RAE’S READS

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This year (2025) finds me with 53 years of teaching “under my belt.” I have taught all levels from pre-K “(library lady” or “book lady”–volunteer) to juniors, seniors, and graduate students enrolled in my Advanced Writing class at the university where I have just completed 34 years. My first paying teaching job was junior high, and I spent 13 years with ages 12-13, the “difficult years.” I had some of the “funnest” experiences with this age group. When I was no longer the “young, fun teacher,” I taught in an elementary school setting before sixth graders went on to junior high, teaching language arts blocs, an assignment that was a “dream-fit” for me. After completing graduate school in my 40s, I went on to community college, then university teaching. This past fall I accepted a part-time teaching job at Apogee Gulf Coast Schools in its first year at the Alvin campus. After my Better Half died n 2022, I achieved a lifelong dream: opening a bookstore of my own, Rae’s Reads. A year later, I sold the house we had lived in for 47 years and moved into the bookstore. My goal is to circulate and repurpose books. Just as teaching is “in my blood,” so is a passion for reading, writing, libraries, and everything bookish. This blog will be open to anyone who loves books, promotes literacy and wants to “come out and play.”

SUNDAY STATS: Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon edition

What a great reading experience! This year’s Readaton was a huge success for me.

Let’s see how I did…


Basically, I had two firm goals, three all together.

TO READ CYBILS NOMINEES AS A FIRST ROUND PANELIST I read the following:

Hello Earth! Poems to Our Planet by Joyce Sidman

Ninos by Maria Jose Ferrada

Reckless, Glorious Girl by Ellen Hagen

TO READ BOOKS CHECKED OUT FROM THE LIBRARY Since all those books listed above were from the library, I did ok in this category too.

TO MAKE A DENT IN MY TBR SHELF Here I did quite well, I read:

Anne Lamott’s Some Assembly Required This is a book I ordered online because one day I hope to have read all of Lamott’s books.

I finished Molly’s Song This is a historical novel from my Kindle.

I finished Doctorow’s Doctorow: Collected Stories Here I discovered the master of short stories and an author I had heard of but had never read. It did not disappoint.

I began an Oprah’s Book Club selection, Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie Mac Donald which was donated to my LFL.

I read three chapters in the book I was most looking forward to reading, Jamisin’s The City We Became. It is wonderful!

So long, 2021 Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon until April when another for 2022 will occur.

This has been my third Dewey’s. It was not the one I read for the longest number of hours, but it may be the one I read the most books for.

I leave you with a photo of my mottled pumpkin. When I planted some of my succulents in the top of this grey-green pumpkin, copying something I’d seen in a magazine, how was I to know if you watered it, it would cause whitish water blisters on the pumpkin? What a mess! I need to take care of this today.

RAE

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6 responses to “SUNDAY STATS: Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon edition”

  1. Vicki Avatar
    Vicki

    Looks like you read some good books! I didn’t join in the 24 Hour Readathon because I wasn’t home all day yesterday.

    I wouldn’t have thought that water would do that to a pumpkin either, it’s kind of weird.

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      I had to take a couple of hours off from the readathon in the middle of the day to make a fast trip to Houston to get a book for one of my Little Free Library “customers.” He needs it for a school dress-up activity this week.

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  2. Deb Nance at Readerbuzz Avatar
    Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

    You met your goals and you finished some books…I call that a great readathon. Oh, and let’s not forget the snacks!

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  3. Jinjer Avatar
    Jinjer

    Wow great job on your readathon goals!

    How is it possible I love Doctorow but didn’t even know he’d written any short stories????

    I don’t know what to make of that ghoulish pumpkin planter. lol (Sorry!)

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      The pumpkin does look sick, doesn’t it! LOL

      Liked by 1 person

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  4. Carla Avatar
    Carla

    I say you had a very successful readathon Rae. You met your goals and finished up some books, sounds like a win to me. I love all those things they show on Pinterest, but they don’t always work. I would not have thought a pumpkin would do that either. Enjoy your Sunday.

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