SRC Moderator’s Comments (group member since Aug 19, 2016)

SRC Moderator’s comments from the The Seasonal Reading Challenge group.

50.1 - Tammy AZ's Task: Exploration Through Reading

Spring is a time when many people travel for Spring Break or start planning their summer travels. This task is a reader version of travel and has three options. Select one of the options and read three books in that option. Your books must have a total page count of 750+ pages when combined and no kids/graphic novels allowed.

Required: State which option you used.

Option 1 - Road Trip: Read three books that take place on the same continent but in different locations on the continent. For example: Europe - set in France, Ireland, and Italy. Books can all be in the same country but must then be in different cities/towns as the point of the task is to travel.

Required: If the settings are not obvious from the book description or GR metadata, provide a reference.

Option 2 - Intercontinental Travel: Read three books with each book being set on a different continent. For this task Russia is considered Asia.

Required: If the settings are not obvious from the book description or GR metadata, provide a reference.

Option 3 - Flights of Fancy: Not everyone likes to travel physically so in this option read three books with each book having a MPG of Fantasy or Science Fiction.

Thank you for your suggestions. The Group Reads Categories for the next 12 months have now been chosen (the Gutenberg classic will continue):

Summer
Fiction- Cryptids
Fiction - Victorian
Non-Fiction- True Crime

Fall
Fiction - Musicals
Fiction - Magical Realism
Non-Fiction- Journalism

Winter
Fiction - Australian Crime
Fiction - Celebrity Book Club Picks
Non-Fiction- Witch Trials

Spring
Fiction - Historical Fantasy
Fiction - Strong Women
Non-Fiction- Cults

The poll to determine the Spring 2024 50 Point task is open.
Click poll or navigate to the polls link on the group homepage.
You may vote until the end of the day on April 13.

Lys post #431
I will confirm your Golden Oldie claim for this one asap (the moderators are just discussing it)

Joanne wrote: "Could you please lock in Hope for the Best for MPG Humor. Thanks!"

Genre noted

Kathy KS wrote: "Please lock Act Your Age, Eve Brown for humor. It's currently the last listed."

Genre noted

RedSycamore wrote: "Since Humor is last on the MPG list, I just wanted to confirm that One Piece, Volume 9: Tears works for option 1."

Genre noted

It's time to starting thinking about some fun and interesting categories for our Group Reads! The ideas gathered from this thread will be used to build a list from which categories will be randomly chosen. Please include a short definition or description with your suggestion.

Each season's Group Reads will have 2 fiction categories and 1 non-fiction category. The Guttenberg Classics will continue.
The year's categories will be posted in advance so Group Reads nominators will have time to research and select appropriate books. For more information about the nominating process, please see task 20.10 in the Rewards of the Challenge.
As always, polls will be set up each season to choose between the nominated books for that season's Group Reads.

Choices from the past 5 years we would prefer not to repeat:

Fiction
Medieval Fiction
Robot Fiction
Urban Fantasy
Military Fiction
Paranormal Romance
Police Procedural,
Retellings
Seaside Settings
Anthologies
Comedy
Fantasy Not Originally Written in English
The Book Was Better Than The Movie,
Southern Literature
Love Triangles,
Parallel Timelines,
Cabin in the Woods
Continuation Novel
Young Adult Science Fiction
Bad Girls
Locked Room Mystery,
Knights/Middle Ages
Pun Titles,
Time Travel
Non-US Based Mystery
Cozy Mystery
Translated Short Stories
Asian Fiction
Murder Mystery
Animals, Historical Fiction 1900-1939
Popular Book Group Fiction
Feminist Dystopia
Aviation
Canadian Fiction
Families
Books Turned Into TV Shows
Indigenous
Road Trips
Biographical Fiction
Space Opera


Non fiction:
Ancient Civilizations
Sports
Economics
Rebels With a Cause
Female Entrepreneurs
Health,
Fashion,
Female Artists
Food,
Disability,
Social Justice
Travel
Nature,
A President or President's Spouse
A Comedian's memoir/biography
Animals
Poetry
Medicine
Treasure Hunting
Extreme Survival


Feel free to get creative and submit your ideas here! This thread will be open for ideas until March 31. We're looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

This is the thread for the logo design contest. Each season, group members will have the opportunity to design a new logo that will represent the group during the duration of the following challenge. You may submit a masthead banner design to accompany your logo.

Pictures and anything used to create the logo should be original material (i.e. no copyrighted images, including AI generated art).

