Reading Logs--an easy, efficient way to do this?

[threedogfarm]

We read A LOT of books at our house. We use the library so we can't go and look on the book shelves to see what books have been read recently. Unfortunately our library has switched to a new system so we cannot see any books we have checked out after we returned them (maybe this is good for people who are up to no good but it makes it difficult for a homeschooling mom!).

 

Anyways, is there an efficient, easy way to keep tracks of the books read? I know that the WTM encourages the student to make the book list which is fine. . .but I do not think that they want to write down EVERY book they read (but I would like to keep track. . .). I also want to keep track for myself since I am always reading as well. Ideally I want some space to write a quick comment about the book. Do people use preprinted sheets kept in a binder? Is there a good journal for this? Do we need one for each person? Or do I use an excel sheet? Smart phone apps won't work for me b/c I do not have one.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Ecclecticmum]

We're using HST+ this year for our reading logs, but due to adding everything in as a "resource" including library books, this will end up making the resource list super long.

 

I enter & print out the reading log weekly.

 

Next year I will probably change back to either a paper reading log (which would be a giant pain, as I would have to make 3 separate copies and include a lot of books) or use a editable planner page.

 

Donna Young's Site has printable reading logs that you can fill out.

 

I have a cuecat coming to use with HST+ so i might look into something like librarything or similar too.

 

Its a real pain. It would be nice to have something like HST+ reading log as a little separate program. I like that it links the thumbnails and pre-downloads info, as it saves me a heap of time (even more time saved once I get my ittle cuecat :D ) but I really hate that it adds everything to the resource list as well, as I get about 10 library books a week, mixed with my home library and online library, that makes for a LOT of books I'm listing every week.

 

I'm all :bigear: too. I really hope to find something like that without having to handwrite it all (i'm left-handed and smudge my writing, and get bad hand cramps when writing by hand for too long)

[ondreeuh]

Does you library print receipts? That would be help refresh your memory if you fall behind. You could keep a reading list posted on the fridge or wall and make it a routine to update it. I got a couple books from Scholastic that are reading response/book report forms. Dh used them in his class each year and for each one a student tuned in, s/he earned an incentive. You could do points towards a field trip, ice cream party, treat, etc.

[mrs.m]

I give them a mini-steno book and they write the title on each page. Sometimes they will even draw a picture. I print out the covers for my youngest and he glues it on.

 

Another option is goodreads.com. That's how I track my reading. I'm thinking about signing my 12yo up because the notebook has lost its charm.

[ondreeuh]

I really hate that it adds everything to the resource list as well, as I get about 10 library books a week, mixed with my home library and online library, that makes for a LOT of books I'm listing every week.

 

I would use goodreads instead of HST+ for your reading log. You can review book there too. Where did you buy your cue cat?

[paceofnature]

I have always liked how Satori Smiles cataloged their books with the scanner ...and I bet it would work well with library books too. She blogs about it here: http://satorismiles.com/2011/07/27/cataloging-our-book-collection/

[Zoo Keeper]

There is NO way I could keep track of ALL the books my guys read. I only keep a list of the books I assign them for school (since I choose them, I know what they are), and a list of what I read aloud to them. All this is broken down by subject for each child, and kept in my planning notebook. I'm old school--I just write as we go on a page printed out from Donna Young's site. It just takes a few minutes a week; really very, very simple.

[boscopup]

I don't do a reading log (I'm having to track summer reading for a contest, and that is killing me - no way am I tracking it year long :lol:), but I use goodreads to keep track of what books I have in my house, and they let you say whether you have read a book. I use my smart phone to scan the books via the goodreads app. You can have a stack of books and just scan them one after another.

[KeriJ]

http://www.shelfari.com/

 

We've started using this.

[Ecclecticmum]

I would use goodreads instead of HST+ for your reading log. You can review book there too. Where did you buy your cue cat?

 

Purchased mine from Librarything. Wasn't sure if it was "neutured" or de-clawed, but I figured I would just fix it up if it wasn't, it was a lot cheaper than other options for me (I'm in Aus) it said no drivers required so I assumed it was modified as the unmodified seemed to require drivers, and it seems only the modified ones can be used with HST. yep, thats about when I started getting a headache LOL.

 

I'm actually on Goodreads for my reading, but dopey me never thought about using it for school. :lol: Its a bit fussy with adding and moving stuff though.

 

I looked into just using Sked for the reading log, but it just lists everything, sort of like a long resource list lol.

 

A possibility is adding an extra database just for reading logs, that way it doesn't lengthen the normal database. One extra problem with HST is if your using a "chapter book" that you started (like Story of the World for instance) a couple of weeks ago (and added "time/pages" in for todays date), the only way it seems to show up, is if you tick is completed today before you print, and then delete the tick and completed date afterwards (I print book lists out each week for the current week)

 

I probably have to mosey on over to the HST forum, and mention all of this, there, at some point. :tongue_smilie:

[nov05mama]

I use Goodreads to track DS's books. I am only using it to track books that he uses for free-reading however, b/c that's what I want to look back and 'remember' at future dates. You are able to make 'folders' and such on there, so it's great for organizing books too. I've tried Shelfari and LibraryThing as well, but always come back to Goodreads :P

[Education Explorers]

I would use goodreads instead of HST+ for your reading log. You can review book there too.

 

I had never seen goodreads before. It looks quite intriguing, so I just signed up and reviewed 20 kids books that we have read to get a feel for it. I think I am going to enjoy playing around on it. Thanks for the info.

 

We have Library Thing and I have used it to keep track of what we own. We have over 2500 books listed on our account. There is no way I can go into a bookstore and remember if we own a certain book or not. I pull up Library Thing and check our account before I accidentally buy a duplicate copy.

