Ever since I started library school I’ve been maintaining my own card catalog system. When I finish reading a book I fill out an index card with pertinent information: bibliographic stuff, characters, plot, and notations about content.
Originally I meant for my catalog to simply help me keep track everything I read but now I use these notes to write the reviews that I post here.
The thing is that since I read like I breathe, I fill out way more cards than I actually write reviews. So for the past year, since I started this blog, I tend to get down on myself for not writing.
Now I’m thinking that I need to shift my perspective, change up the way I do some things, and give myself a break.
For school each week my daughter writes out a list of 15 books that she’s read or had read to her each week and the librarian gives her a sticker. And my daughter always is so proud of her list and her sticker.
I need to be delighted like that, so I made my own list (I haven’t reviewed any of these so the links go to amazon.com).
In February I read:
For Emergent Readers:
The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Kevin Cornell
Ruby Lu Star of the Show by Lenore Look with illustrations by Stef Choi
For Middle-grade/Tween Readers:
Lost and Found by Shaun Tan
Samurai Kids Book Two: Owl Ninja by Sandy Fussell with illustrations by Rhian Nest James
Pizzicato: The Abduction of the Magic Violin by Rusalka Reh (Translation by David Henry Wilson)
Luv Ya Bunches: A Flower Power Book by Lauren Myracle
Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs
Young Adult Fiction:
Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper
Exposed by Kimberly Marcus
Jenna & Jonah’s Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin
Taking Off by Jenny Moss
Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen
Vixen by Jillian Larkin
Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
Stringz by Michael Wenberg
Orchards by Holly Thompson
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Strings Attached by Judy Blundell
Adult Fiction:
The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan
Non-Fiction:
The 14th Dalai Lama: A Manga Biography by Tetsu Saiwai
Total Pages Read: 5238
Total Books Read: 20
These totals do not include reading I’ve done for grad school. Maybe next month I’ll total up all the pages of journal articles too so I can really feel good about myself.
My sticker will be this–a picture of the reading trophy I earned circa 1985 for reading one hundred books and being a Kindergarten Super Reader.
Joanna Reads 
I like to use Goodreads to keep track of the books I read; I used to use Shelfari but switched to Goodreads because I think it’s even better. I was able to transfer over all the records by computer too, so I didn’t have to re-input everything. I’m up to 600 or so on that database. It’s so easy to use because you don’t have to write down all the information–I think you’d find it much faster and easier to search than the card system. Check it out (and you can add me as a friend!)
I love your mini library catalog. Any excuse to use those little Alphabet labels and a stack of 3×5’s works for me (although I don’t have anything against 4×6’s either). I’m with you on celebrating the accomplishments! We need a few more reward stickers in life. 🙂