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5:00 am, Pacific Daylight Time:

And so we begin another Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon! Good morning, everyone! I hope this is a delightful day for you, full of books and fun! I have quite a list of books to read, much more than time will allow, but I’m looking forward to reading and sharing thoughts with you throughout the day.

I will create a morning blog post and an afternoon post, adding to each as I finish a read. Then I’ll post an evening update to wrap up my day. So please check back here every so often for those updates. Also, I am too darn old to stay up all night reading, (it’s just not going to happen!) so I’ll say goodnight at a “reasonable” time for this elder and leave the all-night reading to friends with more stamina than I.

So without further ado, I begin with breakfast and a book to finish:  Molly’s Millions, by VIctoria Connelly.

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UPDATE:  6:20 am, Pacific Daylight Time:

First book finished:  Molly’s Millions, by Victoria Connelly

It was mid-March when the self-isolation for this pandemic began. Almost immediately, a favorite author of mine, one that I follow on both Goodreads and Facebook, made one of her books a free download as a way of reaching out to her readers during this crisis. I was very touched by her kindness and downloaded the book with much appreciation. I started it earlier this week and just finished it for the read-a-thon.

That author is Victoria Connelly. I’ve read quite a few of her books and enjoyed each one. The book she gave us to read during our self-isolation was called Molly’s Millions, and it was a fun and imaginative story, a perfect comfort read during a pandemic!

A summary from the publisher:

Hard-up florist Molly Bailey has just won a fortune in the National Lottery. And she wants to get rid of it – fast! Tom Mackenzie is on the verge of losing his job. He needs one hell of a story if he hopes to secure his future in journalism. And his luck may have just come in. With a strong belief that sharing her good fortune is the only way forward, Molly unwittingly becomes the most sought-after person in the country as she distributes her wealth to the masses. With only her terrier pup, Fizz, and her trusty Beetle for company, Molly embarks on the journey of her life. But with Tom hot on her heels, will she succeed before her family and the media catch up with her? And, with Tom leading the pack, would that really be such a bad thing?

Thank you so much, Victoria Connelly, for the gift of an enjoyable and cheerful read!

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UPDATE: 7:20 am, Pacific Daylight Time:

Second book finished:  On the Horizon, by Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry is one of my all-time favorite authors! On the Horizon is her newest book, just recently published. It’s a sad and beautiful book about two tragedies of World War II: the  attack on Pearl Harbor and the bombing of Hiroshima. This is a book we all need to read, young and old, to understand the human toll of war!

from the publisher:

Lois Lowry looks back at history through a personal lens as she draws from her own memories as a child in Hawaii and Japan, as well as from historical research, in this stunning work in verse for young readers.

On the Horizon tells the story of people whose lives were lost or forever altered by the twin tragedies of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima.  Based on the lives of soldiers at Pearl Harbor and civilians in Hiroshima, On the Horizon contemplates humanity and war through verse that sings with pain, truth, and the importance of bridging cultural divides. This masterful work emphasizes empathy and understanding in search of commonality and friendship, vital lessons for students as well as citizens of today’s world. Kenard Pak’s stunning illustrations depict real-life people, places, and events, making for an incredibly vivid return to our collective past.In turns haunting, heartbreaking, and uplifting, On the Horizon will remind readers of the horrors and heroism in our past, as well as offer hope for our future.

Click here to read an interview with Lois Lowry about this book.

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UPDATE: 7:30 am, Pacific Daylight Time:

Something else I am reading today:

 

UPDATE: 9:00 am, Pacific Daylight Time:

Third book finished:  Escaping the Giant Wave, by Peg Kehret

My favorite of Peg Kehret’s books is her autobiographical story, Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio. She had polio as a child, and Small Steps is her story about that experience. She also writes terrific adventures for kids, and Escaping the Giant Wave is one of those! But it was more than just a thriller/adventure. It was also a very honest story about bullying. Definitely worth reading!

from the publisher:

The Worst Vacation Ever!

Thirteen-year-old Kyle thought spending a vacation on the Oregon coast with his family would be great. Kyle’s perfect vacation becomes a nightmare while he’s babysitting his sister, BeeBee. An earthquake hits the coast and starts a fire in their hotel. Can Kyle and BeeBee outwit and outrun nature’s fury to save themselves from tsunami terror?

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UPDATE: 10:00 am, Pacific Daylight Time:

Fourth book finished:  Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, by Michael Pollen

Sixty-four excellent, common sense rules on how to be a healthy eater. Excellent advice here, and I would like to incorporate more of these ideas into my daily life. I wouldn’t have this constant struggle and worry about weight if I simply followed more of these rules!

 

 

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UPDATE: 11:00 am, Pacific Daylight

Currently listening to:  The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, by J. R. R. Tolkien, narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi!

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