Challenge Complete!

With the end of the summer came the end of our summer reading challenge.  Jane was the first to finish -- a couple of weeks before summer was over -- with Sophie close on her heels.  Grace finished with at least a week left before school started, and I gave Ethan a couple extra weeks to finish up his last couple of books. {Because I'm such a softie.}  And since I know everyone is DYING for a recap of what they read and what they loved (and hated), here is the rundown:

Ethan --

Favorite: The Maze Runner

Least Favorite:  Judy Moody Saves the World

What he would recommend:  39 Clues

Grace --

Favorite:  Echo, Among the Hidden, and The Maze Runner

Least Favorite:  Cinder and Hatchet, "because I wasn't really paying attention to anything"

What she would recommend: The three favorites plus Fever 1793

Sophie --

Favorite:  A Wrinkle in Time and The Giver; and her favorite of the graphic novels --> Roller Girl

Least Favorite:  Ever After High 2

What she would recommend:  All the favorites

Jane --

Favorite:  The Reptile Room, "because it was hilarious"

Least Favorite:  John, Paul, George and Ben, but she did like the true or false quiz at the end

What she would recommend:  Roller Girl, The Reptile Room, Baby-sitters Club, and The Day the Crayons Quit

And there you have it!  Grace has already spent her hundred dollar prize money (in case you were wondering) on her very own Chromebook for school, and I'm pretty sure Sophie and Jane have grand plans as well.  Overall, I think they kind of had fun reading different types of books for our summer reading challenge.  The biggest sleeper hit to me were the graphic novels -- ALL of the girls ate those up!  Jane in particular loved them, and I have to say it really tickled my fancy that she loved the Baby-sitters Club graphic novel adaptations so much.  I loved the BSC when I was a kid and I think she got a kick out of that as well.  :)  Ethan was the only one who didn't love our challenge, but I think it was mostly due to the fact that he had to read two assigned reading books for school over the summer and the injustice of it rankled him for the full 12 weeks.  We'll just have to see what kind of summer reading program I can come up with for NEXT year's fun.  ;)

*****

{Here is the full list of books read, in case anyone wants to know...

Book based on a Fairy Tale or Mythology

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Grace), Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Sophie), and Nursery Tales by Mary Engelbreit (Jane)

Your choice

Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney (Ethan), The Jacket by Andrew Clements (Grace), Kristy's Great Idea graphic novel by Raina Telegemeier (Sophie), and Owl Diaries -- Eva's Treetop Festival by Rebecca Elliott (Jane)

Book made into a movie

The Maze Runner by James Dashner (Ethan & Grace), The Giver by Lois Lowry (Sophie), and The Reptile Room by Lemony Snickets (Jane)

Book you can finish in a day

Judy Moody Saves the World by Megan McDonald (Ethan), Judy Moody Girl Detective by Megan McDonald (Grace), Clementine's Letter by Sara Pennypacker, and Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig by Kate DiCamillo

Science Fiction

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Ethan & Grace), A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (Sophie), and Juliet Dove Queen of Love by Bruce Coville (Jane)

Family recommendation

Esio Trot by Roald Dahl (Ethan), Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Grace),  The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements (Sophie), and Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (Jane)

Graphic Novel or Mystery

39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan, Smile by Raina Telegemeier (Grace & Jane), and The Truth About Stacy by Raina Telegemeier (Sophie), 

Book published in 2016

Theodore Boone: The Scandal by John Grisham (Ethan), Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan (Grace), and Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Sophie & Jane)

Historical Fiction

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Ethan), Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (Grace), The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (Sophie), and Meet Kit by Valerie Tripp (Jane)

Non-Fiction
Weird But True by National Geographic (Ethan & Grace), Smart About the Presidents (Sophie), and John, Paul, George and Ben by Lane Smith (Jane)

Award Winner

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (Ethan), Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (Grace), Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary (Sophie), and The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt (Jane)

A book or series you started by never finished

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (Ethan), Sisters by Raina Telegemeier (Grace), Ever After High 2 by Shannon Hale (Sophie), and The Baby-sitters Club (books 1-4) by Raina Telegemeier (Jane)}