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SPRING CHALLENGE 2026
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Spring Challenge 2026: Tasks
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National pretzel day is celebrated on April 26th.
Read a book on the first 25 pages of the Twist Ending Books
Required: State the page.
10.2 - Mr Brown Can, Can You?
Help Thread
March 2nd, Dr. Seuss's birthday, we celebrate the legacy of this beloved children's author and promote reading among children.
Read a book with a title (subtitles excluded) word of 3 or more letters (except "the" and "and") which matches a title word from one of the books listed on this list:
Dr. Seuss Books
Plurals and possessives accepted or the single word of a plural/possessive on list. Hyphenated words can be separated. No other variations
Required: State the book from the list.
10.3- Hello Beautiful
Help Thread
The first telephone call was made by Alexander Graham Bell to his assistant, Thomas Watson, on March 10, 1876, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Read a book with any type of telephone on the cover. The telephone must clearly be a telephone.
ex:
Required: Post the Cover.
10.4 - But First Tea!
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May 21 international tea day.
Read a book with TEA intact in the title.
10.5 - Not all angels have wings…some have scrubs.
Help Thread
Florence Nightingale is born on May - read a book where the main character is a nurse or nursing is essential to the story
Required If nursing is not evident from the Goodreads main page, provide a reference.
10.6 - Historical Treasure Trove
Help Thread
There are more artifacts and sunken ships on the ocean floor than in all of the world's museums combined.
Read a book MPG Historical Fiction
10.7 - Mystery, Unexplained or Legend?
Help Thread
The Bermuda Triangle is a legendary
Read a book set at least 50% in Florida, Bermuda, and/or Puerto Rico.
Required: If the setting is not evident from the Goodreads main page, provide a reference.
10.8 - Maximum Capacity
Help Thread
The Largest Mountain Range: The Mid-Oceanic Ridge is the longest mountain range on Earth, stretching over 40,000 miles underwater.
Read a book with only 4 words in the complete title including subtitles.
10.9 - The Whole Nine Yards
Help Thread
The oceans contain 97% of Earth's water More than 90% of the ocean remains unmapped or unseen Around 91% of ocean species are still undiscovered.
Read a book with at least three numerical 9's in the title, page number, series number and/or publishing date. For the purpose of this task the month September can be seen as a number for the date. Example 9/1/1990
10.10 - Is This Too Salty?
Help Thread
There is enough salt in the ocean to cover the whole surface of the Earth.
This salt mostly comes from rocks on land, and is transported by rainwater runoff and riverine inputs to the sea. It can also be thrust into the ocean from hydrothermal vents on the seafloor.
Read a book that has a word of 4 or more letters in the title that comes from the phrase " Why is the ocean salty?"
Letters may be used as many times as they appear.
Required State the word.
Mod
Help Thread
The coldest oceans are nearest to the poles. The Arctic Ocean is in the north and the Southern(Antarctic) to the south.
Book 1: Read a book set at least 50% in the Northern Hemisphere. We will use this list of 'Countries and Territories' that are entirely in the Northern Hemisphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norther...
Book 2: Read a book set at least 50% in the Southern Hemisphere. We will use this list of 'Mainland Countries or Territories' that are entirely in the Southern Hemisphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souther...
Required: If the setting is not evident from the Goodreads main page, provide a reference.
15.2 - Atlantic Ocean
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Through its separation of Afro-Eurasia from the Americas, the Atlantic Ocean has played a central role in the development of human society, globalization, and the histories of many nations.
Book 1: Read a book with MPG History. (standalone or embedded)
Book 2: Read a book with at least a 3 word title (ignore subtitles) where each title word starts with a letter in HUMAN GLOBALIZATION
15.3 - Indian Ocean
Help Thread
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions. It has large marginal or regional seas, including the Andaman Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Laccadive Sea.
Required: State the option
Option 1:
Book 1- Read a book with a natural body of water on the cover.
Required: Post the cover
Ex.
and
Book 2- Read a book where a single author's first and last initials can be found in REGIONAL SEAS. Letters may be used as many times as they appear.
Option 2:
Read one book that fits both requirements in Option 1
15.4 - Pacific Ocean
Help Thread
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It stretches from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the continents of Asia and Australia in the west and the Americas in the east.
Required: State the option
Option 1:
Book 1- Read a book where all the letters of OCEAN can be found in the single author's name.
and
Book 2- Read a book first published in March, April, or May of any year.
Option 2:
Read one book that fits both requirements in Option 1
15.5 - Luck
Help Thread
Did you know that originally blue was the color associated with St Patrick's Day?
Read a book that contains any percentage of blue AND green on the cover according to Tineye.
Instructions for using Tineye
direct link to Tineye: https://labs.tineye.com/color/
Required: Post the cover
15.6 - Easter
Help Thread
Kids look forward to easter egg hunts and baskets full of candy and small toys every year.
Read a book with a word at least 3 letters long in the title that can be spelled from EASTER BASKET TREATS. Letters may be used as many times as they appear.
15.7 - April Showers
Help Thread
Spring is the season for rainy weather that helps our plants start growing after the cold winter.
Read a book with all the letters of GARDEN in the title and/or subtitle.
15.8 - Mariana Trench
Help Thread
The deepest part of the ocean is the Mariana Trench, which is 36,200 feet (10,000 meters) deep, which is deeper than Mount Everest is tall!
Read a long book that is over 400 pages.
15.9 - May Flowers
Help Thread
After all that rainy weather comes beautiful colorful blossoms for all of us to enjoy.
Read a book with the name of one of these colors intact in the title (not subtitle): white, black, gray/grey, yellow, red, blue, green, brown, pink, orange, purple
Ex. Yellowface, Red, White & Royal Blue
15.10 Building Under Water
Help Thread
A very popular game with kids also contains an ocean biome where grand creations can be built.
