![]() Each year, my brothers and I buy each other books that we don’t think the others would ever pick up themselves, but would still really enjoy. Do your own version of my sibling birthday book club. The National Book Award gives out prizes in fiction, nonfiction, YA, and poetryġ3. Here are some handy guides to major awards in: literary fiction, science fiction/ fantasy, romance, mystery, indie press books, comics, and books with queer content. Pick a literary award and read all the books on the shortlist or the longest for the year. Your reading list could be three or ten or twenty books.ġ2. Make sure to include books of different genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc.) Think about the authors you’re including on your list-try to include authors from diverse backgrounds. Seriously: anything! Now make a reading list that throughly explores that subject. Pick a subject you’re interested in-it could be anything. (Madeline L’engle was my first, and I gotta tell you, it’s a super satisfying feeling.)ġ1. Now read everything else those authors have published. Think of one or two authors who have written at least one book that you’ve loved. Make sure you’ve never heard of the author, either.ġ0. Go to the library once a month, browse the stacks, and pick a book that looks interesting to you, but that you have never heard of and that no one has recommended to you. ![]() Not sure where to start? Try these YA Jane Austen retellings, Alice in Wonderland retellings, and retellings of myths and folklore.ĩ. Now read a retelling/reinvention of each of those classics instead. Pick 10 classics you’ve always wanted to read. Read a book about/that takes place in each of the fifty states.ħ. Read a book published each year between your birth and now. Pick the genre that’s always scared/baffled/bored you and challenge yourself to find one book in that genre that you absolutely love.ĥ. Is there a genre you’ve always wanted to try but just haven’t gotten around to? Maybe your best friend has been telling you to try fantasy since forever but you’ve always shrugged her off. Read one book that takes place in each of those countries.Ĥ. ![]() Pick ten countries you have always wanted to visit. Now read ten books, each written by an author who holds one of those identities.ģ. Make a list of ten identities (race, religion, sexuality, gender, nationality, etc.) that are not yours. Now read ten books by ten different authors who share one of those identities, and/or ten different books that center and explore those identities.Ģ. Make a list of ten identities that are important to you and/or influence the way you experience the world. My hope is that you find something here that excites you, and run with it.ġ. You could just as easily pick five or thirty. The numbers are mostly arbitrary-for instance, I’ve used a lot of pick ten books. The challenges here range from the serious to the ridiculous. But doing a reading challenge should not be stressful or diminish the joy you get from reading. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t read challenging or complicated books-reading challenges are a great tool for deepening your reading. You know what happens if you don’t finish a reading challenge? Absolutely nothing! You’re doing a reading challenge because you love reading. There are so many incredible books out there, and doing a challenge gets me reading reviews, pouring over blogs, and generally enjoying the inevitable exponential growth of my TBR. One of my favorite parts of doing a reading challenge is the research.
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