Marcia Strykowski
“If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.— In the highest civilization, the book is still the highest delight.” —
To start your book list, type in a title (see below). The books show up immediately and you click on them to choose. It only takes a few minutes to build up your list. Later, if you decide to get more involved, you can enter giveaways for free books, check lists for recommendations, and maybe even find a new friend or two in the discussion threads. All of these optional adventures can be found under the Explore tab.
The next picture shows how the screen looks after you select a title. When you click the Want to Read tab there are two other choices as well: Read, or Currently Reading. It’s up to you if you want to add ratings or reviews to help you remember what you thought of the book. I find this useful in recommending books to others. All I have to do is glance at my list to jog my memory, no more saying: “Oh, I read this great book last year. I think it was about a boy in Italy, no France, and it had a greenish-blue cover.” Goodreads keeps me organized. Click 
I’d love to hear how you track your reading!
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Call Me Amy made the ShortList!
Call Me Amy chosen for 2014 Best Books of the Year!
Keeping the Blogisphere a Beautiful Place
Spirit Animal Blogging Award
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Call Me Amy Book Trailer
Great Reviews for CALL ME AMY
“Well-drawn, sympathetic characters and the developing spark between Amy and Craig combine to create a pleasant, satisfying read.” –KIRKUS
“Strykowski lovingly captures seaside Maine and the travails of adolescence in her quiet, sweet-natured debut novel.”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Strykowski ably depicts Amy’s insecurity and self-doubt, Craig’s bravura and pain, and Miss Cogshell’s wisdom with a deft, convincing touch. In essence, Amy comes of age as she fights to find her voice in the outside world and shed some of her debilitating insecurity. Readers will cheer her on, and her splendid team, too.” –BOOKLIST
"The protagonist grows throughout the story, from a shy loner to having two friends and speaking her mind in front of her adversaries at school as well as to the whole town. …Amy is a reliable narrator and easily relatable.” –SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
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More Praise
“To do a good deed, we can find friendship in the most curious of locations. “Call Me Amy” is a novel from Marcia Strykowski following the struggles of Amy Henderson, who finds an injured seal and seeks to nurse it, with the help of a scorned aging woman and an unusual youth. Set in the early 70s and exploring the essence of loneliness, “Call Me Amy” is a powerful read that should prove so very hard to put down, highly recommended.”—MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
“This is a wonderful YA tale for the simple fact that it shows one and all that the power and courage to stand up and be heard in this life comes from within. And that no matter who you are, you have that toughness inside your soul. Craig has a lovely heart that hides behind that sarcasm he aims at the world, and he will remind every small town girl about that quiet boy she fell in love with long ago. ‘Old Coot’ brings the fun and humor along with her, and Pup is the sweetest creature in the world. Having all the ingredients of first love, faith, loss and strength makes ‘Amy’ unforgettable.” —FEATHERED QUILL
“For Amy, 1973 has been a lonely year, her only friend moved away and she feels awkward around her classmates. Until one day Amy discovers that Craig, another classmate, has rescued an injured seal pup. Amy agrees to help him and together they hide the pup at Miss Cogshell’s house, the odd old lady most kids call “Old Coot.” Amy learns that people aren’t always what they seem to be, and she forms a friendship with Craig and Miss Cogshell. A great story about friendship and doing what you think is right.” —KIDSBOOKSHELF
“For those ages 8 to 12, Call Me Amy by Marcia Strykowski will resonate with familiar themes of growing up. The year is 1973 and for Amy Henderson, it has been a lonely one with too many awkward moments to count. When she finds an injured seal pup, she rescues him to rehabilitate him. In the process she forms an unlikely alliance with Craig, a boy around her age, and an older woman in town. With their help she discovers that people aren’t always what they seem despite what others may think of them. This is a story filled with many elements that will appeal to younger readers and I highly recommend it.”—BOOKVIEWS.COM
"A wounded seal pup propels 13-year-old Amy Henderson into an unlikely alliance with an unusual older woman and a mysterious boy in a small Maine fishing village. Readers will cheer for Amy as she protects Pup, gains confidence, faces challenges, and comes up with an idea that could change not only the future of her village, but also, her own life. With a skillful hand, Strykowski introduces us to a small town with memorable characters and the girl who could bring them all together." ---Anne Broyles, award-winning author of PRISCILLA AND THE HOLLYHOCKS
