For the second year in a row, Downers Grove North High School student Mandy Winslow participated in the Abraham Lincoln Book Award.

But this year, she read every book in the selection.

The program, sponsored by the Illinois School Library Media Association, allows high school students in state the option of reading at least four of 22 book selections. The students then vote on their favorite.

Although students are given a year to read their chosen books from the overall selection, Mandy read all 22 books in a little more than two months. But she did not stop there. She started a blog to keep track of each book and take notes. She also rated them on her own scale.

“What I had in mind was keeping it for myself as a reminder of what the books were like,” she said.

Mandy said she is always reading a book and often a few all at the same time.

“What I like about reading is it is an entire different world,” she said. “It takes you out of reality. If you are going through stress or a bad time I feel that whenever I crack open a book I feel better.”

Mandy said she is not certain if she will try to incorporate reading into a career, but regardless she is positive it will always be in her life.

“I always know I will make time for reading,” she said. “It’s such a big part of who I am. If I gave up reading I would give up three-fourths of who I am.”

Notable
Mandy lived in Britain for a year when she was 4 years old while her father worked there
Mandy’s book blog Web site is dancingthedoubledeuces.blogspot.com

Quotable
“All these authors are amazing. They take time and energy to write a novel,” Mandy said. “Especially with the way the economy is now and all the pressures in our lives, to have that time to sit down and get something published is amazing enough and they should all be rewarded.”

Philosophy
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Favorites
HOBBIES Playing the Nancy Drew computer game and participating on the DGN gymnastics team
FOOD Chicken Caesar salad
SPORTS TEAM The Chicago Cubs
SUBJECT Math and science