Tally Up: Books in Review
Book with most pages:
I really enjoyed Doerr’s first book, All the Light We Cannot See, reading that one twice as well, since I devoured it in one sitting and after a student presented it as her author spotlight I reread it and was glad I did. However, even after a second reading of his second book, Cloud Cuckoo Land, which I read for the library book club, I am still not a huge fan. One reason is that it is vastly different in theme and style. While it is still well-written, it did not resonate with me quite like his first. I watched the film adaptation of AtLWCS on Netflix, and as they say, “The book is the book and the movie is the movie.”
I look forward to his next book. He is a writer worth waiting for.
Book with fewest pages:
This is for those who enjoy fables/parables like Animal Farm and animal dramas like Watership Down. A quick read and one read is enough.
Average book length in 2023: 299 pages (not a fan of super long books, unless the writing is amazing)
My average rating for 2023: 4.3 (check out my Reader Roundup posts for those fabulous five star books)
Highest rated on Goodreads: 4.40
First review of 2023:
Last review of 2023:
Going through my personal book collection I came across Marguerite Henry’s Wagging Tails. Published in 1955, my brother owned this book first and also first owned our collie mix, Toby. My brother being nine years older than me, passed on the book and the dog when he got busy being a teenager. This is the one book I have leftover from my childhood. I’m not sure why I’ve kept it all these years, especially since I am definitely a cat person. It might be because Toby was an exceptional dog, and I thought it a very big deal him giving me this book. I think I drove him a little crazy with how I always got into his stuff. He finally gave me his marble collection after years of messing with it. Little sisters must be pain for older brothers.
Feeling nostalgic on 123123 I reread these twenty-three stories and once again appreciated Marguerite Henry’s affinity for telling a story. Although she is best known for her horse stories, like Misty of Chincoteague, her love of animals comes through with each dog story presented.
Hey readers and Book Boosters:
Did you have any reading goals this year?
Do you participate in the Goodreads Challenge?
Pam Webb 
I didn’t know Marguerite Henry wrote about dogs. Her Misty of Chincoteague and Brighty of the Grand Canyon were childhood favorites, along with so many dog books—Old Yeller, Savage Sam, Irish Red, etc. Thanks for jogging my memory, and Happy New Year!
(Am I the only person left who hasn’t read Remarkably Bright Creatures?)
Marguerite Henry is definitely a childhood author favorite along with Beverly Cleary’s Ribsy. I got ahold of RBC early. I usually avoid hyped-up books, but I couldn’t resist a curmudgeonly octopus as as a lead character. Happy New Year as well!
Wow! You killed it this past year. You tripled my output—time for me to set new goals.
Then again, you did some seriously impressive health goals. But setting higher reading goals is always encouraged. I would like to get more involved with book clubs and talk about what I am reading.
As short as it was, I really enjoyed reading Fox 8.
I think you recommended it.
I believe that is true.