"In a small town in Maine in the 1970's, Amy is standing on the brink of becoming a young adult. The events that will force her to discover who she is, what she is made of and how she wants others to perceive her are sweetly told through awkward teenage moments, the triumphs and sadnesses of that age and ultimately, Amy's discovery of her own beliefs, strength and courage." ---Kathleen Benner Duble, acclaimed author of THE SACRIFICE
“Call Me Amy is exactly the type of book I love. The characters are relatable and likeable; they are individuals that the reader enjoys getting to know while watching them change and develop. The setting of the small Maine coastal town is idyllic, and the reader is quickly and completely immersed in this community. Although the novel takes place in the 1970s, it feels timeless. Young readers will readily associate with Amy’s struggles and triumphs with her relationships with family and friends, and mature readers will be gently nudged back to this period in their life. These universal qualities make this novel a perfect choice for many types of readers. As a Youth Services Librarian, I would enthusiastically recommend Call Me Amy to our young patrons as well as to a more adult audience. Because it can be enjoyed on so many levels, this novel would be an ideal source of discussion for an adult/child book group.” ---Patty Falconer, Youth Services Librarian
"I just finished CALL ME AMY and I think it is wonderful with beautiful descriptions. I love the characters and their story. It is like having seen a good play or movie and later, while you are doing other things, it comes back to you and you think about the characters again." ---Peggy Arnold, retired teacher and avid reader.
For 13-year-old Amy Henderson, 1973 has been a lonely and uneventful year in her small Maine fishing village. With the help of a wounded seal pup, she gets to know Craig, who slinks around in an oversized army jacket. A new law against handling wild marine mammals brings suspense to the story. Where can they keep Pup until he heals? Their only hope is to trust Miss Cogshell, an elderly woman keeping to herself amidst jeers from the local kids, who catches them sneaking Pup into her woodshed in the middle of the night. Throughout the book, small challenges prepare Amy for her greatest one of all. A challenge that leads her to discover that everyone, herself included, has a voice worth hearing.
Marcia Strykowski 
An interesting and enlightening post. Thanks, Marcia. I’m not all that good at technology, but do use Goodreads. I have a list of books i want to read/have read on there, but still tend to trust my memory when at the library or in a book shop! I bought two new books yesterday – no, I haven’t read them before!
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Thanks, Julie, sounds like you’re doing well keeping track of your books!
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Being old, I’ve had a few years to record books! One of my high school English teachers (back in the 50’s) suggested we keep a log of books read, recording title, author, and a sentence or two about the book. It was such fun to do that I’ve kept doing it all these years! It really helped when I was a teacher and later when I was a librarian and someone asked me for a recommendation of something to read. I would remember that 10 or 12 (or 20 or …) years ago I’d read something about whatever subject the person was asking about, and I could go back to my list and find the title. It would be easier to do on a computer, I’m sure, but, computer or notebook, I do like the idea of keeping one’s OWN list, not going on a commercial site.
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Wow, Louise, that must be quite a list! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
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Really good information,Marcia. I like Goodreads, too. I expect i don’t take advantage of its full potential. Thanks for including a Goodreads screen shot with Feathers & Trumpets!
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Thanks, Joyce! I thought you’d like that random screen shot!
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I’m in awe, Louise! I wish I’d kept a list of books like that. Thanks for the post, Marcia. I joined Goodreads, but often forget to keep track of what I’m reading. This is a nice simple explanation for those who aren’t sure how to get started.
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I agree, it would be great to have a list of books read since high school. Thanks for your comment, Laurie!
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What an informative article! Thank you! I find that I am more active on Goodreads than I am on LibraryThing. I rarely go to Librarything anymore. Your article gives some insight into why that is!
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Thank you, Bobbi! I tried LibraryThing briefly, it seemed more limited.
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I use goodreads, but I also keep a list in a regular notebook by year. I like having notes on paper!
Yvonne
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I like paper, too, but I’m trying to cut back. And I love how Goodreads brings up so much extra information (cover, page count, etc.) and also stores my short reviews.Thanks, Yvonne!
