During 2016, I read the last 50 Newbery award winning books (2015-1966) and created a small mixed media piece inspired by the book. The idea was to explore new-to-me books and carve out some regular creative time. Here are answers to a few questions I've been asked:
Did you enjoy this project?
This turned out to be a highlight of 2016 for me. It wasn't always easy; some weeks I struggled to finish the book and make something to post on the blog. But it did bring me a lot of joy to have a list of good books waiting to be read. I'm glad I decided to make something tangible; one of my goals in 2017 will be to figure out how to display these pieces.
What did you learn?
I found a lot of new, mostly contemporary authors that I really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to reading more books by Kate DiCamillo, Neil Gaiman, Rebecca Stead, Cynthia Voigt, and others now that I won't be on such a tight schedule.
I also learned some interesting things about my own artistic bent. For one, I found myself really enjoying the pieces that required a cute animal component. That's not something that I currently do much in my work for sale. I also tried some totally new techniques and materials, including paper clay and dyeing/staining fabric.
What was your favorite book?
Too many to list! A few that I enjoyed so much that I read them more than once: Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, and Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.
Your least favorite?
There were definitely books that didn't resonate with me, but none that I would consider bad books. I found the fantasy books tough to get through mainly because they were in the middle of a longer series, which even with very skilled authors still left me feeling like I was missing out. I also found myself wearying of the many "a boy goes on an adventure" books near the end of the year because it was such a common theme.
Any advice for someone doing a similar project?
- A structured year-long project forces you to schedule your time. For me, the advantage was having some built-in fun time, usually on the weekends. That might sound a little crazy, but when you're super busy it can be hard to take time for yourself. Depending upon your schedule, it might make sense to do a 30-day project instead of a year-long one.
- Pick a topic you're really interested in. I sometimes hear other people choose topics that sound suspiciously like things that are convenient or might impress other people. For me, it would have been extremely hard to stick to such a plan.
- The hard part is that time marches on. Often my art pieces felt like first drafts (no time for do-overs). I also read some longer books much more quickly than I would have preferred.
- To be honest, I had mixed feelings about the blogging aspect of this project. On the one hand, I had some great conversations with readers who wanted to try something similar or tell me their own feelings about a book. On the other hand, blogging ate into the limited time I had to read and create. Other social media (such as posting a quick photo on Instagram) might be a less time-intensive way to share your work if you decide the social aspect is something you want. There are no rules that you have to share anything with anyone!
What's next?
I am going to do another year-long reading challenge in 2017, but this one will be less intense and with a list that's been established by someone else. Look for a post in early January for details!