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WINTER CHALLENGE 2021
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Winter Challenge 2021-2022: Tasks
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10.1 - Gifts
Help Thread
According to Behind the Name.com, Dorothy is the feminine form of the Late Greek name Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of God" from Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεός (theos) meaning "god".
Choose one option:
Required: Identify the option when you post.
A. Read a book you have received as a gift*.
*These are gifts:
>A gift card or voucher to a book store or online book vendor and you used it to choose a book
>Someone gave (not loaned) you a new or used book.
>A gift of a book subscription service for x length of time/uses
These are NOT gifts:
>Subscribe to a newsletter, provide an email, become a member, attend a conference, etc and receive a book.
>Advance reader copies from NetGalley or another source
>Prizes from contests
>Loans with no return date, such as little free library
>Subscriptions to retail services, including Amazon Prime
By choosing this option you certify that the book claimed was a gift.
or
B. Read a book from this list: Best Books to Gift
Required: State the page.
10.2 - Something Fishy
Help Thread
2022 is the UN International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture
Read a book with an image of a creature that lives primarily in water on the cover. Creatures such as fish, aquatic mammals, shellfish, cephalopods, and fantasy creatures including merfolk work.
The creature need not appear underwater on the cover, but it must be clearly identifiable as an aquatic creature = fins, gills, etc.
Required: Post the cover.
ex.
,
10.3 - 'S Wonderful
Help Thread
December 6, 2021 is the 125th birth anniversary of Ira Gershwin.
Read a book with one of the words from one of Ira Gershwin's notable song titles in the title or subtitle. The word must match exactly. These words may not be used: the, a, on, is, to.
"But Not for Me"
"Embraceable You"
"How Long Has This Been Going On?"
"I Can't Get Started"
"I Got Rhythm"
"I've Got a Crush on You"
"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"
"Love Is Here To Stay"
"My Ship"
"Nice Work If You Can Get It"
"Oh, Lady Be Good"
"'S Wonderful"
"Someone to Watch Over Me"
"Strike Up the Band"
"The Man I Love"
"The Man That Got Away"
"They All Laughed"
"They Can't Take That Away from Me"
Required: State the word.
10.4 - MMXXII
Help Thread
2022 is MMXXII in roman numerals. Read a book written by a single author with a 2-part name whose initials both begin with the same letter.
10.5 - Naughty or Nice?
Help Thread
Celebrated on the eve of St. Nicholas’s Day, December 5 is Krampuslauf in Austria. While Saint Nicholas rewards the well-behaved children with gifts, Krampus punishes the badly-behaved children. During Krampuslauf (Krampus Run) children are invited to throw snowballs at a parading Krampus figure. Read a book by an author whose first and last name initials are found in KRAMPUSLAUF.
10.6 - Shelf Aware
Help Thread
The fourth Wednesday in January is Library Shelfie Day, a day to share your bookshelves on social media.
Read a book that was added to your TBR shelf before November 1, 2021.
Your To-Be-Read list may be your GR shelf, a custom GR shelf, or an off-GR list.
Required: Identify your TBR list and state the date the book was added to your list.
10.7 - Not This Year
Help Thread
Leap second events are scheduled every few years in order to keep UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) in alignment with the earth's rotation. ... The next possible leap second event could December 31, 2021. There will NOT be a leap second introduced into UTC on that date.
Read a book with a number of pages that ends in Zero.
10.8 - #ownvoicestories
Help Thread
A growing trend in publishing is #ownvoicestories - books that reflect diverse characters and stories that are written by members of that same group.
Read a book that has been shelved as Own Voice from the first 25 pages of this shelf list: Own Voice.
Required: State the page.
10.9 - Winter is ComING
Help Thread
Read a book with a word in the TITLE that ends in ING. Subtitles are excluded.
ex. Loving Frank, I'll Be Seeing You, The Return of the King
10.10 - The Story Continues
Help Thread
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is the first book in a series of 14 full-length books about the Land of Oz.
Read any book from a series with at least 14 primary works. The book must have a whole number series designation. (#1-#14+) The series name and number must be indicated in grayscale parentheses following the title on the GR page.
Mod
15.1 - Welcome to Oz
Help Thread
Rember that magical moment when everything went from black and white to full color?
This is a two book task.
Book 1 – read a book with black/white/gray cover - no other colors on the cover.
Book 2 –read a book with at least 3 different colors on the cover (not including black, white, gray). The book may have these colors on the cover, but there must be at least three other colors.
REQUIRED: Include the covers in your post. For book 2, point out the three required colors.
15.2 - Endings and Beginnings.
Help Thread
Since this season of the SRC includes the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, let's celebrate endings and beginnings.
Book 1 – read the final or most recently published book that is a primary work in a series - no prequels or .5's. This is meant to be an ending.
Book 2 – read the first book in a new to you series. REQUIRED: State in your post that this series is new to you.
REQUIRED: The series name and number must be listed in grayscale in parentheses, after the title. A series must have at least 2 primary works published to count
15.3 - The Ruby Slippers
Help Thread
Option 1. Read two books:
Book 1 – read a book whose title/subtitle contains the name of one of seven precious gemstones: diamond, pearl, ruby, sapphire, emerald, catseye, and alexandrite. Plurals and possessives may be used - no other variations.
