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Summer Reading Challenge 2021: Introduction, Tasks, and FAQs
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JUNE
1. Start of Summer
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:
- Beach Read Royalty Recommends Summer Books
- Readers' Hottest Books of Summer
- Armchair Traveling: Books Set in Every U.S. State
2. June Birthday: Octavia E. Butler
Octavia Estelle Butler was an American science fiction author. A multiple recipient of both the Hugo and Nebula awards, she became in 1995 the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. Born in Pasadena, California, Butler was raised by her widowed mother. Octavia Butler was born June 22, 1947.
a. Read book whose main character is a Black woman.
b. Read a science fiction book.
c. Read a winner of the Hugo Award.
3. Pride Month
The majority of Pride events are held in June to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City on June 28, 1969, which most historians consider to be the birth of the modern LGBT movement. At the time, police raids on bars catering to LGBT patrons were common, but that night, the patrons of the Stonewall Inn fought back. While historical accounts of the night vary, the violent response ignited a national firestorm of activism that brought new visibility to the struggle for LGBT equality.
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).
c. Read a book written by an author who was nominated for the Lambda Award.
4. Set Sail
One summer activity is to hop on a boat and go for a ride on the water. Whether you're fishing off of a kayak, sailing the open seas, or sunbathing on a yacht, floating on the water is guaranteed to bring peace and relaxation.
a. Read a book that starts with a letter in SAILING.
b. Read a book with a boat on the cover.
c. Read a book that takes place completely on an island.
JULY
1. Halfway there!
July 1st marks the halfway point of the year, and that means 2021 is drawing to a close!
a. Read a book with a number in the title.
b. Read a book that is divided into multiple parts (rather than, or in addition to, chapters).
c. Read a book featuring twin characters.
2. July Birthday: Madeline Miller
Madeline Miller is an American novelist, author of The Song of Achilles and Circe. Miller spent ten years writing The Song of Achilles while she worked as a Latin and Greek teacher. Madeline Miller was born on July 24, 1978.
a. Read a book whose author's initials are found in MADELINE MILLER.
b. Read a retelling of a myth, fable, or fairytale.
c. Read a book nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction.
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 romance book.
b. Read a book with snow on the cover.
c. Read a book whose title starts with a letter in FROSTY THE SNOWMAN.
4. Take a Dip
Summer is hot, hot, hot, so jump in a pool, lake, or ocean to cool off and get some exercise swimming.
a. Read a book whose title starts with a letter in OCEAN.
b. Read a book whose author initials can be found in TAKE A DIP.
c. Read a book featured on one of these lists:
- 34 of the Best Beach Reads to Help You Escape
- 2021 Summer Reading List: 48 of the Best Books for Adults, Teens, and Kids
- The Best Beach Reads of Summer 2021
AUGUST
1. 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.
c. Read a book often tested on the AP Literature exam, as found on this list.
2. August Birthday: John Green
John Michael Green is an American author and YouTube content creator. He won the 2006 Printz Award for his debut novel, Looking for Alaska, and his fourth solo novel, The Fault in Our Stars, debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list in January 2012. He was born on August 24, 1977.
a. Read a contemporary book.
b. Read a stand-alone novel (not part of a series).
c. Read a book nominated for the Printz Award.
3. Summer Reading
Summer is a great time to catch up on your backlist TBR or read the newest releases that you haven't got around to reading yet.
a. Read the newest book by a favorite author.
b. Read the next book in a series you've already started.
c. Read a book published in 2021 that you've been looking forward to.
4. Jump on a Plane
With the world reopening, now is a great time to jump on a plane to new countries (literally or, in the case of reading, metaphorically).
a. Read an adventure book.
b. Read a book set in a country you've never visited.
c. Read a book featuring a character that travels to multiple countries.
Mod
Q: How many times can we be entered into the drawing?
A: You can be entered up to THREE times this year -- one per month completed. You are welcome to complete the tasks all the way through for a second and third time, but they will NOT be counted towards your drawing for the prize.
Q: Can books overlap between the main Around the Year challenge and the summer challenge?
A: Yes, absolutely! Some of the tasks are designed to be easy for you to fit in books you’re planning to read for AtY.
Q: Can a book be used for more than one summer challenge prompt?
