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SPRING CHALLENGE 2022
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Spring Challenge 2022: Tasks
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10.1 - Scarecrow
Help Thread
Read a book with a word of 3 or more letters in the title or subtitle that can be made from the letters in SCARECROW. Letters may only be used as many times as they appear in the target word.
Required: State the word when you post.
10.2 - The Wisest in All of Oz
Help Thread
Just to name a few, the Scarecrow of Oz has been portrayed by:
• Frank Moore in the 1914 film His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz
• Larry Semon in the 1925 version of The Wizard of Oz
• Ray Bolger in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz
• Hinton Battle in the 1975 musical The Wiz
• Michael Jackson in the 1978 musical film adaptation The Wiz
• Justin Case in the 1985 film Return to Oz
• Jackson Browne in the 1995 television musical The Wizard of Oz in Concert
• Steve Whitmire (voicing Kermit the Frog) in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
• Elijah Kelley in The Wiz Live!
• Ari Zagaris in Dorothy and the Witches of Oz
• Oliver Jackson-Cohen in Emerald City
Read a book written by an author who shares a name with one of the performers listed. Names must match exactly, but may be in any position (first, middle, last). Books written by multiple authors may be used, but all contributors must fit the task.
10.3 - If I Only Had a Brain
Help Thread
The Scarecrow was in search of a brain. Help him out by reading a book from the Thought Provoking book list.
Required: State the PAGE of the list on which your book appears when you post.
10.4 - Brains, Brains, Brains!
Help Thread
Run - the zombies are coming! Read a zombie book.
Required: If the presence of zombies is not obvious in the book's description, provide a link to a reference to establish fit when you post.
10.5 - Spring Break
Help Thread
You survived the zombie attack. Let's party! Read a book set at least 50% in one or more of these popular spring break destinations:
Barcelona, London, Paris; Florida, Hawaii, Texas; Bahamas, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico
Required: If the setting is not obvious in the book's description or metadata, provide a link to a reference to establish fit when you post.
10.6 - Renewal
Help Thread
Spring is a time of renewal. Plants begin to flower and animals come out of hibernation. Read a book with the MPG Plants or Animals. Genres may be standalone or embedded.
10.7 - Holi
Help Thread
Holi, also known as the "Festival of Colors," celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love and for many, it is a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships.
Read a book with a title that begins with one of these letters: H, O, L, I. All words count (including A, An, and The).
10.8 - Feria Nacional de San Marcos
Help Thread
The Feria Nacional de San Marcos (San Marcos Fair) is a national fair held in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes every year for three (or sometimes four) weeks. The exact date of the fair varies every year but is set around April 25, the Feast Day of San Marcos.
Read a book with a title of at least 3 words where the initial letter of all title words can be found in FERIA NACIONAL DE SAN MARCOS. Letters may only be used as many times as they appear in the target phrase. Subtitles should be ignored.
Ex: Only a Monster (OAM) found in MARCOS
10.9 - Spring Into a Good Book
Help Thread
Read a book first published in March, April, or May (of any year) that has an average Goodreads rating of 4.0 or higher.
10.10 - Spring Series
Help Thread
Read a book in a series with a series title that begins with a letter in SPRING. Articles (a, an, the) may be ignored. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing in grayscale parentheses following the title.
Ex: Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1)
The Twelve (The Passage #2)
Mod
15.1 - Hemispheres
Help thread
Hemisphere- each of the two parts of the cerebrum (left and right) in the brain of a vertebrate. also, a half of the earth, usually as divided into northern and southern halves by the equator.
Read 2 books, one book 1 and one book 2.
Book 1: Read a book set at least 50% in a country that is located entirely the Northern Hemisphere using this link. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norther...
Countries/territories/regions listed as Partly or Mostly set in the Northern Hemisphere do not work.
Required: State the country
Book 2: Read a book set at least 50% in a country that is located entirely the Southern Hemisphere using this link. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souther...
Countries/territories/regions listed as Partly or Mostly set in the Southern Hemisphere do not work.
Required: State the country
15.2 Right/Left
Help Thread
A brain is divided into two halves, or hemispheres. Within each half, particular regions control certain functions.
Read 2 books, one book 1 and one book 2.
Book 1, The right brain is sometimes referred to as the analog brain. It has a more creative and less organized way of thinking.
Read a FICTION book with a title that begins with a letter in RIGHT.
ex. H = House of Sky and Breath
I = I Must Betray You
Book 2, The left brain is sometimes referred to as the digital brain It is more analytical and orderly than the right brain.
Read a NONFICTION book with a title that begins with a letter in LEFT.
L = Lost & Found: A Memoir
T = To Boldly Grow: Finding Joy, Adventure, and Dinner in Your Own Backyard
15.3 - Wordle
Help Thread
Select one option.
Required: State the option.
Option 1. Read two books, one book 1 and one book 2:
Book 1 - Guess the 5 letter word.
Read a book with a one-word title that is exactly five letters. Words that include punctuation or numbers do not work. Subtitles should be ignored.