Read a book where the single author's first and last initials can be found in MINECRAFT.
Letters may be used as many times as they appear.
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Help Thread
In its 98-year history, 43 films have been nominated in all of "The Big Five" categories of the Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted). Of those, only 3 took home all 5 Oscars.
This is a one book task. Choose one of the options below and read a book for that option.
Required: State the option
OPTION 1: IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
In this 1934 rom-com, recently unemployed reporter Peter Warne (played by Clark Gable) teams up with heiress-on-the-run Ellie Andrews (played by Claudette Colbert) on a madcap road trip between Florida and New York.
Ellie and Peter primarily traveled up the pre-interstate Route 1, which stretches along the east coast of the United States.
Read a book that is set primarily (at least 50%) in a state along their route: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, or New York.
Required:Provide a reference if the setting is not obvious from the book description.
OPTION 2: ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
This 1975 drama stars Jack Nicholson as the new patient in a psychiatric hospital. This was 1 of 3 Oscar wins for Nicholson. He retains the record of the most nominated male actor of all time with 12 nominations between 1970 and 1998.
Read a book originally published between 1970 and 1998 (inclusive) that was nominated for a literary award. The award must be listed on the book's Goodreads page.
OPTION 3: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
The 1991 horror/psychological thriller features a young FBI agent, Clarice Starling, trying to catch a serial killer nicknamed "Buffalo Bill" using insights provided by the murderer and cannibal Hannibal Lecter.
Read a book whose author's initials (all initials count) are in ONE of the three main characters' names: CLARICE STARLING, BUFFALO BILL, or HANNIBAL LECTER. If there are multiple authors, only one author's initials need to fit the task.
Letters may be used as many time as they appear
Required: State the name.
20.2 - Jennifer NY’s Task: A Ring of Endless Light
Help Thread
One of my favorite books as a child was A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle
With this season’s bonus theme being Biomes-Ocean, I thought this would be a great book on which to base this season’s reading challenge task.
This is a one-book task. Choose an option below, and state which option is being used.
Option 1 - Read a book with the word RING, ENDLESS, LIGHT or MADELEINE (not Madeline) in the title (subtitle excluded) or author name. Word must stand on its own, with no plurals or possessives allowed.
Option 2 - Read a book from the list: Dolphins Books
Required: State the page the book is found on.
Option 3 - Read a book from the list: Marine Biology Books
Required: State the page the book is found on.
20.3 Michelle in Alaska's Task: Michelle in… Washington?
Help Thread
I started participating in the Seasonal Reading Challenge in Fall 2017, when I lived in (you guessed it) Alaska, shipped off to an island off the coast of anywhere and nowhere at the whims of the U.S. Coast Guard. I have lived in four different states since then: California, Virginia, Florida, and now… Washington. I have considered, year after year, move after move, changing my readerboard name, but above all, it reminds me of how far I have come and of all of the stunning places I’ve been. So, for that reason, despite the fact that I only lived in Alaska for one year, that wondrous and terrifying blip in my history shall remain memorialized through my ongoing participation in the SRC.
But, enough about memory lane, and on to new horizons! After a long-overdue divorce and my life suddenly feeling breathtakingly wide open, I decided to pursue a lifelong dream of living in the Pacific Northwest, and boy, has it been absolutely worth it.
To celebrate this new change, please read one book that meets the requirements of one of the following options.
- This is a one-book task.
- Your book must be a minimum of 250 pages (i.e. 250+ pages).
OPTION 1: VERDANCY. I grew up in Florida, so I’m no stranger to greenery, but this is a whole different level. Everything here feels primordial, somehow. In honor of the beautiful verdancy of my new surroundings, for this option, read a book with a cover that is at least 75% green according to Tineye.
Required: Post the cover and the percentage of green according to Tineye.
OPTION 2: VOYAGE. I did something few people get to do in their lifetime. I took a 54-hour cross-country roadtrip all by myself to get from Florida to my new home in Washington. I drove through the following states: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington. For this option, read a book that is set at least 50% in one of these states.
Required: Identify the state. If the location is not clear from the Goodreads metadata, provide an excerpt or explanation of how the book meets the setting requirement.
OPTION 3: VOLCANO. I have the privilege of being able to see Mt. Rainier from my patio. The dream, right? One thing I didn’t know until I moved here was that Rainier is an active volcano! (Cue nightmares from having watched Dante’s Peak way too young). For this option, read a book by a single author whose first AND last initials can be found in either VOLCANO or RAINIER. You may ignore middle initials. You may only use letters as often as they appear in the word.
OPTION 4: VIEWS. The Pacific Northwest is obviously well known for its beautiful views, hiking, and natural landmarks. Spend a day in the legendary Hoh Rainforest and enjoy some hot chocolate in the evening. Or perhaps kayaking in Lake Crescent is more your speed? For this option, read a book with a MPG (standalone or embedded) of Nature, Outdoors, Landscape, Wilderness, or Environment.
OPTION 5: VAMPIRES. And, of course, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge one of the book series that shaped me as a teenager, which notoriously takes place in Forks, Washington. For this option, read any full-number installment from the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer (i.e., Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, or Midnight Sun).
20.4 Paula S' Task: John Dickson Carr
Help Thread
One of my favorite genres is mysteries, so it should be no surprise that some of my favorite golden oldie authors are mystery writers. This year I am reading through the ouvre of John Dickson Carr, and this task is inspired by his writing.
This is a one book task. Choose one of the options below and read a book for that option.
Required: State the option
Option 1: The Hollow Man
John Dickson Carr is wrote impossible murders and locked-room mysteries. He is known for fair play and making sure all the clues that are used to solve the case is known both to the detective and the reader.
