My Library, When the Waters Have Run.

A new Quest -- I will read a book from every shelf in the OTHER Renton Library. Renton Highlands!

So, I have a Quest to read all the books in my local library. This quest was slowed down by the pandemic (which closed the library), and then there was a leak or something and my library is closed for repairs. But I hear from my librarian insiders that the repairs are severely backordered because of Supply Chain Issues. 

So I guess I will restart my quest in my CURRENT local library, which is actually now probably just as close to me as the old one. 

Sections

I'm starting in the children's corner, because there is nothing like fast results to get me motivated. I'm going to close my eyes and grab a book from each picture book section. My library organizes pictures books by theme, so I'll do a theme a week. By the way, thank goodness my kids aged out of this section before they went into this theme organization, because I'm still rather confused by it.

Then I'll move into middle grade books, and then decide how to approach the geometry of the adult shelves. 

Children's Picture Books:

Very Young

• I Am a Little Monkey, Francois Crozat. 
• Stick!, Andy Pritchett. 
• Peep and Egg: I'm Not Taking a Bath, Laura Gehl. 

Things That Go:

• Fire Truck Dreams, Sharon Chriscoe
• Otis and the Puppy, Loren Long

Stories:

• Lyric McKerrigan, Secret Librarian, Jacob Sager Weinstein
• The Not So Quiet Library, Zachariah OHora
• Singing Away the Dark, Caroline Woodward.
• In Plain Sight, Richard Jackson
• Peanut Butter & Cupcake, Terry Border

Sparkly

• The Birthday Queen, Audrey Wood
• Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots, Rebecca Janni

Science and Nature

• Dig In, Cindy Jenson-Elliott. 
• My Rainy Day Rocket Ship, Markette Sheppard
• Pomelo Begins to Grow, Ramona Badescu & Benjamin Chaud. (MISSHELVED! This book is labeled SCIENCE AND NATURE but it is under RHYMES AND SONGS. Although why it is science when it's clearly philosophical I don't know)(On further investigation, I'm doing this backwards, and Science and Nature has one shelf on one side and two on the other)

Rhymes and Songs

• Marsupial Sue Presents "The Runaway Pancake", John Lithgow

Our World

• Nino Wrestles the World, Yuyi Morales
• Crane Boy, Diana Cohn

Life Issues

• Welcome to Bobville, Jonah Winter
• Mr Wayne's Masterpiece, Patricia Polacco
• In Our Mother's House, Patricia Polacco (I had already red this, so I grabbed another)
• The Buddy Bench, Patty Brozo

Feelings

• Very Grumpy Day, Stella Jones
• Parachute, Danny Parker (this was excellent)

Famous Friends

• Mr Lazy, Roger Hargreaves
• Arthur and the Baby, Marc Brown
• Amelia Bedelia's First Apple Pie, Herman Parish

Dinosaures

• If a T Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party, Jill Esbaum
• Dinosaur Vs The Library, Bob Shea

Concepts

• What Sound Is Morning, Grant Snider
• The Oliphant, Jess Brallier
• Ten on the Sled, Kim Norman

Bedtime

•  Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues, Kimberly & James Dean

Animals

• The Best Worst Poet Ever, Lauren Stohler
• It's Duffy Time!, Audrey Wood
• Little Mouse's Big Secret, Eric Battut
• Sterling, Best Dog Ever, Aidan Cassie
• Pokko and the Drum, Matthew Forsythe
• The Crocodile Under the Bed, Judith Kerr
• Sally's Snow Adventure, Stephen Huneck
• Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm, Jerdine Nolen.

Easy Readers

• Berenstain Bears Inside Outside Upside Down, Stan Berenstain
• Charlie the Ranch Dog: Stuck in the Mud, Ree Drummand
• Journey to Pluto, Drummer D. Brown.
• Pizza Mouse, Michael Garland
• Dear Dragon Goes to the Dentist, Margaret Hillert
• Search For the Spyglass, Melissa Lagronegro
• Phonics Comics: Spooky Sara, Melanie Marks
• The Bears Upstairs, Jane Belk Moncure
• Fancy Nancy and the Delectable Cupcakes, Jane O'Connor
• Mr. Putter and Tabby Hit the Slopes, Cynthia Rylant
• Nate the Great and the Fishy Prize, Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
• Emmett's Pig, Mary Stolz
• There Is A Bird On Your Head, Mo Willems
• Pig Wig, Harriet Ziffert