AND
Book2 - read a book with a pair of shoes on its cover. These can be any sort of footwear - slippers, pumps, boots, flip flops - and they can be empty or with feet in them, but there must be a pair of the same shoes. REQUIRED: Include the cover in your post.
OR
Option 2: Read one book that satisfies the requirements for both books of Option 1.
15.4 - Happy Valentines Day!
Help Thread
Option 1:
A. Read a book with a title of at least three words in which the initial letters of each word in the title are found in the word VALENTINES.
AND
B. Read a book in which ALL of the author’s initials are found in the word VALENTINES.
OR
Option 2:
Read 1 book that satisfies both A and B above.
For all options, letters may be used only as often as they appear in VALENTINES. NOTE: If you use option 2, this requirement applies to the title and author, since it is only 1 book. Therefore, for instance, S can only be used once in the combination of title and author.
15.5 - There's No Place Like Home
Help Thread
Read a book set in the country in which you were born. For those born in the US or Canada, the book should be set in the same State or Province in which you were born.
REQUIRED: State in your post the place of your birth.
If you feel that you must keep your place of birth secret, post in the help thread and I will randomly generate a country for you to use.
15.6 - Far, Far Away
Help Thread
Read a book that takes place in a fictional land, or an alternate version of a real country.
15.7 - Baby It's Cold Outside!
Help Thread
Read a book with the word "cold" or one of the following synonyms for "cold" in its title.
Synonyms for cold:
algid, arctic, bitter, bone-chilling, chill, chilly, coldish, cool, coolish, freezing, frigid, frosty, gelid, glacial, ice-cold, icy, nipping, nippy, numbing, polar, shivery, snappy, wintry (also wintery).
Words must match exactly.
15.8: The Peculiarity of Time Passing
Help Thread
Since COVID, time seems to move at an odd pace. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost two years since we first heard of it, yet at the same time it feels like forever.
To mark this oddity, read a book with one of the following words in the title: second, minute, hour, day, week, month or year. Plural and possessive forms can be used, but no other variations.
15.9 - Where DO Those Letters Go?
Help Thread
Try to find out where those letters to Santa go, by reading a book set at least 50% in one of the closest land areas to the North Pole - Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland or Russia.
REQUIRED: Specify the setting in your post. If the setting is not clear from the GR description or metadata, provide a reference in your post.
15.10 - Curl Up and Read
Help Thread
When it's too cold or too hot to go outside, it's nice to curl up with a good book!
Read a book from the first 25 pages of the list Best Books to Read When the Snow is Falling
REQUIRED: Specify in your post the page of the list on which your book is found.
Mod
20.1 - Most Improved Player - Suzannesea's Task: Challenges and Pleasures
Help Thread
This is a one-book task. Select one option and read a book that fits. REQUIRED: Identify the option you used
Option 1
This past year and a half has brought challenges with the pandemic and discovering I have ovarian cancer. It also has brought the pleasure of appreciating the tremendous support I've received from my family and friends, my doctors and their caring staffs, and my two funny dogs- Scout, a lovey-dovey Great Pyrenees who Nanas me, and Finn, a feisty Springer Spaniel who keeps me on my toes.
- Read a book in which all the letters of CHALLENGES or PLEASURES can be found in the title and/or subtitle.
Option 2
Throughout my life, reading has been a great pleasure. I thoroughly enjoy the Seasonal Reading Challenge and my in-person book clubs which switched to Zooming and open-air meetings during the pandemic. Through them I've encountered so many authors I might not have read otherwise.
-Read a book by a new-to-you author. REQUIRED: When you post, state that you haven't read that author before.
Option 3
I feel as if most of my adult life I've been trying to decide what I want to do when I grow up. I've worked as a technical librarian, teacher, lawyer, teacher again, and now mostly as an avid gardener. I've enjoyed and been challenged by them all.
-Read a book featuring a main character who is a librarian, a teacher, or a lawyer. REQUIRED: if the character's job is not obvious on the book's main page, include a reference when you post.
20.2 - Rookie at the Top - Tamara's Task: New Years Resolutions
Help Thread
This task is about New Years Resolutions and goals. Read one book from one of the options below. REQUIRED: State in your post the option you used.
Option 1: Read a book where the author's first and last initials can be found in the word RESOLUTIONS. (Middle initials can be ignored). Letters can be used only as often as they appear in the target word.
Option 2: I always make New Years resolutions and forget all about them by the end of January. Maybe I should make a resolution to stick to my resolutions!
Read a book by an author that you have previously read at least three other books by. (These can be books from the same series, but don't have to be.)
REQUIRED: In your post state what other three books you have previously read by this author).
Option 3: My main goals for next year are related to study. To help me manifest getting good grades, read a book with a TITLE that starts with an A. All words in the title count, including articles.
20.3 - Best Review - Trishhartuk's Task: Representing Cats!
Help Thread
There seem to be a lot of dog-related tasks this SRC: Toto has a lot to answer for! Therefore, I felt I should wave the flag for the cat lovers among us. I had cats when I was growing up, and introduced my other half to cat ownership a couple of years after we bought our first flat. We’ve had feline overlords ever since (nearly 30 years). We’ve loved them all, but some of them have made more of a lasting impression than others.
Option 1. The Girls. We currently have a pair of black and white sisters organising our lives. Libby is a long hair and is remarkably like a Tribble when she’s curled up. Tibby, is a short hair who looked like a Vulcan when we first got her, so her nickname became T’Paw.