Read a book from Listopia Locked Room Mysteries
Required: State the page.
Option 2: The Burning Court
In John Dickson Carr's books there is often an easier supernatural explanation to the mystery, and a more complicated, mundane, logical solution that is supposed to be what actually happened. In some books the reader is left with a suspicion that the supernatural explanation is still valid.
Read a book about a witch or witchcraft. Books about the historical witch hunts are also allowed.
Required: Provide a reference if not clear from GR description.
Option 3: He Wouldn't Kill Patience
John Dickson Carr also wrote books under pseudonyms; the most interesting of those is Carter Dickson.
Read a book written by either John Dickson Carr or Carter Dickson.
Option 4: The Bride of Newgate
Some of my favorite books by John Dickson Carr is his historical mysteries. There is often romance involved - the goal of the main character is to solve the mystery so he can live happily ever after with the love of his life.
Read a book with MPG: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, or Romance. MPG may be stand alone or embedded
20.5 Julia103's Task: Celebrating Women
Help Thread
March 8th is International Women's Day. In the United States March is Women's History Month. While creating this task I also learned that April is Black Women's History Month.
This is a one book task. Choose one of these options.
Required: state the option
Option 1: International Women's Day
Read a book by a single woman author who was born in a different country than where you were born, or who currently lives in a different country than where you currently live.
Required: List the country where you were born or where you live and the country where the author was born or lives.
Example: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I was born in the United States. Jane Austen was born in England.
Option 2: Women's History Month
Read a non-fiction biography or autobiography about a woman or group of women who were born prior to 1950, but not with biographies that have both women and men as the protagonists. The book should include their life as a whole (or up to the time of writing) within the context of history.
Examples:
These work: The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I, Genius of the Golden Age (biography of one woman)
Truth Be Told: My Journey Through Life and the Law (autobiography of one woman)
Helen and Teacher: The Story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan Macy (biography of two women)
The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine's Daughters (biography of a group of women)
These don't:
Becoming (born after 1950)
Eleanor and Franklin (both woman and man)
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise (only about a specific time in her life)
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books (only a specific time)
Option 3: Black Women's History Month
Read a book from one of these lists:
African American Women
Lemonade Syllabus - A Collection of Works Celebrating Black Womanhood
WAM! recs for books by Women of Color
Black Heroines 2020
In addition to being on the list, the book must meet all SRC requirements.
Required: Post which list the book is from and on what page.
Mod
Help Thread
For the Winter SRC Challenge, I finished 9 Non-Fiction Books, which was a record for me. Most of my tickets were claimed for celebrity memoirs.
This is a one book task. Choose from one of the Options below. For this task your book must be non-fiction
Required: State the option.
Option 1:Read a book with an MPG of memoir or autobiography.
Option 2: Read a book where the single author's first and last initial (middle can be ignored) can be found in FAMOUS PEOPLE.
Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.
Option 3: Read a book where the digit 9 appears in either the page count or the date first published. (The month September is acceptable)
20.7 - Fly's task: Alphabet soup
Help Thread
For the purpose of this task, you may choose to either use or ignore leading words A, An, or The
Choose one option below.
Required state the option.
Option 1 - a prized book
Read a book which has won a prize/award, AND whose title starts with the same letter as that prize.
It can be any prize/award, but it must be listed on the book's main page.
For example:
- Stone Butch Blues won the Stonewall Book Award for Literature (1994). Both the title and the award start with S.
- An Evil Heart won the Edgar Award for Sue Grafton Memorial Award (2024). Both title (choosing to ignore 'An') and award start with E.
Required:State the award.
Option 2 - choose your genre
Read a book where the title starts with the same letter as the first listed genre on the main page.
For example:
- Reminders of Him has Romance as the first listed genre. Both the title and genre begin with R.
- The Silent Patient has Thriller as the first listed genre. Both the title (choosing to use 'The') and genre start with T.
Option 3 - IAF, BB, and GO ticket makers
For this option, your chosen book's title must start with either the same letter as your readerboard name or F (for my readerboard name).
a. Read any nonfiction book, or
b. any fiction book over 500 pages, or
c. any book first published prior to 1950.
20.8- Bookwrm526's task: Spring Has Sprung
Help Thread
Spring is definitely not my favorite season. I much prefer fall, or even winter, but let's try to embrace all things spring!! I googled "Best Things About Spring" and decided to build my task around the list that came up.
This is a one book task. Choose one of the options below and read a book for that option.
State the option.
Option 1: Warmer weather and outdoor life was the first suggestion. For this option, read a book where the cover shows at least one person who is in an outdoor setting.
Required: Post the cover.
For example:
by Rufaro Faith Mazarura 
by Mercedes Lackey
by Ellie MarneyOption 2: Of course, spring has lots of beautiful flowers (although I would argue that also comes along with a lot of allergies). For this option, read a book with the name of a spring-blooming flower from this list in the title/subtitle/author's name: lilac, peony, iris, daffodil, snowdrop, hyacinth, bluebell, crocus, or tulip. Possessives and plurals are allowed but no other variations.
Option 3: Fresh produce. I can't really argue with this one...For this option, read a book with a fruit or vegetable on the cover. It can be a drawing or a realistic picture of a single fruit or vegetable or a bunch of them, as long as it is clearly a fruit or vegetable.
Required Post the cover.
Option 4: Holidays. There are a lot of holidays in the spring, but since I am a teacher I think Teacher Appreciation day (May 5th this year) is probably my favorite. For this option, read a book where the main character is a teacher (any grade level). If the profession is not obvious from the Goodreads description, please provide a reference.
20.9 – CynBaxter’s Task: The Honor is All Mine!