Images must be between 1KB and 6MB and of type: jpg/jpeg/gif/png/tiff/tif
Logos are best in square or slightly rectangular (either vertical or horizontal) shapes. Some images may be cropped by GR.
A working size would be approximately 340px X 340px.
Mastheads are 3:1 or 970px wide by 245px high
On the group's homepage the logo overlaps the masthead at the lower left.

You can post a picture directly in this thread, provide a link to the image or send one of the moderators a message for help. The logo should reflect in some way the season, bonus theme or purpose of the group.

The Summer 2024 bonus theme is: Outdoor Games

This thread is open for submissions and it will close at Midnight EST on April 15, 2024 - voting will start the next day and run until the end of the GR day on May 31. The winning submission will replace the current logo on June 1st. Good luck to everyone!

This is the thread where you can submit a task idea for the 50 Point Task contest. The thread is now open for submissions and will close at Midnight Eastern time on April 5th. Voting will start the next day, April 6th and will close at the end of the day on April 12th. If the moderators determine that the vote is close, a 3-day runoff poll will be held. The person whose idea gets the most votes will host the 50 point task for the Spring Challenge.

The 50 point task will require:
1. Only 3 options. These options may not include more than 2 "sub options" - 6 total in the task.
2. One book per option.
3. Three books totaling at least 750 pages. Your task idea may require a higher page threshold but this must be disclosed in your entry.
4. No books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
5. Books whose main page lists any of these genres: Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga may not be used.
6. No “free choice” options will be allowed. This is a challenge, so tasks that have no element of challenge do not fit the purpose.
7. A task must be accessible to the majority of players, i.e. not limited to a specific format, edition, publisher, etc. and reviewable by the moderators.

Anyone eligible* to design a task may submit an idea for a task that follows the general guidelines above. Your idea should be a sketch that may be developed with the moderators.

* To be eligible to create a task, the player’s profile must be set up to accept Goodreads messages, and they must not have a task in the current challenge. Only one task per person per challenge.


The group will vote to determine the 50 point task. All ideas that fit the general guidelines will be included in a poll. The poll winner will develop their idea with the moderators to refine their task. The final task may differ from the original idea submission. The task will be posted as close to the midpoint as reasonably possible. The task creator will monitor and answer questions in the help thread.

Please include your Readerboard name and a title for your task. The entries will be listed by Readerboard name and task title in the poll. Please include only one task idea entry per post.

PLEASE DO NOT comment on people's entries in this thread - this is for submissions only. You will be able to comment on the poll when voting begins. Comments in this thread will be deleted.

Kim wrote: "
Oops, I started off well (XBM). Do you need me to repost them?"
Yes please
Sorry to ask you to do it again, but it helps the moderators keep everything straight during the review process!

As Goodreads is about books & book reviews, for this season instead of a "Best Review" we are introducing our new "Review Raffle".
We will draw a random name from anyone who posts a review in this thread so the more reviews that you post, the more chance of being drawn to create a task for the Summer 2024 season!
Reviews must be for books read within the current challenge period. You may link to your review on Goodreads, or type the review in the thread. (Please do not link to a review on a site outside of Goodreads)
Your review does not have to be positive but it should be at least a couple of sentences long - "loved it" or "not for me" is not helpful to other readers!

Lindsey wrote: "Hi! Can I please get the genre Adventure locked in for Pax? Thanks!"
Genre noted
(please make sure you check the rules about using children's books)

In effect this season:

Posting Requirements

Golden Oldies, It's A Fact and Big Book Tickets

Rules of the Challenge

Default Rules and FAQs

Rewards of the Challenge

GENERAL BOOK REQUIREMENTS

1. Any form of a book (print copy, audio, or e- book) is acceptable unless otherwise stated in a specific task.

2. Books in languages other than English may be used. Please provide information on the book and/or title to your English speaking moderators so they can understand how the books fit the tasks.

--A) Any task requiring a specific title (number of letters, number of words, specific word in title, etc.) should apply to the title that you use.

----1. For a task that requires a word in the title you may use a direct word translation, such as required word purple A Cor Púrpura Purple is Púrpura in Portuguese
----2. For a task that requires letters or a letter sequence intact, such as "MAN" intact in the title, you must find those letters or sequence of letters in the title you read. You could read Cumanda O Un Drama Entre Salvajes with MAN found intact in that title. You could NOT read The Old Man and the Sea in a foreign translation, such as Il vecchio e il mare as the letter sequence MAN is not found intact in that title.

3. Books must have at least 100 pages to be used for points in the SRC. This limit may be referenced as 100+.

--A) Only 2 plays or 2 books of poetry may be combined to reach the 100 page minimum. Other genres of books must meet the 100+ page requirement on their own.