As we gave them both Star Trek-based nicknames, and my review was for a fantasy book (about a cat!), read a book with a MPG of Fantasy and/or Science Fiction and/or Science Fiction Fantasy.
Option 2. Tyler. Dear Tyty was our longest-serving cat, and definitely the most sweet natured. He was born in January 2002, and died in April 2020. When we got The Girls, they were very nervous, as they’d been in the RSPCA shelter for most of their ten-month lives, but Tyler looked after them and helped them settle. He was a wonderful Uncle to them.
Read a book first published between January 2002 and April 2020, inclusive, AND which has a domestic cat on the cover.
REQUIRED: Include the cover in your post.
Option 3. The Monster. The thing about the Monster was that he was smart, and he remembered things. One time, he fell into the bath when I was running hot water, and thereafter he would always try to warn us that the bathroom was a dangerous place. Another time, he went missing for a week. Knowing he was lost, he settled in behind a shed in a garden where the cats were fed outside and waited for us to find him (which we did by dint of flyers round the neighbourhood). He was definitely a feline incarnation of the adage “Dogs have masters, cats have staff”.
Read a book with a title of at least three words, where all the initial letters can be found in the phrase “CATS HAVE STAFF”.
20.4 - Golden Oldies - Teri-K's Task: Ready, Set, GO!
Help Thread
I've always loved old books; even as a little girl I would choose the old, beat up picture book to read over the crisp new volume, and I still feel that way. However, I was surprised to realize I'd earned 34 Golden Oldie points in the last SRC without particularly trying! This task will help you toward your own Golden Oldie goal.
Because finding new authors is a big part of the fun, the book you read must be by an author who is new-to-you. You may read a book by more than one author, but all the authors must be new to you.
REQUIRED: State in your post that the author is new-to-you.
A new-to-you author for this task means you have not read a book by or co-authored by the author. If they were part of an anthology you've previously read there must be at least 4 other authors featured in that collection.
Option 1: The best old books have been around the longest. Read a book published before 1900.
Option 2: The Golden Age of Mysteries is still celebrated as bringing us wonderful gems. Read a book with MPG mystery published between 1913 and 1939, inclusive.
Mod
Help Thread
When I found out that I'd been selected to create this task, I was looking after my 2 children who had high temperatures, so this task is linked to that.
REQUIRED: State in your post the option you used.
1. Both my children have the initials JW. Read a book written by an author with the letters J and W in their name. Single authors only.
2. My children are 4 and 1. The highest temperature either of them had was 39.6. Read a book where the page numbers are made up from 1, 3, 4, 6 or 9. Each number can only be used once, and no other numbers can be used.
Examples: 146, 391, 463.
Optional: Leave your guess as to my children's first names in the help thread.
20.6 - Seasoned Reader - Molly's Task: CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
Help Thread
Christmas is my absolute favourite time of the year. The decorations, the celebrations, and the warm weather! Being in Australia means our Christmases are usually a balmy 30+ (Celsius, of course).
I have a lot of friends in the USA and Canada who ask about how we celebrate Christmas. They are surprised to hear that yes, we listen to the same Christmas carols about winter and snow and we adorn our houses and trees with winter themed decorations. One of the things I love is that in addition to the traditional Christmas songs, we have a few of our own too!
My task is inspired by Australian Christmas songs.
Requirement: State which option you chose.
Option 1: “Six White Boomers”
This song is about Santa trading in his reindeer for six white boomers. A boomer is a male kangaroo, but the word also refers to people born in the Baby Boomer generation. According to Wikipedia, Baby Boomers were born between 1946 – 1964.
For this task, read a book by an author born between 1946 – 1964 OR a book first published between 1946 – 1964. REQUIRED: If using the author option, state the author's birth year when you post. If the author's birth year is not included in their GR bio, provide a reference in your post to establish it.
This site may help you find authors born in the relevant years: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/years/
Optional: Enjoy the song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu76G...
Option 2: “Aussie Jingle Bells”
This is one of my all-time favourites, an Australian version of Jingle Bells incorporating a lot of our slang and culture. If you’re not from Australia, you might feel like you need a translator to understand some of the language in the song!
For this option, read a book originally published in a language other than your first language, that has been translated into the language in which you read it. REQUIRED: Please state the original language of publication and your first language in your post.
Optional: Give Aussie Jingle Bells a listen! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnJ8j...
Option 3: “Deck the Sheds”
Another song that has been given an Australian flair is Deck the Halls. Much like the Aussie Jingle Bells, this song includes lots of quintessentially Australian references.
Read a book by an author whose initials (all initials) can be found in DECK THE SHEDS.
Optional: Check out Deck the Sheds! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea4Jl...
20.7 - Shorter is Sweeter - Coralie's Task: Three 2’s
Help Thread
2022 will be the last year in most of our lifetimes that a year will have three of the same numeral.
Read a book that has at least three of the following 2’s.
A. Is #2 in a series.
B. Has a first publication year ending in 2.
C. The author has a name part with 2 letters. (NOTE: Double initials does not count as a 2 letter name part).
D. Has a 2 in the page count.
E. Has a two-word title.
F. Has one of the words TO, TOO or TWO in the title. Words only and no variations.
REQUIRED: Specify in your post the criteria that your book satisfies.