A: Each book can only be used for one prompt in the summer challenge.
Q: Do the tasks for each month need to be completed in that month?
A: No, you can complete them at anytime over summer. You’ll receive one entry to the draw for every month’s topics you complete by 31 August.
Q: Can books started before June 1 or in progress on 31 August be counted?
A: You may count a book started before the challenge begins as long as you read at least 100 pages of the book on or after 1 June. You must have completed a book by 31 August to count it.
Q: For a task requiring a title beginning with a particular letter, do A, An and The count?
A: You can choose whether or not to count them - eg if the title has to begin with a letter in OCEAN, you can use The Old Man and the Sea (which, ignoring the word The, starts with an O).
Q: For prompts concerning publication date, page numbers, or covers, how do you handle reprints/multiple editions?
A: We will use the edition you tag in your completion post. For example, this edition of Pride and Prejudice was published in June 1998, which would fulfill the prompt, but this version of Pride and Prejudice was published in October 2000, so it would not fulfill the prompt. If you are getting a book from the library and aren't sure which edition you will get, you can just use the default edition (meaning the first one that comes up when you search for the book). In this case, the October 2000 publication is the default edition, so Pride and Prejudice would not be used for this prompt (unless you read and tagged an alternative edition). We are using an honor system here, so please make sure you are tagging properly!
Q: Can we move a book to a different prompt once claimed on our progress for another prompt?
A: If you submit your completed month to the completion thread, you cannot change it after the fact. If you are unsure about where you want to place books, we recommend waiting until you complete all three months before submitting your books to the completion thread!
How strict are we being for completely set on an island? I just read The Castaways which is mostly set in Fiji but there's a bit at the start in London which is technically also on an island. Does the whole thing have to be on the same island and are we allowing mainland UK as an island?
Mod
Can we move a book to a different prompt once claimed on our progress for another prompt?
Mod
Emily wrote: "If you submit your completed month to the completion thread, you cannot change it after the fact. If you are unsure about where you want to place books, we recommend waiting until you complete all ..."Ok Thank You
I originally posted this in the discussion thread on May 31st but I think it got buried! Sorry to repost but thought I'd try again in this thread:
I have 4 quick questions! (Also, can I just mention how much I love these seasonal prompts/challenges?? They're always so much fun!)
1. For the prompt, "Read a book with a boat on the cover," would you count it if the cover shows the view from the boat? So you don't see the whole boat, but you see part of the interior of the boat, such as the window.
Some examples, as I apparently have more of these than books with actual whole boats on the covers:
2. For the number in the title prompt, would it count if the title of the book has an ordinal number rather than just the plain number? Not like "seventh," which already contains the entire word "seven," but more like first, second, third?
3. Does "Black woman" mean the protagonist should be at least 18 years old (an adult)? Would, for example, a book with a 15 year old protagonist not work since she'd be a teenager/adolescent? Or would it depend on the maturity level of the character and book?
4. I feel dumb for asking this.. but does a book "that takes place completely on an island" mean literally, 100% of the time on the island? Or would it still count if the very beginning or end is off the island? I'm guessing it's 100% on the island, otherwise it would say "primarily on an island," but I just thought I'd ask just in case!!
Apologies for bombarding this thread with questions! I know normally it's pretty much up to our own interpretation, but I want to do this one correctly since there's a drawing and a prize! Or at least get some opinions!
Mod
1. I would say we need to see the actual boat on the cover.
2. It needs to have a number, so first, second, third would not work.
3. You can use any aged Black female as your protagonist (not just 18+ years).
4. We will allow flying into/off of the island at the beginning or end, but the center of the plot needs to happen on the island.
Hi: I always seem to ask this question, but it says "Next, start a post in this folder where you will post your plan and track your progress through the challenge. You can also look at other people’s plans to get ideas for any tasks you’re finding tricky and ask for recommendations from other readers. This is not required, but it's a great way to plan out your books." Where is the link for the folder? I can't find it...
Mod
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...
Sorry for the confusion! "this folder" meant *this* folder, as in the same folder that this is currently in: the Summer Reading Challenge 2021 folder. You can see other people have posted plans, and if you want to do the same, go for it! We're happy to cheer you on!
