Summer Reading Challenge 2023
It’s summer! There are so many places to read outside! Beaches! Parks! Lakes! More daylight! More permission to read fluff! It’s the second best time of year to read (after the week around New Year’s). You’re on vacation, you’re stuck at a soccer game. Set your phone down and pick your book (or e-reader) up!
Summer reading challenges help push you out of your comfort zone into genres or books you might not normally try. That’s why this year, I’ve got a fun challenge! This challenge is designed to pull readers out of their comfort zones in 3 ways:
Writing style and format
Diverse characters
Varied genres
Below, you’ll find a shareable image (formatted perfectly for stories 😉) AND a PDF that’s free to download, share, and have fun with!
Shine Daily Summer Reading Bingo Categories
I’ve designed these prompts to be as different as possible. Outside of a gaggle of English majors, many of these words are not exactly in the common parlance. Plus, for the sake of the graphic, I had to use a few acronyms that may confuse people who aren’t extremely online (it’s me, I’m extremely online). Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the terms:
MC - Main Character
Epistolatory - A book written in the format of back-and-forth communication. In the past, this referred to a book written through letters (Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is one of the most famous examples). Nowadays it can be emails, IMs, texts, or even Slack messages.
Stream-of-Consciousness - Stream-of-consciousness novels are written in a free flowing, direct style without the typical structure of other books. James Joyce and William Faulkner famously wrote in this style. If As I Lay Dying is not your idea of summer fun, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf and Beloved by Toni Morrison are classic alternatives.
Novel in Verse - A fictional story told entirely through poetry. Lots of Young Adult books are written in this manner, and they make for fast, easy reading.
Rules of the Shine Daily Summer Reading Bingo:
If a book fits multiple prompts, you can only use it on one space.
You must assign a book to the free space.
Bingo rules apply! A straight line (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) of 5 books equals a win.
Audiobooks ABSOLUTELY count!
Summer Reading Bingo Book Suggestions
Note: this section contains affiliate links. I only include links to things I genuinely recommend, but you can read more about my affiliate policy.
The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson
This charming British book was one of my favorites as a kid. A decrepit train platform in London is really a portal to a magical world - one where magical folks live with humans. The portal only opens every nine years for nine days. This presents a huge problem when the prince is kidnapped - and a magical motley crew has to try to blend into 90s London. I loved all of Ibbotson’s creative worlds as a kid, and if you love this one, the other books in the series can go towards more of your spaces!
Read for: A Book You Loved as a Kid
Marvelous by Molly Greeley
In 1547, a young man (Pedro) captured from the island of Tenerife arrives in the court of King Henri II and the formidable Catherine de’ Medici. He’s there as a spectacular prize for the wealthy new queen, for Pedro’s body is completely covered with hair. When a merchant fails to pay his debts, Queen Catherine accepts payment in the form of his beautiful young daughter’s hand in marriage - to Pedro. This true story inspired the tale of Beauty and the Beast, and Greeley’s rich prose really brings it to life.
Read it for: Set in a Time You’re Unfamiliar with
Maame by Jessica George
As the primary caregiver for her disabled father, Maddie (“Maame”) lives a very sheltered life. When her mother returns from Ghana, Maddie seizes the opportunity to live the life she’s always wanted, the one she sees other young people leading. As she fumbles her way into adulthood, pitfalls large and small await her. George deftly mixes humor and charm into subject matter that goes deep: family, race, identity. The reader walks away wanting to be friends with Maame - and perhaps understanding themselves better.
Read it for: A Book with a BIPOC Main Character
Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann
All hail the queen of chick lit! Before there was Sophie Kinsella or Lauren Weisberger or Helen Fielding, Jacqueline Susann’s powerhouse book dominated the publishing industry. Three stunning women navigate fame and social climbing the only way they know how: drugs. A little bit tawdry, a lot salacious, and an interesting comparison exercise between the varied (and mundane) pressures of female celebrity. Valley of the Dolls is both dark and light, silly and serious, glamorous and grimy. No wonder the film adaptation shot Sharon Tate to stardom.
Read it for: A Book More Than 50 Years Old
Books that Fit Multiple Prompts
Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou
Ingrid Yang’s time is almost up. She’s 8 years through her PhD, desperate to finish her dissertation, with only some jumbled notes about “enjambment” and an addiction to antacids to show for it. As she is once again puttering through the archives of Chinese-American poet Xiao-Wen Chou, her interested is piqued for the first time in years by a cryptic note. What follows is a satirical wild goose chase exploring every part of academia, yellowface, “PC Culture,” and grad school.
Read it for: With a BIPOC MC, With a Great Cover, Less than 5 Years Old
Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
When Patrick Stump sang, “Am I more than you bargained for yet?” he could’ve been talking about this book. Daphne Berg has worked hard to establish herself as a plus-size influencer and distance herself from an old toxic friendship. Until one day, her former best friend shows up begging Daphne to be her maid of honor at her high society wedding. The boon to Daphne’s career (and chance to spend time at a gorgeous Cape Cod mansion) proves too much for Daphne to resist. The wild events that follow mustn’t be spoiled - they have to be read.
Read it for: With a Fat MC, Set at the Beach, Less than 5 Years Old, Summer Romance, Summer Mystery
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
Mixed-race. Gay. Son of immigrants. Michael fights every day to find where he fits in modern London. When Michael discovers a local Drag society everything changes. Suddenly, Michael has the tools to discover - and establish - his identity. This award-winning YA novel-in-verse has caused a firestorm or two for its queer content. Whether or not you’re a gay teen discovering Drag, Michael’s struggle to define his identity as a young adult is a universal experience. Watching Michael blossom is a treasure.
Read it for: With a BIPOC MC, With a LGBTQ+ MC, Novel in Verse
What are you reading this summer? Let me know in the comments!
