What makes it to Goodreads?

  In my February reading recap, I mentioned that I include novels I read to the kids in my yearly book count on Goodreads.  I have been asked several times before if those books "really count." That got me thinking, "what does and doesn't count when you are tracking books you read?"  

  I think this is highly personal and really depends on why and how you track your reading in the first place. For me, having a reading challenge encourages me to read more and spend less time playing on my phone. It also helps me remember what I have read in the past as well as what books I heard about that I want to read in the future.  In my book journal I also record what I thought about books , which helps me immensely when they come up again and I can't remember much about my reading experience.

I thought it would be fun to give a little attention to the books I read that don't make the cut!

• Picture Books - These were the most obvious to me as I rarely get through a homeschool day without reading at least one.  We're currently learning about Beatrix Potter and have read a few picture book biographies (one of my favorite types!) as well as some of her books.  It's amazing how much you can learn or feel from a well written and beautifully illustrated picture book.
• Hobby Books - My favorite two hobbies to read books about are gardening and sewing. In the latter category I really don't read a ton of the text.  Maybe a page about color theory or fabric selection, but mostly I am only skimming through instructions and leafing through the pretty pictures.  The gardening books are another story.  I definitely read entire chapters.  I believe I read the text in its entirety for Edible Paradise, shown above, but it still feels weird to me to add it to my Goodreads list. Am I alone here?
• Abandoned Books - This is a category I wish I kept better track of and maybe I will in the future.  What made me finally put down The Heart is a Lonely Hunter? I remember the prose being gorgeous and the characters pretty interesting, was I bored or just not in the mood?  I wish I knew!
• Periodicals - I read a few magazines each month and keep up with the NY Times online and in print on Sunday.  Of course it seems absurd to track these, but sometimes I feel like an article in Vanity Fair or an essay in the Times is some of the best writing I come across in the week.
• Online -From blogs to long IG posts to email newsletters to articles, I am betting you read an incredible amount of text on your phone or laptop. Some of it is fluff, but sometimes I come across something that really resonates.

  While it would be silly for me to track most of these "lost reads," it is nice to remember them every once in a while and realize we are all reading more than we give ourselves credit for!

Happy Reading!