AND
Book 2 -Guess the word in 6 tries:
Read a book that is number 1 thru 6 in a series. The book must have a whole number series designation (#1 - #6). The series name and number must be indicated in grayscale parentheses following the title on the GR page.
OR
Option 2: Read one book that satisfies the requirements for both books of Option 1.
Taken, Smoke
15.4 - "Password" is not a Password
Help Thread
World Password Day is May 5. CartoonDuck14!Coffee is an example of a stronger password. It contains uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
Select one option.
Required: State the option.
Option 1. Read 2 books, one book 1 and one book 2.
Book 1 - Read a book with a number (expressed as a digit 1,2,3,4, etc. ) in the title or subtitle.
AND
Book 2- Read a book with at least one of these special characters in the title or subtitle:
! exclamation point
@ commercial at
# number sign
$ dollar sign
% percent sign
& ampersand
* asterisk
? question mark
OR
Option 2: Read one book that satisfies the requirements for both books of Option 1.
example: Milk!: A 10,000-Year Food Fracas
The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden
15.5 - Hey Joe!
Help Thread
March 27 is National Joe Day. Read a book written by a single author named Joe or one of the related names at https://www.behindthename.com/name/jo...
The name may be in any position, but must match a listed name exactly.
15.6. - That’s Dr. Scarecrow
Help Thread
“Why, anybody can have a brain. That's a very mediocre commodity. Every pusillanimous creature that crawls on the Earth or slinks through slimy seas has a brain. Back where I come from, we have universities, seats of great learning, where men go to become great thinkers. And when they come out, they think deep thoughts and with no more brains than you have! But they have one thing you haven't got - a diploma. Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Universitatus Committeatum E Pluribus Unum, I hereby confer upon you the honorary degree of Th. D...that's Doctor of Thinkology.”
Read a book by an author who has all the letters T H D in his/her name.
Matthew Desmond, Helen DeWitt, Anthony Doerr
15.7 - NeuroAware
Help Thread
April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day
Read a book that has been shelved as Neurodiversity from the first 25 pages of this list: Neurodiversity
Required: State the page.
15.8 - Mr Potato Head
Help Thread
1 May 1952 – 70 years ago, the children’s toy Mr Potato Head went on sale. The previous day, 30th April 1952, it also became the first toy advertised on U.S. television. The original toy included pushpin parts that could be attached to a potato to make a "funny face man"
Read a book with a word in the title or subtitle that was one of the original toy parts: hand, foot, ear, mouth, eye, nose, hat, eyeglasses, pipe, hair. Plurals and possessives work, no other variations.
15.9 - Hall of Famer
Help Thread
Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play Major League Baseball on April 15, 1947. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, ending the racial segregation that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues.
Read a book by an author whose initials (all) can be found in Jackie Robinson.
15.10 - Scare More Than Crows
Help Thread
A scarecrow is an object made to resemble a human figure, set up to scare birds away from a field where crops are growing. Get ready to get scared.
Read a book with a main page genre Horror. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Mod
20.1 - Most Improved - Delicious Dee's Task: Happy Birthday to Me!
Help Thread
It just so happens that my 40th birthday falls within this season's challenge (yikes, where has time gone). One of my bucket list items has been learning to play Cello and I just took the plunge to sign up for lessons. So let's celebrate me marking something off my bucket list.
Pick 1 option and read a book that fits. The book must be a MINIMUM of 200 pages. No children's books allowed.
Required: State the option.
Option 1: Read a book where the ALL the letters CELLO, including 2 Ls, can be found in the title (excluding subtitle).
Option 2: Read a book where the author's first and last initials can be found in the letters CELLO - letters may only be used as often as they appear.
Option 3: Read a book off the following list: String Instrument Covers
Required: State the page.
20.2 - Rookie At The Top - Lucy-Bookworm's Task: Books For A Bookworm
Help Thread
I am “Lucy-Bookworm”. I started reading at a very young age & haven't stopped since. My Mum recalled me walking into breakfast aged around 3 (long before I'd started school), picking up the cereal box & sitting reading the back of it, simply because it was there & therefore needed reading. So, what could be better than a book challenge task to read a book … about books!
Read a book with one of the following words in the title or subtitle:
Book, Bookworm, Bookshelf, Bookshop, Bookstore, Bookseller, Library
Possessives & plurals eg The Bookseller's Secret, Climbing the Bookshelves: The Autobiography of Shirley Williams are allowed, but no other variations.
20.3 - Best Review – Lauren Jodi's Task: Henry Rex
Help Thread
The book I reviewed, Mistress of the Art of Death, is set during the reign of King Henry II of England. This made me think of other English kings named Henry. Some of these monarchs have been recognized as great warriors or leaders while others are infamous for their weakness and immorality. This task focuses on both.
Select one option.
REQUIRED: State the option you chose when posting.
Option 1: Band of Brothers
Immortalized in William Shakespeare's eponymous play, Henry V is recognized as one of medieval Europe's greatest military leaders and warrior kings.
Read a book with the MPG of Military Fiction either standalone or embedded.