Mod
The porthole I'd be ok with since those are pretty exclusively a boat thing, but the other two I wouldn't count.
Thank you so much Emily and Jackie for your super helpful responses!! I love these seasonal challenges so much ^^
Emily wrote: "Sorry about that, Irene! I don't check the discussion threads for questions, but I do look here, so this is the best place to ask questions!1. I would say we need to see the actual boat on the co..."
Sorry, this wasn't my question in the first place, but just wanted to clarify... ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) ARE numbers, definitionally. So is the prompt "has a cardinal number in the title"?
Mod
I’m embarrassed to ask this question because I should know the answer. I googled it but never got a yes or no answer. Can I use Shuggie Bain for set completely on an island. It’s set in Scotland which I consider an island but I’m not a 100% sure. There is definitely a big hole in my geography education.
Quick Question: When reporting books we completed, do you want us to report as we go or report all 12 books when we finish?
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Sherri and Roxana, I'll have Jackie answer you!
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Jackie wrote: "Numbers: I'll take numbers written either as numerals ("1984" for example) or as words ("Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea"). Ordinal numbers (first, second, etc) are ok provided they are part ..."Thank you! (The book I wanted to read for it is The Second Season, so, perfect! :) )
In terms of a stand-alone novel. Does a memoir count or does it need to be fiction?
Mod
Emily wrote: "Memoir will count - anything that isn't part of a series"Thanks that is very helpful
Question. Can I use One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow for the July 1b prompt a book divided into multiple parts...? It doesn't have chapters but different narrators. Each person's name that is telling the story is at the start of each new part of the story.
Mod
Howdy! And thank you for setting up this very entertaining challenge! Should we be posting page counts, if we listen to an audiobook version? I love audiobooks as much as print, and am referring to Goodreads for a page count and can note it if needed.
Thanks again!
Hello there, I have a question. Can we count non-fiction for the LGTBQ+ protagonist? (Protagonist makes me think of fiction but I just read a biography of Freddie Mercury I'd like to count for it if I can) Thanks!
Mod
Yes, by protagonist, we mean main character, and I'd say a biography featuring Freddie Mercury would definitely count!
JenniferAustin wrote: "Howdy! And thank you for setting up this very entertaining challenge!
Should we be posting page counts, if we listen to an audiobook version? I love audiobooks as much as print, and am referring ..."
We go by whatever edition you tag! For example, if you tag this Pride and Prejudice, we will count it as 279 pages, but if you tag this Pride and Prejudice, it would be 334.
I'm having trouble accessing the AP Lit List for August. Can anyone confirm that Jane Eyre is on the list?
Suzanne wrote: "I'm having trouble accessing the AP Lit List for August. Can anyone confirm that Jane Eyre is on the list?"Yes, it's there for multiple years.
Jen K wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "I'm having trouble accessing the AP Lit List for August. Can anyone confirm that Jane Eyre is on the list?"Yes, it's there for multiple years."
Thanks for checking!
"You can be entered up to THREE times this year -- one per month completed"If we are not able to complete all three months in the summer challenge, will there be other opportunities to earn entries this year?
Mod
We will have another separate contest connected to our Read-a-Thon in September, so you'll have another opportunity to win then.
I'm on a fantasy and sci fi kick at the moment so the JUMP ON A PLANE prompt is a little difficult for me at the moment. I need a spot for Ghost Market. Does "Limbo City" an island surrounded by the afterlives of every culture/religion and inhabited by reapers, angels, demons and of course, souls count as a country I have never visited? The main character also visits several different afterlives in the this book so maybe it could be "a character that travels to multiple countries"?
°~Amy~° wrote: "I'm on a fantasy and sci fi kick at the moment so the JUMP ON A PLANE prompt is a little difficult for me at the moment. I need a spot for Ghost Market. Does "Limbo City" an islan..."
It definitely sounds like an adventure story to me. It fits the same prompt.
Mod
I would say that fictional cities could be counted as places you've never been. However, not having read the books, I don't know if afterlife = country? So I'd say slot it in for a place you've never visited. (Or adventure story, if you think it qualifies as that!)
Mod
Good question - here is what Emily posted earlier, so yes, you can say the book title begins with "G" in SAILING.