Easy Nonfiction

• Winning Well, Katie Peters
• At the Gurdwara, Shalini Vallepur
• Don't Waste Your Food, Deborah Chancellor
• My First Book of French Words, Katy R. Kudela
• Explore Mercury, Liz Milroy
• Stars Before Bedtime, Claire Grace & Dr Jessamy Hibberd
• Let's Talk About Animals, Harriet Blackford (PROBABLY MISSHELVED!) 
• Weather Words And What They Mean, Gail Gibbons
• Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers, Melissa Stewart
• I See Sea Food, Jenna Grodzicki
• A Place for Turtles, Melissa Stewart
• Beavers, Emily K Green
• Honey Badgers, Margo Gates
• Gorillas, Gail Gibbons
• Deep Sea Dive (Magic School Bus), Samantha Brooke
• Zee Grows a Tree, Elizabeth Rusch
• Saving Stella: A Dog's Dramatic Escape From War, Bassel Abou Fakher
• Easter Hunt, Clever Publishing
• B Is For Baller, James Littlejohn
• Soccer, Tessa Kenan
• Great Explorers, James Buckley Jr. 
• This Is My State, Lisa Bullard

Easy Biography

• Because Claudette, Tracey Baptiste
• Nelson Mandela, Kadir Nelson
• Put Your Shoes On & Get Ready, Raphael Warnock
• Preaching to the Chickens: John Lewis, Jabari Asim
• Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos Dumont, Victoria Griffith

Fairy Tales

• The Little Red Hen: An Old Fable, Heather Forrest
• Adventures of Achilles, Hugh Lupton
• Through the Water Curtain and Other Tales From Around the World, Cordelia Funke
• The Tortoise and the Hare, Allison Richie
• The Cat With Seven Names, Tony Johnston

Holiday Stories

• Dinosaur Vs Santa, Bob Shea

Children's Audio CDs

• The Journey of Little Charlie, Christopher Paul Curtis
• Tin, Padraig Kenny 
• A Handful of Stars, Cynthia Lord
• Children of the Stone City, Beverley Naidoo
• Six Children and a Stuffed Cat, Gary Paulsen
• The Creeping Shadow, Jonathan Stroud 
• Sammy Keyes and the Powers of Justice Jack, Wendelin Van Draanin 
• Eugene Returns!, AIO Team

Childrens Music

• Lullabies, Laurie Burkner
• Country Music Lullabies, Vol 1
• Country Goes Raffi
• Daddy-O-Daddy, Woodie Guthrie
• Triathlon, Rollie Polie Guacamole
• Here Comes Science, They Might Be Giants
• A Child's Hanukkah, Jewish Wedding Band
• Science Fair
• Lullabies From Around the World, Beijing Angelic Choir
• Lullaby Tribute to Taylor Swift
• Disney Villains: Simply Sinister Songs
• Rough Guide to World Lullabies
• Kids Bop 26

Skipping Children foreign languages 

Skipping Children’s Movies

Children’s Graphic Novels

• Sea Sirens, Amy Chu
• Peter and Ernesto, Sloths in the Night, Annabelle Graham
• Kid Beowulf:the Rise of El CID, Alexis E. Fajardo
• Pirate Penguin Vs Ninja Chicken 1: Troublems With Frenemies, Ray Friesen
• The Night Librarian, Christopher Lincoln. 
• The Legend of the Coral Caves, Megan Miller.
• The Leak, Kate Perry. 
• The Golden Hour, Nikki Smith
• Pizzasaurus Rex, Justin Wagner
• The Secret Garden on 81 St, Ivy Noelle Weir
• Neil Armstrong First Man on the Moon, James Buckley Jr

Children’s Fiction

• Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch, Julie Abe 
• Endling: The First, Katherine Applegate (current)

All the Libraries Are Mine! Extreme Reading Challenge!

Now that I've got most of my books lined up for my primary library system, it is time to turn my eyes south. Tacoma has its own very interesting library system, and I have a card there as well thanks to the wonders of reciprocal systems, a wonderful invention of the modern age. And they have their own yearly challenge -- the FIFTY BOOK Challenge! (They take two weeks of at the end and the beginning of the year, which is why I think it's only fifty books.) It started January 4 and end December 17th. 

I did it last year and it was fun, so clearly it is now a tradition! Welcome to THE TACOMA LIBRARY EXTREME READING CHALLENGE 2022! 