Help Task
Both of my pets have names with honorifics. My dog’s name is Miss Maple and my cat is simply called “Ma’am” which fits her perfectly, lol
**Read a book that has an honorific in the title/subtitle only, excluding series title** An honorific is a form of address and can be titles prefixing a person's name e.g., Mr., Mrs., Miss., Ms., Sir, Madam or Ma'am, Dr., Lady, Lord, Captain, Reverend, Father, Earl as some examples
For ease in evaluation, we are going to stick to English honorifics for this task:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English...
Spelling must match, no alternatives.
Here are some examples:
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Dr. and Mr. are both honorifics
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau - this form of Doctor is also acceptable
The Second Mrs. Hockaday
Lord John and the Private Matter
These would not work because they are not truly an honorific:
The Pagan Lord
The Reverend's Wife
The Other Mrs.
Mod
Read one of the books selected as a group read for the Spring 2026 season. The requirement for this task: you must participate in the book's discussion thread below with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.
Fiction - Pirates - The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
Discussion Post
Fiction - Historical Mystery - Homecoming
Discussion Post
Non-Fiction Astrology - All Signs Point To Paris: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Destiny
Discussion Post
Gutenberg Classic - The Swiss Family Robinson
Discussion Post
Mod
Help Thread
I have enjoyed getting to know about fellow members of the SRC through tasks related to their location, family, hobbies, pets, and even favorite band. This task is about some of my favorite things in various realms.
This is a two book task. Choose 2 options and read one book for each option.
Required: State the options
Option 1: Women & History
I regularly read about and give talks on women from history, mostly US. I am always impressed with the accomplishments of pioneers in politics, science, and the arts, while they, as women, were largely self-taught and still managed households with no electricity or running water.
Read a book (fiction or nonfiction) with the MPG Feminism or History.
Genres may be stand alone or embedded.
Option 2: Guilty Pleasures
So here I am, a feminist and pacifist in real life, but I have always had a weakness for swashbuckling - musketeers, pirates, scoundrels, impossible heists, etc.
Read a book from the first 25 pages of this Swashbuckling list: Swashbuckling Books
Required: State the Page
Option 3: My Home Area
For most of my adult life, I have lived in the Midwestern United States. This is usually defined as including the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Read a book set at least 50% in one of those states.
Required: Provide a reference if the location isn't clear from the GR description.
Option 4: My Favorite Singer
In 1998, Time and CNN did an online poll for Entertainer of the Century. The winner was not Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, or one of the Beatles. It was Charles Aznavour, sometimes known as the French Frank Sinatra, who also wrote over 1000 songs and acted in dozens of movies and TV shows. He performed around the world and recorded in mutliple languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, and German.
Read a book whose title includes a word of 3 or more letters (excluding "the" and "and") from this list of his greatest hits in English. (Some also have the French titles listed, but only the words of the English titles count.)
https://www.discogs.com/release/11476...
Required: State the word and the song.
Option 5: My Hobbies
Over the years I have done various needlecrafts though I am not particularly good at them. I have a collection of sweaters that don't quite fit right in various ways. But I always felt the process was more important than the product.
Read a book whose author's first and last initials can be found in any one of the following words: KNITTING, CROCHET, EMBROIDERY, NEEDLEPOINT.
Required: State the word used
25.2 Kmaried's Task: Help Me With My TBR
Help Thread
I have 197 audiobooks waiting for me to listen to them. I'm in the process of reading 399 series. And (only according to GR because I have some paper lists too) 213 other books on my TBR. Read with me as I try to get through some of these while I keep adding more, of course.
This is a 2 book task. Choose two options and read one book for each option. Options may be repeated.
Required: State the options
Option 1: Audiobooks
As a librarian, there is a service which has a list of audiobooks every month that I can download for free. Of course, I always want more books than I can listen to in a month, but that hasn't stopped me from getting them. Now I have a quite large backlist.
Read a book from the first 25 pages of this list of books shelved as Audio: Audio Books
Required: State the page the book is found on
Option 2: Series
Most of the books I read lately have been part of a series. I am so far behind that I know I will never catch up, but I like to try.
Read a book that is #3 or higher in a series. Whole numbers only.
Required: The series name and number must be listed on the book page
Option 3: "Other" books
These are the books on my TBR that aren't part of a series. I haven't added as many of these in the past few years, so the majority have been hanging out for awhile.
Read a standalone book (not part of a series) that was first published in 2021 or earlier.
25.3 Nick KY's Task: Whale of a Love Story!
Help Thread
In the effort to make myself read the latest grand biography of America’s great man of letters, James Baldwin, I am dedicating this task to that book. Read 2 books using two different options from below:
This is a two book task. Choose 2 options and read a book from each option.
Required: State the Options
Option 1 Read Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs or any other book that was a winner or nominee for a 2025 GR Choice Award.
Required: State the Category
Option 2 Read any book by James Baldwin. Anthologies with a story or essay by him are accepted as long as you read the entire anthology.
Option 3 Baldwin’s first major work was the novel Go Tell It on the Mountain. Two of the GR mainpage genres for that book are “Race” and “Religion.” Read a book with MPG Race or Religion (or both).
Genres may be embedded
Option 4 You know what? Baldwin: A Love Story is a whale of a book! 720 pages!! Go back to the ocean with the Cetacean Mammals, those mammals that survive completely in the ocean: WHALE, DOLPHIN, PORPOISE. Read a book with a 3+ letter word in the title made from ONE of those cetacean mammals OR from the word CETACEAN.
Examples: LAW from Whale, HOLD from Dolphin, PROSE from Porpoise, CAT from Cetacean.
Required: State the word.
