Winter Reading Challenge Cheat Sheet
So you think you're ready to master the Winter Reading Challenge? Pick up a form at your nearest branch library starting January 2. Get started by selecting books that meet at least five criteria from the following list of 15.
- Listen to a book
- Teaches you something new
- Graphic novel or comic book
- First in a series
- In another time or place
- Recommended
- Author new to you
- Outside your comfort zone
- Under 200 pages
- Made into a movie
- Always meant to read
- Retelling of a story
- Set in an imaginary world
- Author of color
- Winter setting
Feel a little overwhelmed? Don't! One book can meet more than one criteria. In fact, you could actually complete the list by reading just three books. That’s right - three books. Not only that, with a little careful planning you could find one book that will satisfy the five necessary to qualify for the prize! Don't believe us? Take a look at the book collections below.
Collection #1:
Twelve years a slave by Solomon Northup
Always meant to read
Author of color
Listen to a book
Made into a movie
Teaches you something new
Half a king by Joe Abercrombie
First in a series
Set in an imaginary world
Winter setting
Outside your comfort zone
In another time or place
Graphic novel or comic book
Retelling of a story
Author new to me
Recommended
Under 200 pages
Collection #2:
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
First in series
Outside your comfort zone
Recommended
Winter setting
Retelling of a story
The best we could do by Thi Bui
Graphic novel/comic book
Author new to you
Author of color
In another time or place
Teaches you something new
Listen to a book
Under 200 pages
Made into a movie
Always meant to read
Set in an imaginary world
Collection #3:
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Author of color
Listen to a book
Always meant to read
In another time or place
Made into a movie
A meal in winter by Hubert Mingarelli
Under 200 pages
Retelling of a story
Outside your comfort zone
Teaches you something new
Winter setting
Graphic novel or comic book
First in series
Recommended
Author new to you
Set in an imaginary world
Collection #4:
Flashed : sudden stories in comics and prose
Graphic novel or comic book
Outside your comfort zone
Recommended
Winter setting
Under 200 pages
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Listen to a book
Made into a movie
Author new to you
Always meant to read
Teaches you something new
Trail of lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
First in a series
In another time or place
Retelling of a story
Set in an imaginary world
Author of color
Collection #5:
Winter Street by Ellen Hilderbrand
First in series
Winter setting
Author new to you
Teaches you something new
Listen to a book
Sense and sensibility by Stacy King
Graphic novel or comic book
Author of color
Outside your comfort zone
Retelling of a story
Always meant to read
The little prince translated by Richard Howard
Recommended
Under 200 pages
Made into a movie
Set in an imaginary world
In another time or place
Additional options:
The giver by Lois Lowry
First in a series
Set in an imaginary world
Made into a movie
Under 200 pages
Recommended
The swerve: how the world became modern by Stephen Greenblatt
Listen to a book
Teaches you something new
In another time or place
Recommended
Author new to you
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Always meant to read
Author of color
Made into a movie
Author new to you
Teaches you something new
Lincoln in the bardo by Geouge Saunders
Listen to a book
In another time or place
Recommended
Set in an imaginary world
Winter setting
Rust. Visitor in the field by Royden Lepp
Author new to you
Graphic Novel or comic
First in a series
Under 200 pages
In another time or place
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