Top 9 Bookish Things I’m Thankful For

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is gratitude…. for authors, books, etc. Here are 9 bookish things I’m thankful for.

The It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? book blogging meme. I don’t think I’ve read a bad book since I joined the Monday meme. Of course YMMV (translation for my mom: your mileage may vary) with reading, but even when I don’t like a book now, it’s still a book worth reading, thinking about, discussing. And this weekly meme isn’t only valuable for book recommendations: it also keeps me reading. I don’t like to skip a Monday post, and I have occasionally been known to finish books only so that I’ll have something to write about for Mondays.

Prime shipping. I live 60 miles from a bookstore, and it’s more gift store than book store anyway. Say what you will about Amazon as a corporation, basically every book I can imagine wanting to own is available to buy, and it will be at my door within 48 hours.

Nonfiction picture books. I can’t think of a better encouragement to wonder about and marvel at the world than through nonfiction picture books. And once again, my book blogging community supports my wanderings through Kid Lit Frenzy’s Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge.

Reading challenges. I don’t always have the follow-through, but I do love planning them, participating, and, especially, reading about other people’s reading.

Bookish podcasts.  I am so extremely fond of Books on the Nightstand and Book Riot’s All the Books. Even though they regularly kill my commitment not to buy any more books.

The Good Reads app. I love not having to remember to write down what I’m reading. A quick scan of the ISBN code, and the title is added to my list.

A lap cat. Ok, Frances isn’t really a bookish thing, but there’s something about a snoozing lap cat that makes a morning spent with a book even more delightful.

Best Books of the Year lists. It’s that witching time of year when every publication and bookish website shares a tantalizing “best of” list. I pour over these lists and make many TBR lists and cook up many reading challenges in my head.

Cool bookish totebags to carry all my books. LIKE THIS BALLET CAT TOTE THAT ONE OF MY STUDENTS SNAGGED FOR ME AT NCTE. (Apologies, readers, but I need ALL CAPS when I write about Bob Shea’s Ballet Cat books.)