Option 2: The King in the Tower
Unlike his fearsome father, Henry VI was a weak ruler who suffered a series of mental breakdowns. His misconduct and misrule resulted in civil war and the ascendency of the House of York over the House of Lancaster.
Henry VI was deposed and imprisoned in the Tower of London twice. He died on May 21, 1471, and was most likely assassinated on the orders of his successor, Edward IV.
Read a book with the word "king" or "tower" in the title. Plurals and possessives are allowed but no other variations. Subtitles are excluded.
Option 3: The War of the Roses
A descendent of the Lancastrian branch of the House of Plantagenet, Henry VII was the last English king to win his crown in battle by defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Henry VII consolidated his claim to the throne by marrying Elizabeth of York and ending the War of the Roses.
The heraldic emblem of the House of York is the white rose while the emblem of the House of Lancaster is the red rose.
Read a book with a single white rose or a single red rose on the cover.
Required: Post the cover
Option 4: Off with Her Head!
Unlike his father Henry VII, who was by all accounts a loving and faithful husband, Henry VIII is infamous for having six wives and innumerable mistresses. Two of Henry's wives, Anne Boleyn (mother of Elizabeth I) and Katherine Howard (Anne's cousin), were beheaded for adultery, which was considered an act of treason.
Read a book from the first 25 pages of the Adultery Shelf
Required: State the page
20.4 - Golden Oldies - Robin P’s Task: Saluting Brains
Help Thread
Read a book from one of the 3 options. Standard SRC rules apply. Books with the MPG Children’s are excluded.
Required: State the option used.
Option 1: Our theme this quarter is brains, and brains are good at all sorts of learning, not just academics. Read a book from this list of Brainy Books
Required: State the page number on which the book appears.
Option 2: I learn best by means of a story. Much of the history I know is from fiction books. (This can have its drawbacks!) I read a lot of mysteries and romance, but mostly set in the past, when there are no cell phones or internet to make things easy for detection – or love. Some authors deliberately set their books in pre-Internet times to give themselves more story possibilities.
Read a book with MPG History, Historical, Historical fiction, Historical romance, Historical mystery, or Alternate History. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Option 3: Very brainy people can qualify to join MENSA. Read a book whose author’s initials (all) can be found in MENSA BRAIN.
20.5 - Bigger is Better – Kristi CO's task - Literary Cat Names
Help Thread
In 2020, I adopted two orange kittens. I had just put down my 18-year-old cat Squeak, and the only thing that was going to alleviate the grief was bringing home some new furballs. Squeak had been the runt of the litter and was only 6 pounds. However, these new girls are about 12 pounds each, so I’ve quadrupled the weight of cat in my household! I don’t know if bigger is necessarily better in this case, but I’m so happy to have them. It was difficult to name the sisters, but given my love of reading, it’s only fitting that I adapted the names of two beloved authors. Introducing Louisa May Alcatt and Margaret Catwood, nicknamed Lulu and Rita! Lulu is a sweetheart with the loudest purr. Rita has taken much longer to warm up to me, so her infrequent purrs are all the more special. We will celebrate their 2nd birthday on March 22nd.
The options for this task revolve around the cats and their namesakes, Louisa May Alcott and Margaret Atwood.
No books with the MPG children or kids may be used.
Select one option.
Required: State the option in your post.
Option 1: Margaret Atwood was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Read a book written by a single author who was born in Canada.
Required: If the author's place of birth is not obvious on the author's main Goodreads page, provide a reference to establish birthplace when you post.
Option 2: My favorite Margaret Atwood book is Oryx and Crake.
Read a book with a main page genre of Dystopia, Apocalyptic, or Speculative Fiction (may be stand alone or embedded).
Option 3: Even though I moved to Massachusetts a few years ago, I have yet to visit Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House in nearby Concord.
Read a book set at least 50% in the New England region states: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island
Required: If the setting is not obvious in the book's description or metadata, provide a link to a reference to establish fit when you post.
Option 4: Read a book with ‘cat’ intact in the title/subtitle.
Examples: Catching Fire; Cat's Cradle
Option 5: Read a book written by a single author who has a name with at least three parts (i.e first, middle, last name) as listed on Goodreads. For this task, initials do NOT work - it must be a name. (Cathy Park Hong works, but E.M. Forster does not.)
Option 6: Little Women and The Handmaid's Tale are immensely popular books - each has almost 2 million ratings on Goodreads!
Read a book that appears on the One Million Ratings! list.
Mod
20.6 - Seasoned Reader - Helen B's Task: Spring Begins
Help Thread
Let’s celebrate Spring, a time of new beginnings and fresh growth.
Pick one of the following options and read a book that meets the requirements. Books with the MPG Childrens are excluded.
Required: Identify the option.
1. Explore new beginnings by reading a book from the list: Do-Overs and Fresh Starts
Required: State the page where you selected your book.
2. I live in New England and the sight of the first crocus poking through the snow always brings me joy. Read a book with a flower in bloom on the cover. The picture can be an illustration but petals must be clearly visible.
Examples:
3. