You may have noticed I am reviewing an extra helping of picture books right now! Cybils season is well upon me. It works out really well, because November is also Picture Book Month! The fact is that November will be full of a flurry of picture book reviews as I tackle the books on the Fiction Picture Book nominations list for Cybils. (As I’ve mentioned before, I am a round one panelist.)
I do have plans to read other books in the last two months of the year, so Rebecca Reads won’t be limited to Cybils. I intend to attack some more classics before the year is out. I recently reread The Great Gatsby, and I have lots of conflicting thoughts on that, so hopefully I can iron out a post in the next few days. I’ve started The Last of the Mohicans for my classics group discussion in a few weeks, and I have begun a Wilkie Collins novel (Poor Miss Finch) because I was feeling the urge to read more Wilkie. (He’s a favorite of mine!) I also may read Ben Franklin’s autobiography and some other classic from Revolutionary America.
Speaking of American history reading (which I am undertaking to parallel Raisin’s homeschool history lessons), I just finished a Benjamin Franklin biography. Walter Isaacson is simply a fantastic author! I could read a biography by him about a chair. I’m sure he’d make it interesting. I’m also reading the Pulitzer-winner Founding Brothers, and I hope to also read a biography of Jefferson in the coming weeks. I have forgotten how much I enjoyed this era of history. In school, Raisin and I have covered Roanoke and Jamestown, and today we put together a model Mayflower as we prepare to discuss the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. I am not sure which of the school picture books I’ll get to discuss on Rebecca Reads, but we’ll see. I look forward to the rest of our school year. So far, I love homeschooling, both the lifestyle’s flexibility as well as the time I spend with my son and the chance I get to learn all sorts of cool things.
On top of all that, because I’m in the picture book mood, I am signing up for yet something else. While the rest of you are scribbling down your novels for NaNoWriMo, I’ll be participating in PiBoIdMo . . . or Picture Book Idea Month. By the end of the month, I hope to have a list of fantastic picture book ideas for future development. (To be a winner, you must have at least 30 ideas). Since last week when I decided to join in, I must admit that I’ve already scribbled down a number of ideas … although few have yet to solidify into something workable. My son and I are setting aside a short time each school day for creative writing (in the spirit of No More “I’m Done!”). I have so far loved the challenge to my creativity.
What are you doing and reading this November?