--B) One book between 80 -99 pages may be used for ONE 5 point task.

4. To find Main Page Genres(MPG), you can, and should, click on the "see more" at the end of the listed tags. The display may reveal up to 10 tags that WILL apply to your book.

--A) The “see all” genres do not apply to SRC tasks.

FORMAT SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

1. Ebooks

--A) Ebooks without a print edition and do NOT list a page count MUST get the book pre-approved by a moderator in the topic "Book verification-no print edition" in General Help.

----1. This verification must be noted in Completed Task posts that claim the book. Example: "Book approved @ (line # on spreadsheet or post #)"

--B) Ebooks without a print edition, but DO list a page count, will not need approval or verification for general SRC use as long as the page count listed qualifies the ebook.

2. Audiobooks

--A) Audiobooks without a written word equivalent, either physical or digital, MUST get the book pre-approved by a moderator in the topic "Book verification-no print edition" in General Help.

----1. They will be verified to meet the general 100+ page book requirement as long as they are at least 2 hours in length.
----2. This verification must be noted in Completed Task posts that claim the book. Example: "Audiobook approved @ (line # on spreadsheet or post #)"

--B) Audiobooks that are noted as being “abridged” may be used to meet the general 100+ page book requirement as long as they are at least 2 hours in length.

----1.Abridged audiobooks may NOT be used for tasks with defined longer page requirements as there are no direct print equivalents.

--C) Audiobooks without a print or digital equivalent CANNOT be used for tasks requiring a minimum page count above the general SRC requirement of 100 pgs or requiring something specific to be found in the page count.

3. Advance Reader Copies

--A) Completed task posts MUST include a link to the book and identify the book as a publisher's advance copy.

4. Books identified as an "omnibus" (a volume of reprinted works of a single author or of related works), as a "bundle" (a digital collection of works of a single author or of related works) or as collected works (The Complete .... , anthologies, etc.)

--A) May be isolated into component parts and read separately as long as the isolated work has been published separately and meets the minimum page requirements.
The Harry Bosch Novels, Volume 1: The Black Echo / The Black Ice / The Concrete Blonde contains 3 independently published titles: The Black Echo, The Black Ice, The Concrete Blonde. These titles in this omnibus may be read as separate books.

----1. If you choose to read an element isolated from an aggregate work, you MUST include a link to the book (isbn/asin) that you read AND provide a link to a separately published work that relates to the isolated title.
----2. The use of particular title words, cover colors, or cover images to fulfill tasks applies to the actual book that you read. That means:

------a) tasks involving elements in the title/subtitle are determined by the isolated work
------b) tasks involving the author/author name are determined by the isolated work
------c) tasks involving the book's cover are determined by the book that you read. If an omnibus includes individual covers for the isolated works use the cover for the individual title. If the only cover image is the cover of the aggregate work use that cover.

----3. Page numbers should be determined by the copy you read. If a component part has 200 pages in the print edition you read, record those numbers. For digital or audio formats follow the page number guidelines for the isolated title.

5. Large Type books

--A) If you read a large type book, use any English edition of the book.

--B) The edition determined in this method will also determine the page count of the book

GENRE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

1. Any book that has "childrens" or "kids" or a related genre of Middle Grade, Juvenile, Chapter Books, Storytime, Young Readers, Childrens Classics, School Stories listed as a genre tag on its main page

--A) Books with the genre Childrens > Picture Books may not be used for SRC tasks.

--B) The book MUST be found on ARBookFind: http://www.arbookfind.com/default.aspx and/or ARBookFind UK: https://www.arbookfind.co.uk/default..... ISBNs may be entered.

----1.. If books contained in an omnibus or collected edition have the main page genre of Childrens or kids, the AR Bookfinder scores of those individual works will be considered, even if the collection itself is not listed.
----2. Books with an Interest Level (IL) designation of LG are NOT allowed for points in the SRC. The AR BookFinder UK equivalent for LG is LY.
----3. Books that have an IL designation of MG+ or UG may be used with no restrictions (other than general SRC and specific task requirements). The AR BookFinder UK equivalent for UG is UY. However, you must state the IL designation when you post the book.
----4. Books that have an IL designation of MG MUST ALSO have a BL of 5.0 (or higher) AND AR Pts of 7.0 (or higher). The AR BookFinder UK equivalent for MG is MY.