Examples:
A Murder of Quality by John le Carré satisfies A, B & C
Callander Square satisfies A, D & E
Gone to the Forest satisfies B, D, & F
Mod
Help Thread
I lived in Kansas until I was 22 and then moved to the west coast. Nine times out of ten when someone I met asked me where I was from, the first thing they would say was “Well how is Dorothy?” My reply was always “My grandmother is just fine, thank you for asking.” This task is in honor of her and the positive effect she’s had on the lives of everyone she’s met over the years.
Please choose one of the following options. Your book must have at least 275 pages.
REQUIRED: State in your post which option you used.
Option 1: My grandmother is the unofficial social director of her assisted living facility. She has organized a weekly bridge group, a monthly book club, frequent bingo games and miniature golf tournaments.
For this option read a book with at least 3 people on the cover. Required: Post the cover
Option 2: I have so many childhood memories watching football and basketball games with my grandparents. They had season tickets to my university’s football games for at least 55 years and 51 years for basketball games. We’d watch the away games together at their house, and any year the basketball team went far in the NCAA tournament they would host a watch party.
For this option read a book with a MPG of Sports. It can be standalone or embedded.
Option 3: My sister and I recently traveled back to Kansas to celebrate my grandmother’s 99th birthday. She didn’t want anyone to make a fuss, which we obviously ignored. We took her a bouquet of flowers large enough to take up half of her table and a balloon bouquet that required 2 people to carry. The balloon bouquet included two giant 9’s that were almost as tall as her.
For this option read a book with a page count that includes a ‘9’.
Option 4: My grandmother has always been generous and loves to help out those less fortuate. One of her favorite volunteer activities was providing food for people who can’t leave their home via Meals on Wheels. She did this for more years than I can recall, until she had to stop driving. Most of the time she would just drop off the food, but for a few regulars who wanted company she would sit down with them while they ate and then would clean up after.
For this option read a book by an author whose initials can be found in MEALS ON WHEELS. All initials count.
20.9 - Moderator’s Pet – Lisa MD’s Task: “Rock the Red”
Help Thread
I love winter! It means Ice Hockey season! This time of year finds me curled up in my recliner with a blanket either sedately reading a book or loudly cheering on my boys, the Washington Capitals. I am a huge Capitals fan and love all things “CAPS.” I rarely miss a game, pre-game sports talk, or after-game recap. I follow the team and players on Instagram and Facebook. Since I’m too old and out of shape to be a Red Rocker, the official cheerleader for the Washington Capitals, I watch from the comfort of home in my recliner and “Rock the Red.”
Choose one of the following options and read one book to fit.
REQUIRED: Identify the option you chose in your post.
Option A: #ALLCAPS – Caps fans can keep up with all the latest Washington Capitals news and happenings on Twitter, Instagram and NHL.com, which is marketed under the “ALL CAPS” brand.
For this option, show your team spirit and read a book whose entire title appears on the cover in ALL CAPITAL letters and is the color red. Subtitles may be ignored.
REQUIRED: Include the cover in your post.
Examples:
Option B: “The Great Eight” – Alex Ovechkin #8, nicknamed “Ovi” and “The Great Eight,” is one of the greatest all-time hockey players in history. At 36 years of age, he has played his entire career with the Washington Capitals, and has helped lead them to a Stanley Cup. He is a dynamo on ice and continues breaking records with no sign of slowing down.
For this option, pay homage to Ovi and read a book that contains “the great”, intact, in its title or subtitle.
Examples: The Great Alone, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
Option C: Rivalry Night - All sports teams have rivalries, but there is something exciting about watching ice hockey rivalries. One of the Caps biggest rivals is the Pittsburgh Penguins. When the two face off on the ice, emotions run high and often spill over to more physical play and fisticuffs, to put it politely.
For this option, support your rival team and read a book whose title does not contain the individual letters “CAPS.” Subtitles may be ignored and there is no minimum title word requirement.
Examples: The Indigo Girl, The Guide
20.10 - Group Reads
Read one of the books selected as a group read for the Winter 2021-2022 season. The requirement for this task: you must participate in the book's discussion thread below with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.
Fiction: Knights/Middle Ages
Mistress of the Art of Death
Discussion Thread
Fiction: Pun Title
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
Discussion Thread
Nonfiction: Social Justice
Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century
Discussion Thread
Gutenberg Classic
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Discussion Thread
Mod
25.1 - XBM's Task: Read a Newbery
Help Thread
2022 is the 100th anniversary of the Newbery Awards, a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children”. (Wikipedia) All of my children and grandchildren love to read, in part, due to great books like these.
This is a two-book task. REQUIRED: Please note in your post which 2 options you used.
Option 1: Read a book that has won a Newbery Award, according to this curated list. Newberry Medal Winner Books
Books must meet the SRC guidelines for the use of children's books.
Option 2: Six authors have won the Newbery Medal twice. They are Kate DiCamillo, E. L. Konigsburg, Joseph Krumgold, Lois Lowry, Katherine Paterson, Elizabeth George Speare. Read a book whose author’s share these initial: KDEKLJKLLKPEGS. All initials count. Letters may be used only as many times as they appear in the list of initials.
Option 3: Read a book where the first letter of each title word may be found in John Newbery Medal. Ignore subtitles. There is no minimum word requirement for the title. Letters may be used only as many times as they appear in the target phrase.
Option 4: Some Newbery Medal winners wrote across genres. Read a book by one of the authors on the list (in Option 1) that does not have Childrens as a MPG. (Esther Forbes, Neil Gaiman, Madeleine L'Engle, and Robin McKinley are just a few examples).
25.2 - Tien's Task: New Year New Goals
Help Thread
This is a 2 book task. Pick two options below, and read one book for each option.
REQUIRED: State the options you used when you post.
1. Dust off some old books.
Read a book that has been on your TBR for at least 5 years.
NOTE: Your To-Be-Read list may be your GR shelf, a custom GR shelf, or an off-GR list.
REQUIRED: please state what list you are using and when book was added to your personal TBR
2. Have fun with favourite tropes.
Read a book from one of these lists about my favourite tropes:
Girls Disguised as Boys
Friends to Lovers From the first 25 pages of the list.
REQUIRED: please state the list you used and the page on which your book is found.
3. Continuing series.
Read a book in a series that is the third (3rd) or higher in series. Series name & number must be noted in grey parenthesis under book title.
25.3 - Cat's Task: Operation Clean Slate
Help Thread
The attempt to clear the backlog of books we've not read is never-ending, but here's some encouragement to clear off some more!
ALL books must be new-to-you. REQUIRED: State in your post that the book(s) used are new to you.
No books with the MPG children or kids may be used. All books must have been added to your TBR by November 21.
Your book(s) must have a combined page number of at least 500 pages.
NOTE: Your To-Be-Read list may be your GR shelf, a custom GR shelf, or an off-GR list.
REQUIRED: please state what list you are using and when book was added to your personal TBR
Option One:
Read two books on your TBR that across their combined titles, contain the letters CLEAN SLATE (must find all the letters, i.e. 2 of L, E, A).
One must have been on your TBR for at least 12 months
REQUIRED: indicate in your post which book has been on your TBR for at least 12 months and when it was added.
Option Two:
Read one book on your TBR that contains the letters CLEAN SLATE in its title and subtitle (must find all the letters , i.e. 2 of L, E, A)
25.4 - Andy P.’s Task: Dog Shows
Help Thread
I have spent the last few weeks doing what I planned to do last November but COVID interfered. So this is a year late, but worth trouble as my dog Emo has achieved the title of Companion Dog.’ We have been competing in Obedience trials which requires that the dog demonstrate his ability to carry out certain commands at three different trials He must heel both on and off lead, do a figure 8, stand while a judge touches him without moving, come and sit in front of handler, sit while handler go to get the leash and return, and sit and down for 1 minute each. After displaying that he can do these skills he is said to have qualified and receives a green ribbon.
To honor Emo’s accomplishments read two books that satisfy the following conditions.
The combined page count of the two books must be at least 500 pages.
No books with Children’s or Kids as a Main Page Genre may be used for this task, and only books written by a single author may be used.
Book 1. Read a book by an author whose initials(all of them) may be found in the phrase COMPANIONDOG
Book 2. Read a book with a title (subtitles excluded) in which the letters for the word GREEN can be found i.e.1 G, 1 R, 2E’s and 1 N.
Mod
Help Thread
The Wizard of Oz brings back lots of memories for me. I loved it as a child, and my children carried on the tradition; the movie seemed to play on repeat for days when they were young. These tasks pay tribute to Dorothy and some of her favorite companions.
This is a two book task, using two different options. REQUIRED: specify in your post the options you used.
Option 1: My dogs have been a source of comfort and love during these long months of isolation and they mean the world to me. Dorothy had her courageous Toto who got her through some tough times at home and in Oz.
Read a book that has the same two letters sequentially in the same order in the title (ignore subtitles). The letters can be in the same word (like Toto) or in two separate words of at least three letters each .
Examples: Toto Among the Murderers (ToTo as well as murdERERs)
Heaven Adjacent ("en" is in each word)
Won’t work: All Her Little Secrets (er in Her and re in Secrets are the same two letters, but reversed--not in order)
Option 2: L. Frank Baum named Dorothy Gale after his niece, Dorothy Gage, who passed away when she was 5 months old.
Read a book that has two words in the title (ignore subtitles) that only have one letter different, like Gale and Gage. Each word must be at least three letters long and you can’t scramble the letters, they must remain in order.
Example: When Ghosts Come Home (change the C in Come to an H to make Home)
Option 3: The three farmhands in Kansas were Hunk, Hickory and Zeke.
Read a book by an author who has the letter “K” anywhere in their name. If the book is by multiple authors, all must have a K in their name.
25.6 - Kaora's Task: Honoring Family
Help Thread
This is been a year of ups and downs, but the one constant has been family. So this task is in honor of my family and is dedicated to my two children.
Choose one option from my son's category, and one from my daughters or read one book that is at least 500 pages which fulfills an option from BOTH categories.
EVAN'S OPTIONS:
1: My son loves to read books on Space, and is full of Space-related facts. For this option read a book with a MPG of Space.
2: Evan was born 11/12/12. Lots of repeated digits! Read a book that has the same two letters sequentially in the same order in the title (ignore subtitles). For example, The Sins of Our Father works because TH is repeated in THe and FaTHer
3: My son loves to play video games as well. One of his favorites and one he recently beat was called "Hello Neighbor". Read a book where all initials of the author are in HELLO NEIGHBOR.
