Tuesday, February 24, 2026

2026 Baby Got Stacks Reading Challenge

Artwork by Shannon Maddox
aka "Auntie"
 

Welcome to the 2026 "Baby Got Stacks" reading challenge!

Before we get started, let's do a little review.  Last year's challenge was a stunning success.  My goal was 100  books; I read 119!  This year I'm mixing things up a bit.  My total goal on my Goodreads challenge is 125 books. Part of that goal (chronicled here) is to read 100 children's books.  I'm using the Scholastic 100 Greatest Books for Kids list as a guide along with reading other children's books that pique my interest.  I've not read most of the books on the Scholastic list, so this should be fun. 

For those new to my blog, I divide my reads into several categories.  Sample categories for this year's reads include:

  • Glorious rereads - books I enjoyed so much that I'm reading them again.
  • Recommended Reads - books recommended by what I hope are trustworthy sources.
  • Cross References - books referenced in other books I read. Not exactly a recommended read, but similar.
  • Everybody's Reading It - books that everybody and their grandma read that I'm just now getting to.
  • Impulse Reads - Books I bought, borrowed, or checked out of the library for no other reason than "hey, this looks interesting." 
  • Kiddie Lit - Children's books.  This year, they get their own list. 

My rating systems is as follows:

✮✮✮ Outstanding
✮✮✮ = Pretty good
✮✮ = Could have been better / could have been worse.
 = Not so great.  What the heck did I just read?  I'm finishing this one purely out of spite.
Zero stars = 
Ain't nobody got time for that = DNF (did not/would not/could not finish)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Books Read and Reviewed:

Completed books will be marked as a link to the review or Goodreads comments. *indicates a volume from my personal collection.

Book 01                                             
Book 02                                               
Book 03         
Book 04
Book 05

Read but Not Reviewed: *indicates a volume from my personal collection.

Regular reads:

  1. The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton   (Category:  Cross Reference)
  2. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron*  (Category:  Glorious reread) 
  3. Enjoying Jesus by Tim Chester  
  4. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawerence* (Category:  Reread and Cross Reference)  
  5. How Can I Practice Christian Meditation?  by Joel Beeke*   (Category:  Glorious reread) 
  6. Struggles in the Spiritual Life by Timothy Gallagher  ✮1/2
  7. Phantastes by George MacDonald  
  8. Sanctuary of the Soul by Richard J. Foster   (Category:  Glorious reread) 
  9. The Little Flowers of Saint Francis by Brother Ugolino Boniscambi ✮  (Category:  Cross reference) 
  10. Spurgeon:  A Life  by Alex Diprima  
  11. A Call to Prayer by J. C. Ryle  ✮1/2    
  12. Prayer by Timothy Keller     
  13. Hudson Taylor:  Deep in the Heart of China by Janet & Geoff Benge 
  14. Prayer and Praying Men by E. M. Bounds  1/2  
  15. Before Amen by Max Lucado       

Category:  Kiddie Lit

  1. The Cookcamp by Gary Paulsen ✮1/2 
  2. Alida's Song by Gary Paulsen  ✮1/2 
  3. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan ✮ 
  4. Skylark by Patricia MacLachlan ✮ 
  5. Caleb's Story by Patricia MacLachlan 1/2 
  6. More Perfect than the Moon by Patricia MacLachlan  
  7. Grandfather's Dance by Patricia MacLachlan 1/2
  8. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems  ✮ 
  9. Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems   
  10. Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems    
  11. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans         
  12. Madeline and the Bad Hat by Ludwig Bemelmans    
  13. Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans  
  14. Madeline and the Gypsies by Ludwig Bemelmans ✮1/2  
  15. Madeline in London by Ludwig Bemelmans  
  16. Madeline's Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans ✮1/2 
  17. Matthew Henry by Glenda Mathes & Joel R. Beeke      
  18. John Bunyan  by Glenda Mathes & Joel R. Beeke   
  19.  

First Line Friday Entries for the Year: 

*indicates a completed volume.  They may have a separate review or a "last words" section.

#41

#42

#43

#44

#45 

Ain't Nobody Got Time for That!:


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