09 September 2008

Tuesday Things

Today's question: Awards. Do you follow any particular book awards? Do you ever choose books based on awards? What award-winning books do you have? (Off the top of your head only- no need to look this up- it would take all day!) What's your favorite award-winning book?

I do follow the awards. Of course, the main ones that we order each year are the Newbery, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King Awards. Our staff always fight to see who will get to read them first. (I loved this year's selections and have reviewed them here and here.) I also check the ALA website for other award winning books as they are announced. As an avid list lover, nothing makes me happier than a list of (what should be) excellent books. I agree with you about thinking how many award books I have would take all day. And I give away many of my books due to space limitations...only keeping those that hold a special place in my heart.

BTW, thank you for the link to the Sydney Taylor Book Award site. With my passion for all things related to the Holocaust, I cannot believe I did not know about this one. I have read many, many of the books awarded and will use this list to make sure our coverage here in the library is good.

I have a question for all of you: I am having a problem with reading - never thought I would write that - my problem is that I have ARC books that I should read first, but am not drawn into them, so then I feel guilty when I read other books. Any suggestions??

LibrarysCat

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you're in a slump. Re-read a favorite book.

Marie Cloutier said...

read what you want. reading should be fun. if you're not interested in something, put it aside. maybe you'll want to read it later. if you haven't promised someone a review you're under no obligation.
happens to me all the time. sigh!

Icedream said...

I agree, get to them when the mood strikes and don't worry about it for now. I went through the same thing but when reading starting to feel more like a chore than my passion I decided to read according to my mood and not from obligation. I feel a lot less guilty about it since I made that decision.

Anonymous said...

Give the ARCs to someone else who would enjoy them with the agreement that they'll write a guest review for you.

Library Cat said...

You guys are the greatest! Such good suggestions. I may need to try each one and then some - I do feel obligated to read and review the books that are sent to me free.
thanks,
LibrarysCat

Joanne ♦ The Book Zombie said...

I have an ARC that I just cannot even bear to pick up right now even though I am interested in it, I'm not into it right now. I do feel obligated to review them but I also feel as though it would be better to read and review them when my mind is more open to the particular book. If I don't really want to read the book, will I be able to give an accurate and fair review? Probably not.

jlshall said...

I'm in the same situation with ARCs. I've got a pile of them right now and only one or two look like something I really want to read. No more requests for a while.

KSP said...

I'm so glad you found the Sydney Taylor Book Award website. There are so many good books there, and I hope you enjoy as many as possible.

I've been applying the "Nancy Pearl 100-page Rule" for some of my ARC's. If I can't get through 100 pages, I put it down for a while. My review includes "slow" or "hard to get into the story."

Kathe Pinchuck, Chair
Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee
Association of Jewish Libraries