All AR Bookfinder information including scores MUST be posted when the book is claimed for points or no points will be awarded (You can copy the AR BookFinder ratings)
ex. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
IL: MG - BL: 7.3 - AR Pts: 17.0

--C) If a book is clearly an adult book, but has "childrens" or "kids" listed as a main page genre and is not listed on AR Bookfinder, you may ask for it to be verified as an adult book in Not Kids Verification You must include that the book has been verified as having a special exception by including the post number or google document line approval when you post in Completed Tasks.

2. Books whose main page lists any of these genres: Graphic Novels, Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga

--A) This group of genres are considered as one whole. If one genre is allowed for a task, all are allowed for that task. If one is not allowed for a task, all are not allowed for that task.

--B) They may only be used for 5, 10, and 15 point tasks unless specifically allowed in the task description for a higher point task. Task creators may allow the use of one book that fits the general SRC requirements per task.

--C)Graphic novels, manga or collected comic book issues must be at least 100 pages. The one-time 5 point task exception does not apply.

--D) Collections of syndicated, periodical or internet comic strips, single or short-format panels, or cartoons must be at least 200 pages to be used for SRC tasks.

--E) Webcomics unless collected and published as an ebook with an ISBN or ASIN may not be used for SRC tasks.

--F) Collections of comic books, comics or short-form panels do not work for tasks that require short stories.

3. "Coffee table", Art books, and other books consisting primarily of images or photographs without a substantial written component (essays, criticism, etc.) may not be be claimed for points.

--A) These books may often have the genre Art or Humor. Vanity Fair: The Portraits: A Century of Iconic Images, National Geographic Simply Beautiful Photographs, Signspotting: Absurd and Amusing Signs frAom Around the World, Stuff On My Cat: The Book .

4. Poetry and Plays may be used throughout the challenge. Regular page number rules apply, except as noted above.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Everyone is welcome and can join in at anytime during a currently running challenge.

2. Challenge dates are:

--A) Winter = December 1st to February 28th (29th in a leap year)

--B) Spring = March 1st to May 31st

--C) Summer = June 1st to August 31st

--D) Fall = September 1st to November 30th

3. Each season there is a list of tasks to be completed worth 5-50 points. Tasks will be found the Season Challenge Folder.

4. New players and players returning to the challenge after seasons away must consult the Readerboard Names discussion thread to set up or verify the name they will use to post completed tasks. See the details in message #1 of that thread.

5. Challenges start at MIDNIGHT(0:00) EST on the first day of the challenge and end at 11:59 PM(23:59) EST on the last day of the challenge.

6. In order for points to be counted, tasks must be reported correctly in the Completed Tasks thread by 11:59 PM(23:59) EST on the final day of the challenge.

7. All books read during the dates of the currently running challenge can be used for that challenge, even if starting the challenge late.

--A) For example, should you join the challenge after any start date (January 1st, for instance), you can include all books read in the period of that current challenge (in this case, from December 1st) into that challenge, providing they fit a task.

8. Tasks can be completed in any order.

9. Each task can be completed only once for points.

10. Each book must be read completely and can be counted only once per challenge.

--A) "Choose your own adventure" books or other formats that offer multiple reading paths or outcomes must be read to complete all possible options.

--B) A book is a completed work of text that stands on its own as a product, whether printed, audio or electronic, that is eligible for an ISBN that is recorded in the Goodreads database.

----1. Not all items with an ISBN are considered books for SRC purposes. Flash cards, tarot cards, workbooks, writing prompt books, coloring books, puzzle books, calendars, atlases, bound sheet music, librettos, collections of book previews, any other product with a purpose beyond traditional text reading, or other types of works specifically referenced elsewhere in the SRC rules or FAQs are not considered books.

11. Re-reads are acceptable unless otherwise stated in a specific task.

12. Pre-reading: Books longer than 499 pages (500+) that were started any time before the beginning of a challenge can be used to fulfill a task if more than half the book is read during the challenge.

--A) For example, if you were to read 249 pages (or less) of a 500 page book before the start of a challenge, this book would count if it met a task requirement. However, if you had read 250 pages (or more) of a 500 page book before the start of a challenge, this book would not count.

--B) Books less than 500 pages should NOT be begun before the start of a challenge.

THE RULES:

Content list in progress;

GENERAL INFORMATION: updated Fall 2025
BOOK REQUIREMENTS : updated Fall 2025
VERIFYING PAGE COUNTS : new Fall 2025
TASK REQUIREMENTS: updated Fall 2025

20.9 Moderators Pet - Marie-Anne's Task: Card Game Memories

The games theme for the Spring challenge inspired me to use card games as
the theme for this task. I am originally from Flanders, and learned card games playing
with my grandparents. It took some time getting used to the English suit names
instead of Dutch ones: Hearts for Harten, Spades for Shoppen (although my
grandparents used Piques, the French version), Clubs for Klaveren, and Diamonds for Ruiten.