Mod
Help Thread
In the Oregon coastal town where we often retreat on weekends, there once was a restaurant called Oshen's Chophouse across from the coffee shop where we sit outside on nice days with our dog and enjoy our morning lattes. I've spent a lot of time musing about whether Oshen was meant to be a play on words (coastal theme) or the name of the proprietor. Never resolved it, and now it is gone. The theme of this season's challenge, Ocean, did get me thinking about it again, and, in the way of wandering minds, I also thought back to the signage on this restaurant, which was in a script so fancy that for a while I thought it was O'Shen's and maybe Irish? But no. However, now I am thinking of St. Patrick's Day, and Irish names and other names that begin with O.
This is a two-book task. Single author only for each book.
Book 1
Quite a few of the most common Irish names begin with O'. The O' signifies ancestral descent. While under oppressive English rule a few centuries ago, some Irish families dropped the O' in order to anglicize their names and avoid discrimination, a practice that has been called "dropping the O in the ocean." Some families eventually restored the O', but many did not.
Read a book whose author's last name begins with O'.
Book 2
Read a book whose author's last name begins with O with no apostrophe.
25.5-Lisa MD's Task: Spring Into Action
Help Thread
As we enter the Spring months, I am gearing up to “Spring into Action.” For me, March is coming in like a lion, action-wise but hopefully not weather-wise. I am involved in many service organizations whose new officer installations take place in March and April. I also have a couple of trips planned in March and April. Finally, I have an upcoming surgery planned for mid to late Spring.
Spring into action by reading 2 books from 2 different options below. You may read choice A & B from the same option.
Required: State the options.
Option 1: Service Organizations & Charitable Works
I am a member of the BPOE #817 (Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks) and involved in many of their projects to support our community. I have also served as President, VP, Treasurer, Chairman of the Board, and Parliamentarian of the Elks Auxiliary. I will again this year be installed as Parliamentarian. I am also being installed as VP in a local chapter of an organization called P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) after 3 years of serving as Recording Secretary. P.E.O. is an international organization that promotes women’s education through scholarships, grants, loans, and Cottey College. Another non-profit and charitable organization I belong to is the CFES Women’s Fund (Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore). The women who are members of this group have collectively endowed a fund that provides grants to programs that address the unmet needs of girls/women on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore.
A. Read a book whose author’s first and last initials can be found in BPOE, PEO, and/or CFES. Letters can be used only as many times as they appear. If the book has more than one author, then only one author needs to meet the requirements.
B. Read a book with a title word of 4+ letters found in “Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks” OR “Philanthropic Educational Organization” OR “Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.”
Required: State the title word and phrase
***Optional – Comment that you are a member of one of these organizations or shout out an organization you are involved in (even if you don’t choose these options).
Option 2: Road Trips & Family Reunions
I’m going places in March! My first trip has me flying to Chicago, IL with my sis and her family. We are heading to a family reunion over St. Patty’s Day. We have absolutely no family in the area, but someone thought it would be a great idea to celebrate with a massive party, parade, and river dying. If I survive this trip, then next up is a road trip with friends. We are renting a van and driving from Maryland to Kentucky to experience the Bourbon Trail Tours. We will tour Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, along with other distilleries, and take a tour of Churchill Downs. Between the green beer and bourbon, I may stumble into April.
A. Read a book with an MPG: Family, Friends, Friendship or Road Trip, standalone or embedded
B. Read a book with Bourbon or Beer in the title, subtitle or series name.
Option 3: Take Care of Yourself
As a former certified ophthalmic technician, I knew my day would eventually come when I needed to have cataract surgery. My night vision has worsened, and car lights are blinding to the point driving at night makes me anxious. Also, it takes me a lot more light to read. I decided it was time to see more clearly and get back to 20/20 vision.
A. Read a book with a car or truck, someone wearing glasses (regular or sunglasses), or nighttime on the cover- Sky needs to be dark clearly from night not storms.
Required: post the cover.
- Car and nighttime
- nighttimeWill not work for nighttime-
- truck
- sunglasses
- glassesB. Read a book originally published in 2020.
25.6 Cat's Task: Take Your Pick of Culture
Help Thread
Living in London there is a vast range of exciting cultural options to enjoy, when we feel like putting a book down and engaging different senses and modes of thinking.
Pick two different options and read one book for each.
At least one book must be new to you.
Required: state the options and which book is new.
Option 1: Art
There's a huge range of exhibitions on and coming up in London. But to keep it manageable, we'll use this list (the top, ART, section only). Yes, several of these exhibitions aren't in London, but we won't be that picky!
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddes... (only the Art section)
Read a book with a single author, who has a name that matches one of the artist names listed.
Required: state the artist
The names don't need to be in the same position, but must match exactly (so you can use John Grisham to match Gwen John).
For those artists with only the surname listed (eg Seurat, Zurbaran) you can only use the name state in the exhibition.
For LS Lowry you have to match LS, a single initial doesn't count!
Option 2: Theatre
London's West End and wider theatrical spaces put on a huge range of theatre shows.
Read a book with MPG Plays
Option 3: Music
Two iconic music venues in London are famously round (Royal Albert Hall and the Roundhouse, Camden).
Read a book with a round object on the cover
Required: post the cover
Notes on roundness:
- must be an object, so no round elements of letters or numbers
- stickers (e.g. for book clubs or awards) are not objects
- must be completely visible, though perspective shifts are OK
e.g
Works - the ring in place of the O is an object, completely visible and round (although the perspective makes it look more oval)
Doesn't work- both the moon and the helmet are only partially visibleOption 4: TV & Film
London has just hosted the BAFTAs, and is the star of many a film and TV show, especially those adapted from books
Read a book from one of these two lists:
https://www.bookbub.com/blog/movies-t...
https://www.bookbub.com/blog/movie-tv...
Required: State the list.
Mod
Help Thread
Libraries have been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. This is a tribute to Lee Whedon Public Library – my hometown library for most of my life.
This is a two-book task. Choose 2 options and read one book for each.
Required: State the options
Option 1:
Read a book by an author whose first or last name can be made using the letters in LEE WHEDON PUBLIC LIBRARY. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the phrase.
Option 2:
Lee Whedon is part of the NIOGA library system. Read a book where all the letters of NIOGA are found in the title/subtitle.
Option 3:
The funding for the library was given in 1928, but the library wasn’t chartered until 1962. Read a book first published between 1928 and 1962, inclusive.
Option 4:
Their Local History collections include Genealogy, newspapers, and the military career of Lt. John E. Butts. Read a nonfiction book with an MPG Genealogy, Military, News, or History. Genres may be stand alone or embedded.
Option 5:
The library recently held a gala to help fund their expansion where they raised over $18,000. Read a book with more than 18K ratings.
Option 6:
The Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina, NY, is an 11,100-square-foot building. The expansion will add an additional 4,785 square feet. Read a book whose page number digits are found in 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8. You may use each number only as often as they appear. Ex: 110, 518, 1470
30.2 JennRenee's Task: Comfort Read With Me
Help Thread
Every month of the Winter Season has been crazy for me. I have not had much time to think and even read this last month. So, for me I am ready to get my comfort read on. Thriller reads are my comfort, especially Domestic Thrillers and Psychological Thrillers. I have a few go-to authors that are immediate reads for every new release.
This is a two-book task. Choose 1 A and 1 B, (they may be from the same option or different options.) and because I am always chasing down the new releases, one book must be released in the last 6 months. For the ease of this task… this will be November 2025 or later.
Required: State the options
Option 1: My Cozy Genres
A: Read a book with the MPG Domestic Thriller or Psychological Thriller
B: Read a book with ANY THRILLER MPG. May be embedded or stand alone.
Option 2: My Loved Authors
A: Read a book by one of my loved authors.
Frieda McFadden, Alice Feeney, Ashley Elston, Mary Kubica, Adele Parks, Lucinda Berry, BA Paris, Sally Hepworth, AR Torre, Jeneva Rose, Sarah Pekkanen, Steena Holmes, Riley Sager, Shari Lapena, Jennifer Hillier, Kate Alice Marshall, Kerry Wilkinson, Jesse Q. Sutanto
B: Read a book with a single author with a last an first name initials as one of my loved authors. Initials must be shared with one author but maybe be in reverse.
FM, MF,. AF, FA, AE, EA, MK, KM, AP, PA, LB, BL , BP, PB, SH, HS, AT, TA, JR, RJ, SP, PS, SH, HS, RS, SR, SL, LS, JH, HJ, KW, WK JS, SJ
Required: State the name used.
30.3 Katrisa’s Task: Come Tiptoe through the Tulips with Me!
Help Thread
I have an April birthday and one of my favorite things to do for my birthday is visit my local Tulip Festival. I grew up where there was no winter and I still do not like the cold and snowy weather. I eagerly await the first signs of spring now that I live in place with seasons. Those first crocuses and tulips make my heart happy! Here is a task dedicated to those lovely fleeting harbingers of spring, tulips!
For this task you may choose any option (if an option has an A or B you may choose to do both the A and B). Read two books. No children’s or related MPGs. One book may be a graphic novel or related MPG.
Required: State the options.
Option 1: Types of Tulips
Here is a list of popular tulip varieties:
Queen of Night, Apricot Parrot, Strong Gold, Exotic Emperor, Candy Prince, Jan Reus, Ballerina, White Triumphator, Black Parrot, Purple Prince, Angelique, Princess Irene
Read a book with one of the words in a tulip variety in the title (excludes OF) or in the single author's name. Plurals or possessives are ok other than that, words must match exactly.
Option 2: Iran
The tulip has long been a part of Iranian culture. The tulip is part of the decoration for Persian New Year and is featured on the Iranian flag. It is a symbol both of martyrdom and, since 2009, a symbol of protest against the Iranian government.
Book A - Read a book set at least 50% in Iran
Required: Provide a reference if the setting is not obvious from the book description.
Book B - Read a book from one of these lists about resistance
Required: State the list and page # your book is found on
The Resist List
La Resistance
Reading the Resistance
Option 3: The Netherlands
Even though the tulip is native to southern Europe to Asia, I always associate tulips with the Dutch. Tulips became so popular for a time in the 17th century that the first speculative bubble occurred, now referred to as Tulip Mania (1634-1637) and certain bulbs could sell for 10 times an artisan’s annual salary.
Book A - Read a book set at least 50% in The Netherlands
Required: Provide a reference if the setting is not obvious from the book description.
Book B - Read a book where all the single author’s initials can be found in TULIP MANIA (letters can be used as often as they appear)
Mod
Help Thread
This is a two book task. For this task, we will be using the English language titles of books. You may read the book in another language, but the English title will be used for moderating the task. Number digits (1, 2, 3 ,etc) and symbols (&, !, #, etc) may be ignored.
Required: Titles only (ignore subtitles) must be at least 2 words.
CONSONANTS
B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Z
Y (see help thread message 2)
VOWELS
A E I O U
Y (see help thread message 2)
BOOK 1:
Read a book with a title in which no consonant has been used more than once.
Required: list the consonants
Examples:
The Seven - T H S V N
The Bone Jar - T H B N J R
BOOK 2:
Read a book with a title in which no vowel has been used more than once.