RILEY'S OPTIONS:
1: My daughter loves everything girly and loves to wear anything flowery. For this option read a book with a flower on the cover. Can be a drawing, but must be easily identifiable as a flower. REQUIRED: Include the cover when you post.
Examples:
2: My daughter started Kindergarten this year. For this option read a book that has a minimum of three letter word that can be made from KINDERGARTEN CLASS in the title or subtitle. (Kind, Great, Last all work)
3: Riley is our youngest child and looks up to her big brother in the most adorable way. Read a book that follows another book. #2 in a series. The series title and number must be listed in grayscale after the book's title on its main page.
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30.1 - Aprilleigh’s Task: The Computer Curse
Help Thread
No books with the main page genre children or kids may be used. You can use one book with a main page genre of graphic novel, sequential art, comics, etc.
Each book should be at least 250 pages.
In 1871, Prussian Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke wrote an essay on military strategy that said “No plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first encounter with the main enemy forces,” or, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.”
I do a battle plan for every SRC season that theoretically has me completing the challenge about a month or so before it ends (depending on the number of tasks, of course). They never survive contact with the enemy of daily life and responsibilities. Usually I finish within days of the early-finish cutoff, or I don’t finish at all. This time, even though life interfered in a big way, it was beneficial to my reading plan instead of gumming up the works.
One memorable distraction was a last-minute trip to NYC to help my sister move. By last-minute I mean I messaged her at 10pm when I realized she was overwhelmed and was on the road with a car full of boxes, packing supplies, and my teenaged son the following afternoon. Including driving time, we were gone for four days. Her adoptive father, who is a well-known cartoonist, lives with her. I packed up his papers, including original artwork, sketches, notes, and fan mail. It gave me a unique perspective on his work (I was a fan long before I knew his daughter was my sister).
My unusually early finish despite that trip is almost entirely due to my MacBook Pro blowing up on me shortly after I returned home. I do everything on my laptop, which became very apparent when I was without it for nearly a month. In the end, they had to replace the logic board three times before they isolated the problem (a bad cooling fan), and had to replace a year-old battery because the initial problem destroyed that, too. I ended up with nothing to distract me other than my books, although posting the completed tasks would have to wait because there was no way I was trying to do that on my phone! I may never catch up on writing reviews. My apologies for the flood I posted the week I finally got the computer back.
Book 1: In honor of my lovely sister, read a book that is set at least 80% in NYC (includes The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island), AND with a ‘4’ in either the number of pages or the series number (series number must appear in grey-scale on the Goodreads record and must be a whole number - no 4.5).
Examples:
American Psycho (384 pages)
Literally Murder (#4 in the Black Cat Bookshop Mystery series)
Book 2: To commemorate the second event, read a book with either LOGIC or BOARD intact in the title (subtitles are excluded), AND with a ‘3’ in either the number of pages or the series number (series number must appear in grey-scale on the Goodreads record and must be a whole number - no 3.5).
Examples:
Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth (352 pages)
Board Stiff (#38 in the Xanth series)
30.2 - TessaVaness's Task: What does home mean to you?
Help Thread
Please choose two different options below for your two books. REQUIRED: State in your post the options that you chose.
Option 1: For the first 5 years of my life we lived at my grandma’s house. These years were great ones. I remember so many things from this time: playing with cousins who were there too, picking black raspberries from her garden, playing games at the dining room table and working on jigsaw puzzles with her.
In honor of my grandma read a book by a single author whose initials can be found in GRANDMA WOLFE.
Option 2: The next house I lived in was right across the street from my grandma’s house. I was so lucky to grow up with a grandparent across the street and the other grandparent across the alley. I lived in this house until I moved out when I got married. It’s strange but everytime I dream about me being in a house it is always this house I dream of.
Read a book with all the letters of DREAM in the title. Ignore subtitles
Option 3: When I got married we bought a house that was located on Maple Street. I loved this little house, but we outgrew it quickly once the children started arriving.
Read a book that has a tree name from this list of tree themed street names in the title: https://localwiki.org/davis/Street_Na.... Ignore the variations of a street (i.e. Lane, Avenue, Place, Drive, etc.)
The street names are listed in post 2 of the help thread.
Option 4: We’ve lived in our current house 25 years and have no intention of moving at this time. This house is 2 stories with 4 bedrooms and was built in 1920.
Read a book that doesn't include any of these numbers in the page count: 0,1,2,4,5,9 .
30.3 - MAZZA1's Task: From Alpha to Zulu
Help Thread
I have a very simple name but my first name is pronounced differently from the norm and my surname has several possible different spellings. I have therefore become very adept at spelling out my name using the Phonetic alphabet whenever I am talking to officials on the phone
For this task we are going to use the phonetic alphabet to select your books: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_ph...... The alphabet is listed below.
This is a Two book task. No books with the main page genre childrens or kids can be used.
Book one: Read a book with a word from the phonetic alphabet in its TITLE (no subtitles)
Book Two: the phonetic alphabet uses words that may also be used as names.
Read a book whose SINGLE author has one of these names (in any position).