2022 Extreme Reader Categories 

1. A book about an historical figure Curse of the Mummy, Candace Fleming 4/30/22, opens a new window
2. A book about or including a wedding, opens a new window The Guinevere Deception, Kiersten White 2/22/22
3. A book about starting over, opens a new window Love Code, Ann Aguirre 3/14/22
4. A book cover that has your favorite color on it Ice Planet Barbarians, Ruby Dixon 1/27/22
5. A book cover that shows a person from behind, opens a new window In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers, Don Brown 2/3/22
6. A book from a genre you don’t normally read Everybody Fights, Kim & Penn Holderness 3/13/22
7. A book from ALA’s Challenged Books lists , opens a new window  Gender Queer, Maia Kobabe 4/4/22

8. A book from one of these two celebrity book clubs: Oprah’s Book Club or the Read with Jenna Book Club, opens a new window  (The Sun does shine?Underground Railroad?)

9. A book of your own choosing Chaos Reigning, Jessie Mihalik 2/28/22
10. A book published in 2022 Hunt the Stars, Jessie Mihalik 7/6/22
11. A book published in 2022 (Non-fiction)
12. A book published more than ten years ago Chalice, Robin McKinley 5/4/22, opens a new window
13. A book set in a restaurant, opens a new window Measuring Up, Lily Lamotte 5/22 (weak)
14. A book set in a school Of Curses and Kisses, Sandhya Menon 2/9/22, opens a new window
15. A book set in the Caribbean, opens a new window
16. A book set on the East Coast of the United States One For the Books, Jenn McKinlay 2/27/22, opens a new window
17. A book set outdoors Spear, Nicola Griffith 7/19/22, opens a new window
18. A book set somewhere you want to visit A Colorful Death, Carola Dunn 5/8/22
19. A book that begins with a disappearance, opens a new window Strange Love, Ann Aguirre 2/24/22
20. A book that centers a refugee’s experience , opens a new windowValley of the Shadow, Carola Dunn 5/20/22
21. A book that discusses body positivity, opens a new window Being Seen, Elsa Sjunneson 4/28/22
22. A book that focuses on mental health Ancestral Night, Elizabeth Bear 7/1/22, opens a new window
23. A book that fulfills a category from a previous Extreme Reader challenge year, opens a new window Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest 4/4/22 (Bechdel test, 1st in series)
24. A book that involves time travel, opens a new window Jukebox, Nidhi Chanani 2/19/22
25. A book that makes you think, “Just one more chapter!” Harbinger, Wen Spencer 1/14/22
26. A book that takes place in a country that starts with the letter A, opens a new window
27. A book that takes place in a magical world, opens a new window  Royal Airs, Sharon Shinn 4/1/22
28. A book with a beverage in the title, opens a new window
29. A book with a cardinal direction (north, south, east, west) in the title, opens a new window
30. A book with a character who works in a library, opens a new window  A Place to Hang the Moon, Kate Albus 7/14/22
31. A book with a day of the week in the title, opens a new window
32. A book with a five-star rating in the TPL catalog, opens a new window (access link for directions!) Lore Olympus, Rachel Smythe 1/10/22 
33. A book with a heart, club, diamond, or spade shape on the cover:, opens a new window Life's Too Short, Abby Jimenez, 5/17/22
34. A book with a number from one through twelve in the title One Good Deed, David Baldacci 1/30/22, opens a new window
35. A book with a protagonist who has a pet cat, opens a new window Night Broken, Patricia Briggs 5/2/22 
36. A book with a protagonist who has your dream job The Steerswoman, Rosemary Kirstein 5/25/22
37. A book with a robot, cyborg, or artificial intelligence TheWild Robot, Peter Brown 4/14/22, opens a new window
38. A book with a snake on the cover , opens a new window Phoenix Extravagant, Yoon Ha Lee 7/11/22 (supposed to be a dragon, but that looks like a snake to me)
39. A book with a star on the cover, opens a new window Light From Uncommon Stars, Ryka Aoki 1/19/22
40. A book with a title structure of “The _____’s _____” , opens a new window The Outskirter's Secret, Rosemary Kirstein, 5/27/22
41. A book with best friends  Front Desk, Kelly Yang 3/7/22, opens a new window
42. A book with the name of a color in the title  Mexican Whiteboy, Matt de la Pena 2/17/22, opens a new window
43. A book written by an Asian American author, opens a new window The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Nghi Vo 2/11/22
44. A book written by an author whose first or last names begins with T, P, or L, opens a new window Salt Magic, Hope Larson 2/26/22
45. A book written by an author whose last name is six letters or more, opens a new window The Language of Power, Rosemary Kirstein  5/30/2022
46. A book written by one of your favorite authors Smoke Bitten, Patricia Briggs 1/24/22
47. A book written by multiple authors, opens a new window The Sentinel, Lee Child & Andrew Child, 2/21/22
48. A book written by someone who is no longer living Straight, Dick Francis 1/21/22, opens a new window
49. A fantasy book inspired by the Middle East, Southeast, or South Asia, opens a new window Fireheart Tiger, Aliette de Boudard 5/10/22
50. A horror or paranormal story, opens a new window Child of Fire, Harry Connolly 2/10/22
51. A Jane Austen novel, or a retelling or adaptation of one, opens a new window
52. A locked-room mystery, opens a new window
53. A philosophical literature or philosophy book The Past Is Red, Catherynne Valentine 6/28/22, opens a new windowhe Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky 2/13/22