Required: list the vowels
Examples:
Bridges to Burn - I E O U
Blow Fly - O Y
30.5 - TessaVanessa’s Task: Contraction Action
Help Thread
By definition, a contraction is a shortened form of a group of words. Contractions are used in both written and oral communication. When a contraction is written in English, the omitted letters are replaced by an apostrophe. Below are a few of the most common ones.
are not = aren’t
cannot = can’t
could not = couldn’t
did not = didn’t
do not = don't
does not = doesn’t
had not = HADN’T
have not = haven’t
he is = he’s
he will = he’ll
he would = he’d
here is = here’s
I am = I’m
I had = I’d
I have = I’ve
I will = I'll
I would = I’d
is not = isn’t
it has = it’s
it is = it’s
she had = she’d
she has = she’s
she is = she’s
she will = she’ll
she would = she’d
should not = shouldn’t
that is = that’s
there is = there's
they are = they’re
they had = they’d
they have = they’ve
they will = they’ll
they would = they’d
was not = wasn’t
we had = we’d
we are = we’re
we had = we’d
we have = we’ve
we will = we’ll
we would = we’d
were not = weren’t
what is = what’s
where is = where’s
will not = won't
would not = wouldn’t
you are = you're
you will = you’ll
you would = you’d
Read 2 books. You may use one book with a MPG Sequential Art, Graphic Novels, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga.
Required: Choose one contraction from this list and state that contraction in your post.
Book 1: Read a book with that contraction in the title/subtitle. Must match exactly.
Book 2: Using the same contraction, read a book with the two words that make up the contraction spelled out in the title. The words need to be in consecutive order in the title/subtitle.
Example:
I’m - I am
Book 1: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy
Book 2: I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
Don’t - do not
Book 1: Don't Let Her Stay by Nicola Sanders
Book 2: The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy
30.6 - Jecca's Task: It’s My Birthday
Help Thread
My birthday falls at the end of this challenge, so let’s make this all about me and my favorite things. I love all things books: bookish items, libraries, bookstores, sprayed edges (my newest obsession), books in my ears, and of course, books for my eyes. Coffee, cooking, and my children (furry kind included) are also among my favorite things.
Here is my challenge based on my favorite things.
Choose 2 options. Read one book for each option OR one book with more than 500 pages that fits both options.
Required: State the option(s)
Option 1 - Books
I am a bit eclectic when it comes to what I love to read.
For this option, read a book with one of my favorite stand alone genres: MPG Dark Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, or Rom Com.
Option 2 - Coffee
I am pretty sure I have more coffee than water running through these veins.
For this option, read a book with coffee on the cover. Coffee may be a picture of coffee in some form (coffee cup, coffee machine, beans, etc.) or the word itself.
Required: Post the cover
Ex.
Option 3 - Cooking
Cooking is my love language.
For this option, read a book where one of the main characters is a chef/sous chef/baker.
Required: Provide a reference if it is not clear from the book description
Option 4 - Children
I have two children, two dogs, and a cat. They are all my world.
For this option, read a book in which at least one of the main characters is a parent to either a human or a domestic animal.
Required: Provide a reference if it is not clear from the book description
Mod
Help Thread
I recently moved to San Antonio, Texas and am looking forward to the yearly Fiesta. This year it runs from April 16-26.
History - Prior to 1836, Texas was a part of Mexico. In 1836 the Texicans fought for Independence from Mexico and became the Republic of Texas. Two pivotal clashes were The Siege of the Alamo in San Antonio and the final Battle of San Jacinto near Houston.
Fiesta® San Antonio started in 1891 as a one-parade event to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. That historic commemoration still takes place, but for more than a century, Fiesta® has grown into a celebration of San Antonio’s rich and diverse cultures with a series of events and today is one of this nation’s premier festivals with an economic impact of more than $340 million.
This is a 2 book task. Choose two options and read one book for each. One book with MPG Graphic Novels and related genres is allowed.
Required: State the options
Option 1 - Celebrating Culture
The early primary cultures to settle in San Antonio area are the indigenous tribes, especially Apache, Caddo, Comanche, Karankawa, The Tejano culture of colonial Mexicans native to region when the Americans arrived, African American slaves and freedmen, German and Czech immigrants from the Palatine, and American pioneers who merged into a unique Texan culture
Read a book from one of these lists about Mexico or Mexican Americans. Note: some of the books in lists have titles in Spanish, but if you click on the book’s webpage, you most often will find English translations in other editions.
Required: State the list and page number
Mexican Literature
Books Set in Mexico
Texas History
Option 2 - Battle of the Flowers kicks off Fiesta.
The inaugural Battle of Flowers Parade in 1891, which featured floats adorned with flowers, was patterned after celebrations in Mexico and France. The events involved “flower battles” with participants tossing fresh flowers in celebration.
Read a book with flower(s) on the cover.
Required: Post the cover
Ex.
Option 3 - Pilgrimage to the Alamo
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas host the Pilgrimage to the Alamo in honor of Texans who have died in battles. The Pilgrimage began in 1918 as a tribute to the fallen soldiers of the Alamo. A solemn occasion consists of a processional of military, community groups, and individuals who walk from the Tobin Center Vietnam War Memorial and culminates with a wreath laying ceremony at the Alamo.
Read a book whose author shares a surname with one of the fallen Alamo defenders listed here
https://www.thealamo.org/remember/bat...
Books with multiple authors are allowed as long as at least one of them shares a surname.
Option 4 -Texas Cavaliers Floating Parade
The Texas Cavaliers is a civic organization founded by Veterans of WW I to preserve Texan traditions, honoring military service and to support service to Children’s’ causes. During Fiesta, they produce a parade on The San Antonio River round the Riverwalk area in downtown with decorated boats, floats and bands in boats
San Antonio is a military city with place of pride in the history of the military. Fort Sam Houston was an army base established in 1845 upon Texas joining. the US as 28th state. It’s roots go back to the Spanish Presidio in 1715 when Mexico was a Spanish Colony. It is where the Air Force was created, and is the headquarters of the Army Nurse Corps & the US Medical Command.
Read a book that takes place on a boat/ship/yacht etc .