As we are trying to maintain the Phonetics of the words, words must be as written and spelt in the alphabet EXCEPT for
1. Juliett” where an E may be added or the T taken away– i.e.. Juliet, Juliett, or Juliette will be acceptable and
2. Whiskey which may be spelt WHISKY.
Phonetic Alphabet:
ALPHA
BRAVO
CHARLIE
DELTA
ECHO
FOXTROT
GOLF
HOTEL
INDIA
JULIETT (JULIET OR JULIETTE)
KILO
LIMA
MIKE
NOVEMBER
OSCAR
PAPA
QUEBEC
ROMEO
SIERRA
TANGO
UNIFORM
VICTOR
WHISKEY (WHISKY)
X-RAY
YANKEE
ZULU
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Help Thread
I am a kindergarten teacher and winter is full of crazy fun! Choose 2 different tasks. REQUIRED: state the options you used.
NOTE - you may chose any 2 options - they are simply divided this way because 2 are inspired by activities from each month.
December -
1.a. in December my class performs an adorable Christmas program and one of the perennial favorites is Milton the Dancing Christmas Mouse. Read a book with a word of at least four letters in the TITLE that can be made from the letters in MILTON THE DANCING CHRISTMAS MOUSE
1.b. For the month of December we read and compare many versions of Gingerbread stories and cap it all off with a gingerbread party. Read a book where all the author’s initials can be found in GINGERBREAD.
January -“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” This month in kindergarten we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of standing up for justice.
2.a. Read a book with Race or Social Justice on Main Page genres - may be embedded
2.b. Read a book from one of these lists: (must meet SRC requirements):
Essential Reading for a King
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fiction and Nonfiction
REQUIRED: State in your post the list used .
February - February is the month where we celebrate our 100th day of school.
3.a. Read a book that is at least 100 years old (published in 1922 (inclusive) or before)
3.b. Read a book with a TITLE or SUBTITLE that contains the number (not word) 100. The 100 can have a symbol with it ($100 or 100%)
30.5 - Judy's Task: Some SRC New “Favorite Things”
Help Thread
I have been doing the SRC for 12 years, and I finally finished!
In celebration during this season of “favorite things” I would like to share some of my favorites from doing the challenge over the years.
Read 2 books. You may do different options or the same option twice.
REQUIRED: State the option(s) when you post.
No books with the main page genre childrens or kids may be used for this task.
Option 1- Before I did SRC, I seemed to have missed out on reading many of the classics- or maybe I just forgot them.
Read a book with a main page genre Classics
Option 2- My fantasy reading was limited before the SRC. During one season there was a cover task requiring a reptile on the cover. Dragons qualified as reptiles, and I was introduced to the Temeraire dragon series which opened up more fantasy opportunities for me.
Read a book with at least a 3 word title where all the initial letters are in DRAGON and/or FANTASY
Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
Option 3- Science fiction was a new genre for me, but I have developed a love of space opera.
Read a book from this list
Excellent Space Opera
NOTE: This list specifically only allows book 1 of a series to be included. You may read any book in a series, if the first book is included on the list.
REQUIRED: State the page of the list your book appears on when you post. If your book is not specifically listed, state the page on which book 1 of that series is listed.
Option 4- My eyes aren’t as young as they used to be. Audiobooks help me to read when my eyes give up.
Read a book by a single author whose initials (first and last- you may ignore middle initials) can be found in AUDIOBOOKS. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the phrase.
30.6 - MegSCL's Task: Part and Whole
Help Thread
Book 1: Read a collection or anthology. This can be short stories, novellas, poems, essays etc. There must be at least 3 authors/contributors, listed as authors or in the main page description of the book. If the authors are not listed, you can ask for help in the Anyone with librarian status thread.
Book 2: Choose one of the authors who contributed to Book 1. Read a book that they have solo authored (e.g. a novel or a collection of stories written by the one author).
Example:
book 1 - Manhattan Noir
book 2 - China Trade by S.J. Rozan
NOTE: Sometimes, the Goodreads record includes more info for some editions than others. If the edition you read for book 1 does not list authors in either the author field or the book's description, please include a link in your post to the edition that does contain the info.
Mod
Help Thread
January 3 is Festival of Sleep Day, a day to catch up on sleep lost during the busy holiday season.
Read one book 1 and one book 2.
Don’t count sheep, count pages.
The total number of pages for both books must be at least 500 pages.
Book 1. Read a book with ALL the letters in SLEEP, including 2 Es, in the TITLE. Subtitles are excluded.
book 2. Catch some Zs. Read a book with at least 2 Zs in any combination of the title, subtitle, and/or single author’s name.
30.8 - Nick KY’s task: Four Years, Four Films: 2000 – 2003
Help Thread
The Fall challenge had a theme of the Nineties. I decided to move forward into Winter by moving forward in years for this task, (well… four years forward). Here are some of my favorite films from the period 2000-2003.
Read two books, one from two different options. Each option is based on one of the films. REQUIRED: Indicate in your post the options that you used.
The task requires the page count for the two books to total at least 400 pp.
This task allows the use of one book with a main page genre of comics, manga, etc. that fit the general SRC requirements.
These are films for adults. No books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
Option 1. Film1. Memento by Christopher Nolan. Leonard, played by Guy Pearce, has many tattoos to help him with his memory loss. Two of these tattoos give him some names, but only one is definitive in character, so we will use it. The tattoo reads: FACT 4: LAST NAME G______
Read a book whose author has a last name beginning with a G.
Option 2. Film 2. Minority Report is a Steven Spielberg film from a story by Philip K. Dick. Read a book from the following list: Minority Authors.