Q: For a task requiring a title beginning with a particular letter, do A, An and The count?
A: You can choose whether or not to count them - eg if the title has to begin with a letter in OCEAN, you can use The Old Man and the Sea (which, ignoring the word The, starts with an O).
What is meant by the prompt "Read a Contemporary Novel?" I am not sure I understand what is included in the Contemporary literary genre.
Mod
viemag wrote: "What is meant by the prompt "Read a Contemporary Novel?" I am not sure I understand what is included in the Contemporary literary genre."This link helped me.
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/cont...
Emily would The Burning or Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt fit the category?
Pearl wrote: "viemag wrote: "What is meant by the prompt "Read a Contemporary Novel?" I am not sure I understand what is included in the Contemporary literary genre."This link helped me.
https://www.goodreads...."
I looked at this and it seemed like they were all contemporary romances, which I am not necessarily interested in reading.
Mod
Pearl wrote: "viemag wrote: "What is meant by the prompt "Read a Contemporary Novel?" I am not sure I understand what is included in the Contemporary literary genre."This link helped me.
https://www.goodreads...."
I looked at this and it seemed like they were all contemporary romances, which I am not necessarily interested in reading.
https://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward...These are good contemporary (not romance) books
Little Fires Everywhere
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine
Anxious People
Everything I never told you
American Dirt
Mod
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Ghost Market (other topics)Ghost Market (other topics)
Pride and Prejudice (other topics)
Pride and Prejudice (other topics)
One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow (other topics)
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Summer is perfect reading time for many of us. Maybe you’ll be spending a week lying on the beach with a good book to keep you company. Maybe a book will be entertaining you on a long flight to an exciting destination. Or maybe you’re planning to enjoy the sunny weather and longer days closer to home. Wherever and whatever you’re planning to read this summer, if you’d like a little extra challenge alongside AtY, and the chance to win a very exciting prize then read on!
Our summer challenge has twelve prompts in total, divided into four for each month of summer. For each prompt there is a choice of three tasks. Some are easy, some are more difficult - it’s your choice which you want to complete. You only need to complete one task per prompt to finish the challenge. You can choose to complete all twelve prompts, or if you prefer a shorter challenge you can just complete one month’s prompts.
The Prize!
For each month you complete you will earn one entry into a draw to be held at the end of the challenge. The winner of the draw will be invited to create one prompt to be included in the 2022 ATY Reading List.*
How to Join the Challenge
1. First check out the prompts and choice of tasks in post two of this thread.
2. Next, start a post in this folder where you will post your plan and track your progress through the challenge. You can also look at other people’s plans to get ideas for any tasks you’re finding tricky and ask for recommendations from other readers. This is not required, but it's a great way to plan out your books.
3. When you’ve completed all four prompts for one month, post the details in the completion thread. Once we’ve checked that the tasks are all completed in line with the rules we’ll confirm your entry to the draw.
*NOTE: You may earn a maximum of THREE entries - one for each month completed.
4. After the challenge ends on 31 August we will have a draw to choose a winner. The mods will announce the winner soon after and they’ll be invited to create a prompt for the 2022 ATY Reading List.
What Books Can Be Counted?
Because there is a prize associated with our summer reading challenge (unlike with our other seasonal challenges), we have a few requirements for books to count:
1. Books must be at least 100 pages long, except for graphic novels or poetry, which must be at least 200 pages long. For audiobooks, the printed version of the book should be at least 100 pages long.
2. Picture books or any other books where illustrations make up most of the book can’t be used.
3. You must read the whole of a book between 1 June and 31 August to count it for this challenge. Books started before June 1st must have at least 100 pages left before beginning on June 1st.
If you have any questions about the challenge then you can post them in this thread. The FAQs in post three below will also be updated as people ask questions so you might find your question has been answered there. If you’d like to check that a book will work for one of the tasks before you read it then you can ask here and we’ll confirm if it does.
Happy reading, and we hope you enjoy the challenge!
*Subject to the mods approval. For example the prompt can’t be the same or extremely similar to one already voted in and it must not be something that’s impossible for some readers to complete. Winner will be notified by September 15th, and they will have until September 25th to choose their prompt. If the winner is unresponsive to the message sent from the mods, there will be a redraw.