54. A southern gothic novel

, opens a new window55. A space opera Foundation, Isaac Asimov 4/18/22

46/55

Seattle Book Bingo 2021

 

The Seattle Summer of Learning: Book Bingo  is always a great time, and this year's has all those neat illustrations. I like the theme!

 

X X X X X

X X X X X

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X X X X X 

X X X X O 

1. Romance: Duke of Olympia Meets His Match, Juliana Gray

2. From my shelf: Chaos on CatNet, Naomi Kritzer. 

3. Small Press: Son of Sam Killings, Alexis Burling

4. Beach Read: Crystal Singer, Anne McCaffrey

5. Black Joy: Snapdragon, Kat Leyh 

6. Activism or Social Justice: America For Americans, Erika Lee

7. Made You Laugh: Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear, Lensey Namioka

8. Coming of Age: Almost American Girl, Robin Ha

9. Recommended By Library/Peak Pick: You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey, Amber Ruffin

10. Graphic Novel: Life Sucks, Jessica Abel & Gabe Soria

11. Recommended By a Friend: Gator Bait, Jana DeLeon

12. QTBIPoC: King and the Dragonflies, Kacen Callendar.

13. Free: The Last Emperox, John Scalzi

14. Mystery or Crime: Apple Cider Slaying, Julie Anne Lindsey.

15. Cli-Fi: Parable of the Sower: The Graphic Novel,  Damian Duffy, Octavia Butler

16. Poetry or Essays: High Cotton, Kristie Robin Johnson

17. Asian American author: Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch, Julie Abe

18. SAL Speaker: The Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead

19. Speculative Fiction: Rival Magic, Deva Fagin

20. BIPOC Food Writing: From Scratch, Tembi Locke

21. Sports: One Perfect Kiss, Jaci Burton

22. Olympics Host City:  Patience and Esther: An Edwardian Romance, Sara Winifred Searle

23/24 Books From a Series: The Hidden Land, The Whim of the Dragon, Pamela Dean

25. Recommended By Bookseller: 

Tacoma Library Extreme Reading Challenge

I've been accumulating library cards for the past year, as a way of traveling without actually leaving my house. If I can't go to new libraries, I can at least visit them online. And that's how I found out that the city to my south does a reading challenge that I'm am probably going to fail: THE TACOMA LIBRARY EXTREME READING CHALLENGE. 

It's fifty books from fifty categories (well, I guess 49? or we read more than one a week?) and it ends just before the end of the year, so there's not even a chance for frantic reading from Christmas to New Year. Here's the list, and I'm trying to preserve the links to suggestions:

2021 Extreme Reader Categories 

1. A book about climate change The Case for Climate Capitalism, Tom Rand 3/6/21
2. A book about music or musicians The Chai Factor, Farah Heron 2/6/21
3. A book about or involving social media use Take a Hint Dani Brown, Talia Hibbert 1/28/21
4. A book about or with art or museums: The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci 1/8/21, The City We Became N.K. Jemisin 8/6/21
5. A book about or written by a journalist One Giant Leap, Charles Fishman 2/11/21
6. A book about or written by a woman in STEM Arcadia, Tom Stoppard 5/24/21
7. A book about social justice Stolen Justice, Laurence Goldstone 1/25/21
8. A book about the American Civil War Blood and Germs, Gail Jarrow 3/8/21, 
9. A book in which a natural disaster takes place Into the Volcano, Don Wood 4/4/21, The Nine Tailors, Dorothy Sayers 7/4/11 
10. A book of your own choosing  Storm Cursed, Patricia Briggs 1/29/21
11. A book published in the year you were born 
12. A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics La Perdida, Jessica Abel 2/7/21 
13. A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent  Northanger Abbey, Jane Austin 4/30/21
14. A book set in Ireland  
15. A book set on a mode of transportation Stars Beyond, S.K. Dunstall 5/16/21
16. A book that passes the Bechdel Test  Louisiana Longshot, Jana DeLeon 5/16/21
17. A book that takes place during the 1920s : Subtle Blood, K.J. Charles 7/16/21
18. A book that takes place during the Middle Ages  Absolution By Murder, Peter Tremayne 7/24/21
19. A book that takes place during winter  Fake Dating the Prince, Ashlyn Kane 5/26/21
20. A book where the characters save (or attempt to save) the world The Fold, Peter Clines 2/27/21 
21. A book with a book on the cover The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Kim Michele Richardson 4/5/21
22. A book with a character who is older than you Nightshades, Melissa Olson 2/20/21
23. A book with a glyph in the title Sal & Gabi Save the Universe, Carlos Hernandez 2/20/21, Patience & Esther, Sarah Winifred Searle 7/8/21
24. A book with a heist in it Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel, Eoin Colfer 3/4/21
25. A book with a map Beyond the Hundred Kingdoms, Rod Espinosa 4/24/21
26. A book with a medical professional  Shadows in Death, J.D Robb 1/16/2021
27. A book with a metallic cover Black Sun, Rebecca Roanhorse 8/22/21
28. A book with a person’s name in the title: The Unexpected Mrs Pollifax, Dorothy Gilman 5/15/21
29. A book with a royal moniker in the title  Fake Dating the Prince, Ashlyn Kane 5/26/21
30. A book with a skull on the cover Rattle His Bones, Carola Dunn 5/30/21
31. A book with a title featuring repeating words A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky, Lynell George 6/28/21
32. A book with an unlikely pair The House in the Cerulean Sea, T.J. Klune 4/24/2021
33. A book with crafting or related to the Do-It-Yourself “DIY” movement The Laura Ingalls Wilder Companion: A Chapter by Chapter Guide, Annette Whipple 3/15/21, How to Raise an Honest Rabbit, Amy Lane 7/9/21
34. A book with military personnel  Spies, Lies and Disguise, Jennifer Swanson 1/23/21, Ghost Talkers, Mary Robinette Kowal
35. A book with one of the four elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air) in the title Punching the Air, Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam 2/13/21
36. A book with only words on the cover America For Americans, Erika Lee 7/2/21
37. A book with parents or parental figures in it Elatsoe, Darcie Little Badger 3/20/21
38. A book written by a South American author 
39. A book written by an author that uses an initial(s) in their name  A Case of Possession, K. J. Charles 2/5/21
40. A book written by an author you’ve never read before Something That May Shock or Discredit You, Daniel Mallory Ortberg 5/18/21
41. A book written in the first person The Marrow Thieves, Cherie Dimaline 2/6/21 
42. A book you finished in one day  Piranesi, Susanna Clarke 6/21/21
43. A Goodreads Choice Awards winner Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett 4/1/21
44. A legal thriller  Reckless, Selena Montgomery 4/25/21
45. A magical realism book Temporary, Hilary Leichter 5/1/21
46. A play  Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare 4/25/21
47. A prequel or a sequel to another book or series Fugitive Telemetry, Martha Wells 4/30/21
48. A Pulitzer Prize winning or finalist book from the non-fiction category 
49. An Afro Futurism book Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, Damian Duffy & Octavia Butler 6/11/2021
50. An alternate history book Sunshine, Robin McKinley 7/10/21
51. An anthology book  Flight Vol 3, ed. Kazu Kibuishi 3/2/21
52. An antiracist book What the Eagle Sees, Elder Yellowhorn, Kathy Lowinger 1/25/21,You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey, Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar 8/4/21
53. Reread a favorite book Network Effect, Martha Wells 4/6/21
54. Two books that share the same title (Title A) Switchback, Melissa Olson 4/29/21
55. Two books that share the same title (Title B) Switchback, Clair M. Poulson 8/21/21

51/55

OK, I officially Won!

I mean, I'm pretty sure I forgot to turn my results in, but I just do it for the fun of the list.