This is my third month of my year long self-challenge to read a book a day – that is 366 books in 366 days, to celebrate the National year of Reading. I must confess that having started strongly in January, and keeping up to target in February, march saw a bit of a slide, and although I’m not yet up to the April report, things are looking a bit grim. When I set myself the challenge I didn’t take into account that I was busily looking for a day job. As it happens I ended up with not one, but two jobs, which I started at the beginning of March, at the same time as the release of my new book, Do Not Forget Australia. So in March I started two day jobs, launched and promoted a book (including a 14 day blog tour), attended two literature festivals and, and did some school visits – all the while trying, but not succeeding, to keep up with my reading targets. But read I did, and finished the following books in March:
| 61 | A Bear and a Tree | Stephen Michael King | Penguin | Picture Book |
| 62 | Liar Bird | Lisa Walker | Harper Collins | Adult |
| 63 | Hatched | Asphyxia | Allen & Unwin | Children’s |
| 64 | Dead, Actually | Kaz Delaney | Allen & Unwin | Young Adult |
| 65 | Stella Makes Good | Lisa Heidke | Allen & Unwin | Adult |
| 66 | The Quicksand Pony | Alison Lester | Allen & Unwin | Children’s |
| 67 | Every Minute in Australia | Yvette Poshoglian | Scholastic | Children’s Nonfiction |
| 68 | Comeback | Peter Corris | Allen & Unwin | Adult |
| 69 | Strictly Confidential | Roxy Jacenko | Allen & Unwin | Adult |
| 70 | Watermelon on my Plate | Paddy Dewan | Papyrus Publishing | Children’s Poetry |
| 71 | Professor Fred Hollows | Hazel Edwards | New Frontier | Children’s Nonfiction |
| 72 | The Red Poppy | David Hill | Scholastic | Picture Book |
| 73 | Sarah Thornhill | Kate Grenville | Audio | Adult |
| 74 | Currawalli Street | Christopher Morgan | Allen & Unwin | Adult |
| 75 | Raven Lucas is Missing | Christine Harris | Scholastic | Young Adult |
| 76 | Mort | Martin Chatterton | Random House | Children’s |
| 77 | The Secret of the Swords | Frances Watts | Allen & Unwin | Children’s |
| 78 | The Poison Plot | Frances Watts | Allen & Unwin | Children’s |
| 79 | Shy the Platypus | Leslie Rees | National Library | Children’s |
| 80 | Sea Hearts | Margo Lanagan | Allen & Unwin | Young Adult |
| 81 | Jakes Concert Horror | Ken Spillman | Fremantle Press | Children’s |
| 82 | Yippee! Summer Holidays | Tjalaminu Mia | Fremantle Press | Children’s |
| 83 | Emu and the Water Tree | Gladys Milroy | Fremantle Press | Children’s |
| 84 | All Monkeys Love Bananas | Sean E Avery | Fremantle Press | Picture Book |
| 85 | The Festival By The Sea | June Loves | Allen & Unwin | Adult |
| 86 | Unnamed | Children’s |
If you are quick with your sums you’ll see at the end of March I was five books behind target (that is, my total thus far should have been 91). Not an irredeemable figure, I’m hoping. As things settle into a better pattern with work, writing, family and the rest, I’m hoping I’ll get back into the swing of things and make up for time (though I must confess April hasn’t started spectacularly either). You might also note that there quite a few books on the list this month that I haven’t reviewed. Some are books I’ve sent the way of my fellow reviewer, and some are on my desk awaiting review. And there are a few that I won’t review because they weren’t review copies. Also, just to clarify, the last one on the list ‘unnamed’ did have a title, but I’ve chosen not to reveal it, simply because it relates to some research I’m doing on a confidential project.
In spite of my busy busy month I am still enjoying the challenge and not regretting setting it for myself. I think without the challenge I would have read even fewer books in March.
I’ll be back with another update in a month or so. Wish me luck!