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You’ve convinced me to try Goodreads! If I figure it all out I’ll be able to keep track of my favorite authors!
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Great Ashley, I’m glad this was useful!
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I feel like everyone uses Goodreads except me 🙂 Maybe I should give it a try. I just keep a list in my Google Docs; my library also keeps a list of the books I check out, view-able in my online account.
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Interesting, Mei-Mei. At my library we’ve stopped keeping patron history due to privacy issues. We can only see what’s checked out at the moment. Goodreads makes it easy to do as little or as much as you want with the options. Thanks for joining in!
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Yes, Yes and Yes! I hate the way publishers change (update) the covers on some popular books. I always feel it’s a bit of a trick aimed at catching out the unwary buyer.
I signed up to Goodreads some time ago but have never got around to using it, mostly because I didn’t know how – but I do now, thanks to you.
I catalogue the books I sell on a programme called Homebase but have never recorded the books I’ve read, but I must get organised this year.
I’ve tweeted this very helpful post, thanks Marcia.
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Hi Barbara, hope you’ll give Goodreads another try and thanks so much for the tweet!
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Very interesting post! Thanks for sharing this info with us!
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You’re welcome, Bette!
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I must be missing something, because it never occurred to me to track the books I read. It may help that I’m a slow reader, but I am always reading.
I think it is a newish phenomenon to have these lists. I can imagine it is very helpful. I just wonder if we really want to have such on what is ultimately a public site. I can honestly say that I don’t read anything I would be embarrassed to admit reading, but is this so for everybody? Do people have two lists- the public and the private? This is a new age, indeed.
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I don’t think I ever kept track of my reading until I was in a book club. We chose books I wouldn’t normally have read and it took time to prepare for each meeting. Because of the extra effort, I didn’t want to forget which books I read or what I thought of them. On Goodreads, I look up books and maybe check what others say about them, but I can’t say I’ve ever gone through anyone’s list to see what they read. And it’s easy enough to leave off books you don’t want to publicly admit to reading. Many on my own list are ones I got from other authors, and otherwise maybe wouldn’t have known about or chosen. Thanks for your thoughts, Mirka.
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Very helpful post! I use Goodreads, but I often slack updating it. I need to be better. This was a good reminder! Thanks for sharing it. I have yet to try Shelfari- but have been curious about it. 🙂
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Same here, I don’t always remember to update, and I’m sure I miss a few books, but it’s all in fun. Thanks, Jess!
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I love Goodreads mainly because I don’t need to feel like an author there (like I feel I have to do a bit more social marketing/mingling on Twitter or FB or others). I am a reader on GR, and I really enjoy looking at what my friends are reading. I try to leave brief reviews for the books I like, too.
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Exactly, there isn’t pressure to always have to keep up or do more on Goodreads. Happy to connect with you on there, Claudine!
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I had a fancy app on my phone that let me track books and scan barcodes and things, but every time I got a new phone, my entire book list would be lost and I’d have to start all over! When I realized Goodreads has an app that does all the things my old app did, I started using it instead. It’s nice to know that all those books are safe even if my phone decides to die again. 😉
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Hi Anna! Thanks for sharing this drawback of phone apps, good to know. I’m glad Goodreads solved the problem for you.
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I do use Goodreads, but I’m not particularly consistent about logging books I’ve read – although if I really LOVE a book, I usually seem to enter it. In terms of GR reviews, I was thinking about this today in terms of the GR population. I feel like it’s mainly adults, or at least most of the people who’ve ranked/reviewed my books seem to be. So I wonder about the value of GR to an author who writes for kids. I’d love to get more input from my intended audience:)
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Yes, there’s nothing more exciting than getting a review from an actual kid! There are a lot of teachers, librarians, and parents on Goodreads, and I think their reviews of books for children are extremely valuable, as well, since they often have a close connection to kids. Thanks for adding to the conversation!
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I use Goodreads (really like that site), and have heard of Shelfari, but not the other ones. I like how Goodreads has author website links, and latest blog posts, if they’re linked. And, of course, all the books. =)
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It is good how all the links and extras are easily available. Thanks for your comment, Leandra!
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I use Goodreads too 🙂
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Good to know. I just found you on there. 🙂 Thanks, Rachel!
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