Check out the VPL Reading Challenge 2024! January’s challenge is: Read a book with a year in the title.
It’s New Years resolutions time! Are you hoping to read more this year? We’ve got you covered! Our Reading Challenge is back for 2024, and we’re bringing you a fresh batch of challenges to inspire your year-long reading journey—one challenge for every month. Each month, our knowledgeable library staff will put together themed reading lists based on the monthly challenge. You’re not limited to books on these lists, however; they’re just meant to provide guidance and spur ideas! Participants are encouraged to read widely—broaden your reading horizons! But most of all, remember to have fun with it. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover a new favourite book!
To get started on this year’s challenge, download our handy Reading Log for your own personal records. Check out our Reading Challenge 2024 page for monthly updates and links to themed lists. And if you’re so inclined, you can follow along with the challenge on social media! We’d love to know what you’re reading, so feel free to share!
If you’ve never participated in a reading challenge, the prospect might seem daunting. Often, they ask you to read (at least) one book a month—and that alone can be a challenge! But really, the goal of a reading challenge is to encourage a sustained reading practice throughout the year. Maybe you’re in a reading slump and need a way out of it, or maybe you’ve read a string of less-than-stellar books and find yourself looking for something to bring a spark back to reading. With thousands upon thousands of books out there, deciding where to begin (a bestseller? A specific genre? A book on your TBR list?) can be hard. A reading challenge helps you narrow down those options; if you’re stuck on what to read, why not try finding a book within a given topic? And if it’s a topic you normally wouldn’t gravitate towards, it’s an excellent opportunity to read outside of your comfort zone and try something new!
It’s not always easy to choose books over other forms of entertainment (or mindless distraction), so enticing yourself away from various streaming devices is key. A reading challenge can make the idea of reading more fun: you’ve got a goal to reach, and you’re actively working toward that goal! It’s low-level gamification, and it can make picking up (and finishing) a book more rewarding. We all know that high of finishing a book—especially a good one—and how excited it can make us to pick up the next book on our lists. And of course, there’s the accountability aspect as well, like going to the gym with a friend. Keeping track of your reading, even if it’s just for yourself, helps you keep up the momentum and see how far you’ve come.
Ready to challenge yourself this year? Get started on VPL’s Reading Challenge with our January topic: Read a book with a year in the title! And make sure to check our Reading Challenge 2024 blog page each month for updated topics and curated lists. And if you’re visiting your local branch, have a look at our Reading Challenge displays for more recommendations! Happy reading!