As always, I love setting myself a good reading challenge for the year, and my goal for 2020 was 125 books, considerably more than last year’s goal of 75. I made it to 135 books, which was definitely fun! As usual, the majority of my yearly reading list was comprised of vintage middle grade novels – but there was a bit of variety as well! In 2018, I described my reading journey as an “ongoing quest to find wondrous new books to inspire my writing” – and I found plenty of inspiration over the past twelve months among the pages of these books. So here is a general overview of my 2020 reading year! I’ve organized my favorites into categories, starting off with my Ultimate Favorite Books of 2020. Happy Reading!

My 2021 Reading Challenge

My Goodreads goal for 2021 will be to read 120 books. That means 10 books a month, which is my typical average. I’ve reached this number a couple of times before (the last two years, actually), so it’s not a significant challenge. But I’d like to delve into some longer books this year instead of the generally shorter ones that I enjoyed in 2020, and my hope is that I might find some new gems if I take the focus off sheer quantity. 🙂 I can’t wait to see what books I discover in 2021!

What were some books you loved in 2020? (Feel free to pass along some recommendations!)

I’ve been rereading the novels of Elizabeth Enright for the past few months, because they’re *so* re-readable and absolutely perfect for this time of year. For me, there is such a sense of delight in Enright’s familiar descriptions of summers in the countryside, of searching for butterflies and exploring old houses and finding arrowheads. The summers she spent on her uncle’s Wisconsin farm definitely influenced her writing and the way she observed nature and recorded it in both a realistic and whimsical manner.

In case you haven’t yet met her wondrous world of books, here’s an overview of her novels in chronological order of publication:

Thimble Summer (1938)

A Newbery medal winner, this slim book is perhaps the most well-known of Enright’s works. There are delicious moments like when Garnet and her best friend get accidentally locked in the library, and when Garnet goes to the county fair. A fresh breeze of a book! This is also her first novel for children.

The Sea Is All Around (1940)

A tribute to Maine and all its magic, this is a gentle story of a girl going to live with her aunt in a remote wilderness and making new friends. It has a delicate beauty to its gorgeous prose, and although it’s very hard to find, The Sea Is All Around is well worth the search!

The Saturdays (1941)

This book kicks off the Melendy Quartet series in grand style. At this point in Enright’s career, her writing was becoming a bit faster-paced, and the acceleration improves her already engaging prose. The four Melendy siblings pool their minimal allowances so that they can each enjoy a special Saturday outing of their own.

The Four-Story Mistake (1942)

The Melendys move from their New York City apartment building to a fabulous old home in the country, where they uncover a secret room that’s been boarded up for years—among other adventures! This story is even better on audio.

Then There Were Five (1944)

Here’s a quintessential portrait of a five children enjoying an old-fashioned summer—including stargazing, fruit canning, and all the glories of August—depicted with Enright’s usual stunning imagery.

Spiderweb for Two (1951)

My personal favorite of Enright’s books is this story you simply can’t put down, a gem that caps off the Melendy series. Part mystery and part ode to autumn, this book features the youngest of the four siblings on a humorous quest to unravel a mysterious string of riddles.

Gone-Away Lake (1957)

I recently revisited this classic tale of two cousins (and best friends) who discover a nearly abandoned resort community by the lake and some fascinating new friends who know all the stories of the village’s past.

Return to Gone-Away (1961)

We read this one last year as part of our Summer of Vintage Kid Lit, and I loved returning to Portia and Julian’s unforgettable adventures—this time as they explore and renovate a dilapidated mansion.

To say that I wish there were more Enright novels would be an understatement—there is just something so unique about her descriptions, metaphors, realistic characters, and settings.

I encourage you to pick up one of these in September! Summer is coming to a close, and it’s the perfect time to indulge in an Elizabeth Enright story. 🙂

Recently Read: The Kirsten series by Janet Shaw, The Meeting Place by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn, The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz

Currently Reading: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Cherry Ames: Department Store Nurse by Helen Wells

It has been a simply glorious day. This morning I awoke to sun shining through lacy branches encased in ice with patterns of intricate frost decorating every windowpane. As my Whippet reclined in her favorite patch of sun, I downloaded a marvelous new book on my Kindle. What could be better?

This week I’ve had the pleasure of working on some wonderful writing projects. I’m off to a great start on my YA historical, and now I’m shifting my focus to a middle grade novel that I wrote in 2017 and am now rewriting. I’m thoroughly enjoying settling back into the world of this humorous, adventurous middle grade about three siblings and the troubles they encounter upon being sent to a new home.

I also interviewed two incredible NCAA athletes this week, Michigan’s Natalie Wojcik and Georgia’s Rachael Lukacs, both former Nastia Liukin Cup competitors who have transitioned to college and are doing *amazing* things! I can’t wait to share these interviews with you. And, in case you missed it, you can check out my recent Q&A with Florida’s Sydney Johnson-Scharpf here!

Before @GatorsGym kicks off its season tonight, @GymnasticsRosie caught up with freshman Sydney Johnson-Scharpf! In less than 60 seconds, Johnson-Scharpf tells us about her first year of NCAA and a few of her all-time favorite things!#NCAAgym pic.twitter.com/vkY60xiDT4

— Inside Gymnastics (@InsideGym) January 11, 2019

I am really enjoying keeping up with my projects by using my new writing planner. It’s already been extremely helpful for organizing everything!

A wonderful surprise waiting for me under the Christmas tree!! I cannot wait to fill out this beautiful new planner 😊 pic.twitter.com/2ShLtrEAft

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) December 25, 2018

After finishing Norvia of Walloon Lake for NaNoWriMo in November, I’ve been contemplating what will transpire in the third book of this series. This in itself is a highly enjoyable occupation as I scour through name books, dabble in research, and select the themes and imagery I’ll incorporate. I cannot wait to start writing it!

I also joined two writing societies this week: American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). I’m already enjoying the resources these two organizations provide, and I’m eager to explore my memberships further!

On the reading front, I’ve completed seven books thus far in January, including a reread of Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy in Spite of Herself. (Now I’m halfway through Betsy Was a Junior, because it’s just so good. 🙂)  Here’s a look at six of my January seven—all of which have been highly entertaining:

The Cherry Ames novels by Helen Wells are so interesting. I love how the author creates a full cast of realistic, multidimensional characters in each of these books, while still maintaining characters and storylines from previous volumes in the series. The one I just finished (Island Nurse) inspired me to do some research on Newfoundland, where the story is set. (Now, of course, I must write a book set in Newfoundland. 😉)

I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend and that next week brings you plenty of delightful reading time!