Charlotte's Library is now five years old. I have posted 1725 times; I wish I knew how many books I reviewed, but that would take too much counting. My most searched for book review is Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (although about a third of the searchers think she's a Mrs., which possibly says something about our society's expectations for women, or not)--3822 searches. Second is The Green Book, aka Shine, by Jill Paton Walsh, which makes me happy, because it is the most perfect book going to introduce young kids to science fiction (2267 pages).
The blogisphere (sp? it looks weird) sure has changed from where it was when my blog began--there are so many, many more YA bloggers; when I started, it was possible to visit them all in a day! But the core group of children's book bloggers that were there when I began is, for the most part, still going strong, and I feel very lucky to have strengthened my friendships with these lovely comrades in book love.
I'm pretty happy about where my blog at the moment--I'm reading and reviewing books I love, and the number of visitors keeps going up (which I care about, because I want all the effort I put into this to be useful to people--it makes me awfully happy, for instance, when I look at my stats and see that someone has found one of my list, and opened 15 or so of the reviews), and I get just the right number of review copies in the mail--not so many as to overwhelm, but enough to feel validated (thanks publishers!).
I had one of my most thrilling book blogging moments just last month, when Ursula Le Guin linked to my review of Lavinia on her webpage (UKL read my review!!! And thought it worthy of linkage!!!! Swoon!!!)
I just wish I had more time to write more reviews--I only review about a third of what I read, and that gets a bit stressful. I also wish I made fewer typos. But since I have never been able to schedule posts, and often hit publish at the last possible minute before the kids have to be gotten up and taken to school (like now- argh it is 6:55 and we have to leave in 20 minutes and no one else is up), it is kind of inevitable. Sorry.
Thank you all who visit here--and thank you, other bloggers, for making it fun!
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Happy Blogversary! You've reviewed a metric ton since your beginning. Here's hoping for a ton more!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogversary! I love your blog and how you focus on fantasy and middle grade so much. You are doing an awesome job so don't worry about doing more reviews.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogversary! I've gone through various spates of trimming down the blogs I read but I've always kept yours, because I so appreciate the mix of YA and MG, and how thoughtfully you write your reviews! I hope we all get to celebrate many more Blogversaries with you! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogversary! and I wish you many more.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I know I look forward to your posts every week. You're doing a great service here.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogversary! You were one of the first children's bloggers I discovered and remain one of my favorites (-:)
ReplyDeleteHappy blog birthday, Charlotte! The blogosphere would be much less fun without you. Here's to many, many more!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday! My five year blogiversary is coming up soon too! And the day that my most revered author, Markus Zusak, links to my review will FOR SURE be the day that I die and go to heaven! Congrats on it all! :)
ReplyDelete5 years is an accomplishment, and I appreciate the focus you've established! I've only been blogging for 9 months. That's so cool about Ursula Le Guin linking to one of your reviews...I'm a fan of her writing.
ReplyDeleteOh wow. What an honor! That is so cool, Charlotte (I'm dancing right there with you). And five years. Still one of the best blogs. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy blogiversary! Thank you for being so wonderful. I am both enjoying and learning lots from your blog. But I think if you posted reviews of everything you read, I wouldn't be able to keep up.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary! Your blog is one of my favorite places to visit every day on my tour of the interwebs. Thanks for keeping it at for so long!
ReplyDeleteHappy 5 years! Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogversary!
ReplyDeleteGosh, thank you all so much for being readers of my blog!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your blog, Charlotte! I think I first found out about it through Sounis? Back when I was still using LJ. Five years is a long time and I think it's great that your blog is where you want it right now. :) It IS exciting when a favorite author links to your blog, isn't it? One of my blogging highlights is the Queen's Thief Week.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blog Birthday, Charlotte! Here's to five more wonderful years, at the very least.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blog Birthday! And, wow, that is so cool that UKL read your blog!!
ReplyDeleteFive years! I hope that there is cake at your house! You've done a great job, and the round up is wonderful and takes all kinds of dedication and organization. If it makes you feel hopeful, I'm coming up on year six and just last week figured out how to schedule posts! And you seem to have WAAAAAAAY more readers than I do!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, indeed! Your blog is always a gift to the rest of us. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, all of you! I love your blogs too!
ReplyDeleteHappy blogoversery!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy blog birthday! I've recently discovered your blog (through the Comment Challenge) and love what you're doing. Here's to many more happy blogging years!
ReplyDeleteHappy BBB (Belated Blog Birthday)! I started blogging in February, too.
ReplyDeleteWow that is is SO many posts!
ReplyDeleteHappy blogoversary! :-D
Hey hey and a belated Happy Blog Birthday!
ReplyDeleteEEEK on the link back from...that's like royalty come to visit. Sweet!