REQUIRED: State in your post the page on which your book was found.
Option 3. Film 3. Paycheck is another great science fiction film from a story by Philip K. Dick. Read a book with a GR MPG of “Science Fiction,” alone or imbedded, that was first published in the years of Philip K. Dick’s lifetime, 1928 – 1982 (inclusive). Philip K. Dick
Option 4. Film 4. Twin Towers is a 2002 documentary about two brothers, policeman Joseph Vigiano and firefighter John Vigiano, Jr., and their actions during the Sept. 11 attacks. It won the Oscar for best short film documentary.
Read a book that has a title of exactly TWO WORDS (articles count). The book may have an additional subtitle.
(Optional: Enjoy watching any or all 4 films!)
30.9 - Sandy's Task: Wowbrary!
Help Thread
Every Saturday morning, the first thing I do (once I've made coffee), is check my email for my Wowbrary newletter. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this, it's a newsletter from the library (tailored for your specific library), listing the new books that the library has ordered that week. I love to jump in first thing, so that I can put holds on the books I particularly want to read - and since I'm a very early riser, I generally am able to get a great position in the holds line.
For this task, you will read 2 books, one from each of the options below. At least one of those books must be nonfiction (real nonfiction, not pseudo nonfiction about things like zombie attacks). The other book may be fiction or nonfiction. REQUIRED: Indicate in your post which book is nonfiction.
No books with the genres childrens or kids may be used. Your books must have a combined number of pages of at least 600.
Book 1: Read a book with a single author, with ALL of the author's initials found in WOWBRARY. Letters may be used only as often as they appear.
Book 2: Read a book with a title of at least 3 words, where the initial letter of each title word can be found in I LOVE MY LIBRARY.
Mod
Help Thread
Advent calendars are a popular way to count down the days until Christmas, from December 1st to 24th. For this task, I've created an advent calendar image where each day represents a different book genre.
This is a 3 book challenge. The total page count for all books must be at least 750 pages. No books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
Go to RollADie.net - https://rolladie.net/ - and roll a 24 sided die 3 times. Record your rolls. Using the calendar below, read one book for each roll with the main page genre that matches the number you rolled. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Required: List your rolls when you post.
You may only roll one set of 3 dice, with one exception. If you roll the same number more than once, you can choose to keep that roll (which would mean you read multiple books from the same genre) or disregard that roll and try again.
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
A Murder of Quality (other topics)Callander Square (other topics)
Gone to the Forest (other topics)
Get a Life, Chloe Brown (other topics)
The Things We Cannot Say (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Philip K. Dick (other topics)S.J. Rozan (other topics)
L. Frank Baum (other topics)
L. Frank Baum (other topics)
5.1 - Dorothy, Dot, & Dotty
Help Thread
Dorothy Gale (nicknamed Dotty) is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum as the protagonist in his Oz novels. Read a book written by an author whose first name begins with the letter D. Books with multiple contributors will work if all authors' first names begin with D.
5.2 - ...and Your Little Dog, Too!
Help Thread
Toto was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry (her popularity in the 1939 movie led her trainer to formally change her name to Toto in 1942). Read a book written by a single author with a name part that matches Terry or a name related to Terry: https://www.behindthename.com/name/te...
Names must match exactly but they may be in any position (first, middle, last).
5.3 - "It's A Twister!"
Help Thread
Dorothy ends up in the land of Oz after being swept away in a tornado. Read a book set at least 50% in one or more of the states located in the area known as Tornado Alley (Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa or Nebraska).
REQUIRED: Indicate the location in which the book is set in your post. If the location is not specified in the metadata or GR description, include a citation to establish the setting.
5.4 - We're Not in Kansas Anymore
Help Thread
Dorothy's line, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” has become an idiomatic phrase that means circumstances outside of what is considered normal, strange situations, and encountering different rules, customs, and unfamiliar objects and activities. Read a book with the MPG Fantasy and/or Science Fiction.
5.5 - The Land of Oz
Help Thread
Since the early 20th century, Australia has colloquially been referred to as Oz. Read a book set in Australia or written by author born in Australia. REQUIRED: If the location is not specified in the metadata or GR description, include a citation to establish the setting.
5.6 - Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Help Thread
Read a book found on the list: Yellowest Books Ever list. All SRC rules apply, including those surrounding the use of children's books and page length.
Required: State the page on which the book can be found when you post.
5.7 - The Emerald City
Help Thread
Read a book with a word from the Shades of Green list in the title/subtitle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of... Words may be used individually (ex: "spring" or "dark" or "green" may be used for the color "dark spring green"). Plurals and possessives will work but no other variations. Exceptions noted in list of colors in post 2 of help thread.
5.8 - Just Click Your Heels...
Help Thread
To get back home, Dorothy must tap her heels together three times... Read book that is #3 in a series. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing in grayscale parentheses following the title.
5.9 - Home Sweet Home
Help Thread
...and think "there's no place like home." Read a book with all the letters of HOME in the TITLE. Subtitles are excluded.
5.10 - Heart's Desire
Help Thread
Dorothy aims to find her heart's desire over the rainbow. Find yours by reading a book of your choice that meets SRC rules. For this task only, you may choose a book with the genre Childrens or Kids that is not found in AR Bookfinder - this does NOT allow the use of childrens books that are found in ARBF but do not meet SRC requirements.