Required: Provide a reference if the setting is not evident from the book description
30.8 Delicious Dee's Task: Classic Science-Fiction Reading Challenge: ANDRE NORTON
Help Thread
Andre Norton (1912–2005), known as the 'Grand Dame of Science Fiction,' wrote fast-paced, imaginative, adventure-driven classics spanning space opera, planetary exploration, time travel, and post-apocalyptic futures.
For this challenge, you will read TWO books from DIFFERENT options. Your two books must have a combined page count of at least 501 pages . No children’s books allowed.
Required: State the options
Option 1 - Andre Norton the Author
Read a book by Andre Norton. Anthologies that include a short story by Norton count if she is listed as an author on the Goodreads profile. Andre Norton
Option 2 - Similar to Andre Norton
Use the interactive similarity tool at: https://www.literature-map.com/andre+...
Read a book by any author who appears on the Andre Norton Literature-Map.
Examples include: Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, C. J. Cherryh, Mercedes Lackey, Alan Dean Foster, Poul Anderson.
Option 3- Published In Norton’s Lifetime (1912–2005)
Select any book first published between 17 February 1912 and 17 March 2005 (inclusive).
Option 4 - The STAR series
Read a book where the first word in the title, has at least 4 letters and begins with one of the letters in STAR (S, T, A, or R). All words count including articles. For example, The Redbreast or A Time to Kill would NOT work since 'the' and 'a' are not 4 letters long even though 'redbreast' and 'time' do.
Option 5 - Norton's Themes
Read a book that is found on the first 5 pages of one of the following shelves.
Required: state the shelf and page your book came from.
- Space Opera: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
- Post-Apocalyptic: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
- Action Science Fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Option 6 — Golden Age of Science Fiction
Read a book that meets BOTH criteria:
1. First published between 1938 and 1968 (the Golden Age of Science Fiction)
2. Has at least ONE of these standalone genres listed on its Goodreads page: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Space Opera, Speculative Fiction
30.9 - Amy FL’s task - Get the Led Out
Help Thread
When I saw that the theme for this season was the ocean biome, you’d think I’d come up with something water-related given that I live in South Florida. Instead my thoughts went to music and a song by Led Zeppelin called The Ocean. I was a teenager and a lover of rock music when this song by my favorite band came out.
This is a two-book task. Read a book from two different options.
Required: State the options
Option 1:
Led Zeppelin was made up of four band members: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham.
Read a book by a single author who shares a name with one of the band members. The name can be in any position but must match exactly.
Option 2:
Read a book with a title word (ignore subtitles) of four or more letters that exactly matches a word in the lyrics of The Ocean.
https://genius.com/Led-zeppelin-the-o...
Required: State the word
Option 3:
The song appeared on The Houses of the Holy album which was released in 1973. Read a book with a page count that contains three of these numbers. You cannot repeat any of the numbers, so 379, 137, etc., but not 337.
Option 4: I was 13 when the album was released. Read a book that is number 1, 3 or 13 in a series. The series name and number must appear on the book’s main Goodreads page.
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Other Mrs. (other topics)Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (other topics)
The Pagan Lord (other topics)
Lord John and the Private Matter (other topics)
The Second Mrs. Hockaday (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Madeleine L'Engle (other topics)Stephenie Meyer (other topics)
Jane Austen (other topics)
John Dickson Carr (other topics)
Carter Dickson (other topics)
More...
Help Thread
The Titanic was built in Belfast and sank on 15 April 1912.
Read a book with page numbers made up from the digits 1, 5, 0, 4, 1, 9, 1, 2. Numbers may be used as often as they appear.
5.2 - A Good Reason to Read
Help Thread
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020, and assessed it as having become a pandemic on 11 March.
Read a book from this list of best books published in 2020. Best Books of 2020
Required: State the page the book is found on
5.3 - To AI or Not AI
Help Thread
Artificial Intelligence is definitely in the news. Some see it as a good thing; others are worried that some aspects may harm the historical record.
Read a book that has NO "A" and "I" in the title OR in the author name (not both). Subtitles and middle names may be ignored.
5.4 - To Bravely Go...
Help Thread
The Mariana Trench is the deepest oceanic trench on Earth. Only 27 people have descended to the maximum known depth of 10,984 meters at the southern end of a small slot-shaped valley known as the Challenger Deep, located in the Mariana Trench.
Read a book with less than 10,985 ratings on GR.
Required: State the number of ratings
5.5 - Water, Water, Everywhere
Help Thread
Read a book with one of these ocean-related words in the title: ocean, tide, wave, current, sea, bay, gulf, coast, shore, tsunami, surf, beach, sand. Plurals and possessives of the word may be used, no other variations.
5.6 - The Second Quarter
Help Thread
The Spring Challenge covers the third, fourth, and fifth months of the year.
Read a book that is either #3, #4, or #5 in a series.
Required: Series must be listed on the main book page
5.7 - Ocean Writing
Help Thread
Author Sam Llewellyn's books, based on the coast of England and the ocean, can be enjoyed whether or not readers know anything about sailing.
Read a book whose title (subtitles excluded) has a word of at least 3 letters that can be made from SAM LLEWELLYN.
Letters may be used as many times as they appear.
Required: State the word
5.8 - PB&J Day
Help Thread
April 2nd is peanut butter and jelly day. Grab a sandwich then take a bite into a book whose title begins with the letter "P, B, or J."
5.9 - Diving In
Help Thread
Read a book with one of these sea creatures on the cover: fish, whale, dolphin, turtle, crab/lobster, squid, octopus, shark, jellyfish
Required: Post the cover
Ex.
5.10 - It's Your Lucky Day
Enjoy the pot of 'books' at the end of the rainbow. Read a book of your choice that follows the SRC rules.