read across generation:
Read 5 books published in the decades surrounding your birth - if you're looking for some suggestions: Books of the Century

The easiest to explain is by example, so if you were born in the 70's, read a book published in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 90's and the noughties (total 5 books).

For 100 bonus points: Read books published during the year with the same last digit of your birth year, for example if you were born in 1977, then read books published in 1957, 1967, 1977, 1987, and 1997.

5. 20 points: New Seven Wonders of the World was announced on 07/07/2007. Choose 5 out of 7:

1. Great Wall of China, China: (fortification) read a book in connection with military / war
2. Petra, Jordan: (UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage.") read a book in connection with civilization / culture
3. Christ the Redeemer, Brazil: (considered the second largest Art Deco statue in the world) read a book in connection with art
4. Machu Picchu, Peru: (brought to international attention in 1911) read a book in connection with exploration / archeology
5. Chichen Itza, Mexico: (Itzá in Spanish is often translated as "Brujas del Agua (Witches of Water)" but a more precise translation would be Magicians of Water) read a book in connection with magic / water
6. Collosseum, Italy: (ampitheatre originally for entertainment) read a book in connection with entertainment
7. Taj Mahal, India: (a symbol of eternal love) Read a love story

*"in connection" can mean set in a particular time (eg. war) / place (eg. lake) or main character being military person / witches / actors / etc etc etc...

AUGUST


8.1. Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books or less):

2004
chick-lit
chicklit
adventure
political
politics
academic
art
adult
adult-fiction
biography
autobiography

8.2. Read around the world: 30 points:

Read a book written by an author from or where it is mostly set in a country of your choosing but... your choice for this month is limited to a country where the first initial starts with the letters u, v, w, x, y, z

Use only this List of Countries for this challenge

8.3. Back to School (30 points): Choose your 5 subjects (books) for this month:
a. Ancient History: read a book set in / written before 16th century
b. Modern History: read a book set in / written after 16th century or after
c. English: read book set in Great Britain
d. Mathematics: read a book of minimum pages of "your age with a 0 at the end" (ie. if you're 30, min of 300 pages)
e. Personal Development, Health and Physical Education: read a book in connection with sports
f. Science: read book which has forensic science, lab work or experimentation in the story
g. Geography: read a book set in a country you have never visited
h. The Arts: Biography about a Musician, Actor, Photographer, designer

8.4. Proverbial sayings: Choose a proverb your parents / grandparents use a lot of the time, or just choose one and read words in title (exact match of words). 20 points per book for up to 5 books, 100 points bonus if completed with 5 books or less. No points applicable for any books over the 5 books limit (no penalty applicable either).

For example:

"Those who lose dreaming are lost" - Australian Aboriginal proverb
Those Who Save Us
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Are You There God It’s me Margaret
The Lost Symbol

"Beauty is the wisdom of women. Wisdom is the beauty of men" �� Chinese proverb
Beauty and the Beast
She Walks in Beauty
On Account of Conspicuous Women: A Novel
The Children of Men
Sometimes Madness is Wisdom: Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald: A Marriage
The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch

8.5.Common Sense (20 points): Read book/s with words in title that relates to our senses (ie. sight, hearing, smell, taste, & touch). Synonyms / variables are acceptable, for example: see, listen, touching, etc.
edited to include author's names for this task

Mid-Month:

Read a book written by a ŷ������ Author --> 25 pts

Read a book written by a ŷ������ Author that is already on your to-read list prior to 15 August 2011 ---> 25 pts + 20 pts

Mid Month

Read a book written by a ŷ������ Authors whose birthday is in August --> 25 pts + 30 pts

Read a book written by a ŷ������ Author that is already on your to-read list prior to 15 August 2011 and whose birthday is in August --> 25 pts + 20 pts + 30 pts

SEPTEMBER

1. Mini SAT: 50 points when you have read off the following 12 shelves (with 5 books or less):

childhood
childhood-favorites
2010
2008
21st-century
animals
historical
historical-fiction
historical-romance
lit
literature
crime

2. Banned Book Week: For 30 points read “banned�� books

3. Talk like a Pirate Day: For 20 points per book, read books with each of the following

1 = The word PIRATE in the Title
1 = With a picture of a ship / boat / jolly roger / parrot on the cover
1 = About Pirates or a character who is a pirate
1 = A picture of the ocean / a Beach / an island / treasure chest on the cover
1 = About an oceanic journey (plane ride across ocean does not count but we'll count survival stories, ie. an accident happen then they are floating in ocean etc)

4. Peace Day: For 20 points, read books with either picture on cover or word in title related to peace symbolism.
To assist, here is a list of peace symbols on Wikipedia which includes the peace sign itself, dove & olive branch (which can be separated for this task), paper cranes, Shalom / Salaam, etc. If you know of others that aren’t on this list, as long as you can explain it, you can use it for this task.

5. Branching out: This task is worth 25 points per book.
Firstly, go to your read shelf, scroll down and sort it by ‘Random�� (20 books per page). Choose the book that is highest rated (if there is more than one, you have the privilege to choose one) and take note of the author. Go to this site: , type in your chosen author and enter. From the results, choose an author to read one of this author’s books.
For subsequent books, use the previous author.

For example,
Author from my shelf (ie. ‘search�� author): Charles Dickens
1st author to read from: Ian McEwan
For my second book, I’d use ‘Ian McEwan�� as my ‘search�� author�� 2nd author to read from: Sarah Waters, and so on��

MID MONTH

For 30 points:

**NEW GR FEATURES** ;)

Go to your Home Page, look to your right and click on ‘your recommendation��.

Read a book shown on this page.

These recommendations are based on your books, shelves, & ratings so hopefully you would actually found a book you’d love ;)