Welcome to the Vaughan Public Libraries Reading Challenge for 2026!
Join us for our annual Reading Challenge! Stay tuned every month for themed lists and keep track of your reading journey with our Reading Log. Remember to share your favourite reads with us on social media!
READ A BOOK BY A DEBUT AUTHOR
Happy new year! For the first challenge of the year, we invite you to read a book by a debut author! Don’t forget, many of these are available as e-books on the apps, Hoopla and Libby.
READ A HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Gentlemen, dukes, ladies in ballgowns! This February, dip into the world of historical romance and set your heart a-flutter.
READ A BOOK SET IN SPACE
Here is a list of books on space from a mix of genres— literary, speculative, science, mystery, thriller, romance—that use the unknowns of the expansive cosmos to explore deep questions.
READ A BOOK WITH AN ANIMAL AS A CHARACTER
As children, we never think twice about the existence of talking animals in the tales we read. As adults, for some reason we decide that including animals as characters is too childish, not “serious enough”, to make a story legitimately meaningful and impactful. Why? Well, this list shows that animal characters can be anything but childish, and may actually offer a doorway into a fresh mode of storytelling that is uniquely compelling, personal, purposeful, and deeply valuable, while also often being hilarious and highly entertaining.
READ A BOOK ABOUT FOOD
Calling all foodies! This month, we’re reading books with food as a main theme, from murderous pies to comfy home cooking. Caution: don’t read while hungry!
READ A BOOK ABOUT A WEDDING
This month, we invite you to read a book featuring nuptials! Don’t forget, many of these are available as e-books on the apps, Hoopla and Libby.
READ A BOOK THAT IS FEWER THAN 300 PAGES
Check out these books that are fewer than 300 pages, from a mix of genres— literary, speculative, science, historical, mystery, thriller, romance that are condensed, gripping, and enjoyable to read.
READ A BOOK FROM YOUR TBR
A TBR is a “To Be Read” list, and it can be an actual list, either handwritten or digital, or simply in your head; it can contain a single item or, as with so many of us, a forever growing number and far too many items to read through in an entire lifetime… The trick is to not overthink, and just pick one! We asked around, and here are the books on some library staff TBRs and why they were put there.
READ A BOOK WITH A SINGLE WORD TITLE
“Brevity is the soul of wit” says Shakespeare, and who are we to argue? Short, catchy, and to-the-point, this month we’re reading books with one-word titles from a wide variety of genres.