Milena's 2020 Summer Reading Challenge

[Milena]

JUNE

1. Pride Month

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

a. Read a book with at least 5 different colors of the rainbow on the cover.
b. Read a book featuring an LGBTQIA+ protagonist (not side character).: Something to Talk About
c. Read a book that was nominated for or won the Lambda Award.

2. June Birthdays: Anne Frank

Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank was born on June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany. With the rise of WWII, Anne's family moved to Amsterdam when she was 4, and eventually went into hiding as the Nazis overtook the Netherlands. While in hiding, she wrote a series of diaries documenting her experience, which were eventually published by her father, the only survivor of WWII in the Frank family.

a. Read a book set during WWII.
b. Read a book that was published in sometime between 1900 and 1950: The Mysterious Affair at Styles
c. Read The Diary of Anne Frank.

3. Father's Day

In 1972, Woodrow Wilson made Father's Day a national holiday in the United States, and it occurs on the third Sunday of June. While other countries choose to celebrate dads at different times of the year, many countries have adopted the third Sunday in June as their Father's Day as well.

a. Read a book that starts with a letter in FATHERS DAY.
b. Read a book that features someone's relationship with their father.: Beach Read
c. Read a book featured on one of these lists about fathers:
☀️11 Unforgettable Books about Fatherhood
☀️28 Books to Give Dad on Father's Day
☀️Top 10 Books about Fathers

4. Hit the Beach

For the northern hemisphere, the first day of summer is marked by the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Many people use summertime as a chance to get some sunlight on the beach!

a. Read a book with a yellow or blue cover: How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
b. Read a book where someone goes to the beach: Beach Read
c. Read a book found on this list of best beach reads.: All Adults Here

JULY

1. Halfway There!

July 1st marks the halfway point of the year. And while it seems like 2020 has lasted 1700 years, we are only halfway to 2021.

a. Read a book with a page number that ends in 2.
b. Read a book that is divided into multiple parts (rather than, or in addition to, chapters).: A Tale of Two Cities
c. Read a book that features twins.

2. July Birthdays: Pablo Neruda

Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto (also known by his pen name, and later, his legal name of Pablo Neruda) was born on July 12, 1904 in Chile. At only 13, he published his first work of poetry. He went on to become a diplomat and poet, and he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971, two years before his death.

a. Read a book set in South America.
b. Read a book published between 1904 and 1973.
c. Read a book written in verse (must still meet the 100 page requirement): With the Fire on High

3. It's Winter Down South

While those of us in the northern hemisphere are enjoying the warm temperatures and the sunshine, our neighbors in the southern hemisphere are cozying up around the fire and drinking hot cocoa.

a. Read a book set in the southern hemisphere: A Town Like Alice
b. Read a book where the first letter of each title word can be found in the phrase LET IT SNOW. (Title must be at least two words long.)
c. Read a book found on TED's Winter Reading List.

4. Summer Reading

Summer means the best reading months for so many of us. New releases have bright and shiny colors, and the warm weather makes for great picnics and reading in the sun.

a. Read a happy book.
b. Read a book published in June, July, or August.
c. Read a book from one of the following lists:
☀️ A New Season of Reading: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
☀️ Authors Offer Summer Reading Recommendations
☀️ Goodreads Employees Share Their Summer Reading Plans

AUGUST

1. Read Good Books

Some of us like to overload our reading with multiple challenges, while others of us are content with just trying to finish ATY. Whatever your stance on challenges is, it's nice when you have a book that you can slot in anywhere.

a. Read a book by a favorite author: Alice Hoffman
b. Read the next book in a series you've already started: Inspector Gamache
c. Read a book published in 2020 that you've been looking forward to: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

2. Back to School

Many students and teachers are heading back to the classrooms this month. Celebrate that back-to-school feeling with a bit of smart summer reading.

a. Read a book by an author that is new-to-you.
b. Read a YA book: The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives
c. Read a book often tested on the AP Literature exam, as found on this list.

3. August Birthdays: Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920 in Illinois. Known most prominently for Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury was the author of many science fiction, horror, and fantasy novels and short stories. He is also well known in the film community and has an award named after him for achievement in screenwriting.

a. Read a book in which the initials author's name can be found in RAY BRADBURY.
b. Read a sci-fi or horror book: Recursion
c. Read a collection of short stories (must still meet the 100 page requirement).

4. Go for a Drive

With the warm air and a nice breeze, now is the perfect time to roll down your windows and go for a drive... whether it's to the beach, to the mountains, or to your best friend's house.

a. Read a book with a car on the cover.
b. Read a book that starts with a letter in the phrase WINDOWS DOWN, BREEZE BLOWING.: We Ride Upon Sticks
c. Read a book where a character visits multiple countries