This is a one book task. Choose 1 option. Books that are MPG Sequential Art, Graphic Novels, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga may not be used.
Required: State the option.

Option 1 - The whole deck: Read a book that has playing cards on the cover. At least 2 different suits must be clearly visible.
EX:


Required: Post the cover.

Option 2 - A reduced deck: One of our favorite games was "Manille", a game that uses only 32 cards in the deck - cards 2 through 6 are discarded. Read a book where the number of pages does not include digits 2 through 6.

Option 3 - The black suits: Clubs have 3 lobed ends, and Spades have 1 spiked end. Read a book that is either #1, #3 or #4 in a series and has at least one of the digits 1, 3, or 4 in year of first publication. The series must be apparent in greyscale on the Goodreads book page.

EX: The Black Echo (#1 in series, 1992 pub date.)
Be My Enemy (#4 in series, 2004 pub date)
The Return of the King (#3 in series, 1955 pub date)

Option 4 - The red suits: Read a book with a minimum 3-word title where the first letter of every word can be found in HEARTS-DIAMONDS and the author's first and last initials are in HARTEN-RUITEN. Letters may be used only as often as they appear.

20.8 Nickels and Dimes -Trishhartuk's Task: The Golden Shot

The Golden Shot was a somewhat unusual British TV gameshow which ran from 1967-1975 (yes, I am old enough to remember it…just). It was based on a German TV show, Der goldene Schuss.

Over the course of several rounds, contestants guided and fired a crossbow attached to a TV camera (which acted as the viewfinder), to shoot a bolt at an exploding target embedded in an apple on a decorated backdrop, until all but one were eliminated (from the show!). In the final round, the last contestant had to cut a string with the crossbow bolt, which released a tumble of (decorative) gold coins from a chest.

This is a one book task, choose an option and read one book for that option.
Required: State the option

Option 1. Read a book first published between 1967 and 1975, inclusive.

Option 2: Read a book with an apple, target, crossbow, crossbow bolt, or arrow (the archery kind, not the directional kind) on the cover.

ex:

Required: post the cover, and identify the element used.

Option 3: The most famous presenter was British comedian Bob Monkhouse, although others fronted the show at different times. The person who loaded the crossbows was nicknamed "Bernie", giving rise to the catchphrase "Bernie, the bolt!".
Read a book with a word of at least four letters in the title, that can be made from the letters in EITHER “BOB MONKHOUSE” OR “BERNIE THE BOLT”.

Required: State the word

20.6 It's a Fact - Jammin Jenny's Task: TV Family Fun

My whole family loves TV game shows so I have very fond memories of watching a variety of games on TV. My father was usually the best of everyone in the room. Here are four of our favorites, some of which are making a comeback.

Pick one of the following options:
Required: State the option.

A graphic novel/comic book can be used (and is encouraged) for this task as long as it is 200+ pages.

Option 1: Password
Everyone in our family liked this game. And I love the re-boot of this show with Keke Palmer and Jimmy Fallon. It's so funny the faces they make and the way they say the words to try to get the right answer from their partner.
Read a book with MPG humor

Option 2: Jeopardy
My mother was really good at this game so sometimes she would win the crown. I was hardly ever the fastest to have the answer but I'd give it my best shot.
Read a book with all the letters in the word JEOPARDY in the title/subtitle. Letters may be used as many times as they appear.

Option 3: Name that Tune
This is another one of those old game shows that has a new life with actress Jane Krakowski and musician and judge from American Idol Randy Jackson. The premise is you get clues to a famous song and you have to say how many notes you need to hear to get the name of the song. There's a lot of strategy to get to the right # of notes you need. One time, my dad did it with 0 notes.
Read a book from pages 1-10 of this list:
There Ought to be a Band
Required: State the page of the list where the book is found.

Option 4: Match Game
Match Game with Gene Rayburn from the 70s is so classic. Two contestants would battle by picking either A or B (they took turns picking first), Gene would read the card and a word would be missing. Like, "My wife was so fat her nickname was BLANK". The answers some of the contestants and panel were so funny.
Read a book that has an author with a first or last name of one of the panel members from this list (they need to be on at least 20 episodes). The name must match exactly but position does not matter.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069608/...
A full list of names is listed in post #2 of the Help Thread
Required: State the name of the panelist and the author.