 

I have never thought of tracking the kids individual reading lists online. Hmm...

 

I did print up a little reading journal for each kid at the beginning of this year where each kid wrote the title and author of each book. Then they rated it. I just wanted them to have a visual of how much they read for the year. I think this could develop into something much larger.

 

Do you track your children's reading year by year? How are you organizing their reading? What do you ultimately do with the information?

[elcmum]

I use the Good Reads app, and honestly, I basically scan most of the books in with my iPhone.

 

It's a novelty factor for the kids, too, so they are more apt to remind me or ask if they can do the scanning.

[WVNA]

I created a form with Google docs that my kids have to enter book information(title, author, copyright date, fiction/non-fiction, etc) into. It's then written to a spreadsheet and when we do portfolio reviews, I just print this out.

[momma aimee]

here is another thread, recent, about tracking books read http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=394970

[Jayne J]

I'm super low tech here. If I have to turn the computer on to do something or learn a bunch of new software, well...

 

So, in my store age world I have a big pile of paper strips to be used as bookmarks. Ds writes the title and author on the strip, uses it while he reads and then puts it in a designated spot when he finishes. This is mainly for his independent reading, since I keep track of his assigned reading. I like to keep a list of independent reading for our state's portfolio requirements, and this seems to work pretty well.

[threedogfarm]

Thank you for all the replies! Your input made me sit down and really think about what I wanted to be able to do with my list.

 

I realized I wanted the following features:

1. one list for everyone

2. I wanted to know whether the book read was a read aloud, read silently or an audio book.

3. I wanted this to be easy and efficient. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I thought long and hard about just doing a paper book list but I also wanted #4.

4. searchable list that can also easily be sorted (into a list of books that my son read for four months on ancient history or all our read alouds for the past two years, etc.)

 

The google doc idea was a great one and it made me think about using Excel. Goodreads or the other online trackers weren't going to give me the kind of printout that I was looking for but they do seem great to get additional recommendations. I also didn't want to lose my database in the future in case something happened to one of these sites.

 

So, I decided to do this (in case anyone else is wondering. . . ;)

 

1. Excel spreadsheet with the following columns:

date (in the format yyyy/mm/dd so I can sort by year)

title

author

4 columns for who read/listened to the book that I will use as a check box (mom, dad, s, d)

read aloud (as a check box)

audio book (as a check box)

subject

comment

I am considering adding a check box of whether the book is on our bookshelf or not but I'm not sure how useful that will be for us. I did this spreadsheet in a landscape format making sure everything fit.

 

This document is now searchable by who ever read it, date, subject, audio book, etc.

 

2. Data entry via a form with excel so I don't have to tab through the spread sheet when entering the books--this is a nice time saver for me.

3. Keeping library receipts as suggested in one of the replies. This will be a good cross reference for me.

4. Also I like the idea of a book mark that the kids fill out and put on my desk so that I can record the books. I will be sticking on in each book that I want to make note of in the book list when they come home from the library. I will also put a comment space on it as well. For the book that I think both of the kids will read I will put two in the book. I have a spot where I'll put extra ones for the kids to grab when they need to.

 

So a big thanks to everyone again for their input. Once I knew where I was heading with this I was able to put this together in under twenty minutes (minus the time it took me to search how to make a form for data entry in Excel 2007--it's not hard to do but it was hard to find the command for it!)

 

Now I think I will do this for book list of books that we WANT to read. . .

[momma aimee]

thank you for all the replies! Your input made me sit down and really think about what i wanted to be able to do with my list.

 

I realized i wanted the following features:

1. One list for everyone

2. I wanted to know whether the book read was a read aloud, read silently or an audio book.

3. I wanted this to be easy and efficient. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I thought long and hard about just doing a paper book list but i also wanted #4.

4. Searchable list that can also easily be sorted (into a list of books that my son read for four months on ancient history or all our read alouds for the past two years, etc.)

 

the google doc idea was a great one and it made me think about using excel. Goodreads or the other online trackers weren't going to give me the kind of printout that i was looking for but they do seem great to get additional recommendations. I also didn't want to lose my database in the future in case something happened to one of these sites.

 

So, i decided to do this (in case anyone else is wondering. . . ;)

 

1. Excel spreadsheet with the following columns:

Date (in the format yyyy/mm/dd so i can sort by year)

title

author

4 columns for who read/listened to the book that i will use as a check box (mom, dad, s, d)

read aloud (as a check box)

audio book (as a check box)

subject

comment

i am considering adding a check box of whether the book is on our bookshelf or not but i'm not sure how useful that will be for us. I did this spreadsheet in a landscape format making sure everything fit.

 

This document is now searchable by who ever read it, date, subject, audio book, etc.

 

2. Data entry via a form with excel so i don't have to tab through the spread sheet when entering the books--this is a nice time saver for me.

3. Keeping library receipts as suggested in one of the replies. This will be a good cross reference for me.

4. Also i like the idea of a book mark that the kids fill out and put on my desk so that i can record the books. I will be sticking on in each book that i want to make note of in the book list when they come home from the library. I will also put a comment space on it as well. For the book that i think both of the kids will read i will put two in the book. I have a spot where i'll put extra ones for the kids to grab when they need to.

 

So a big thanks to everyone again for their input. Once i knew where i was heading with this i was able to put this together in under twenty minutes (minus the time it took me to search how to make a form for data entry in excel 2007--it's not hard to do but it was hard to find the command for it!)

 

now i think i will do this for book list of books that we want to read. . .

 

great plan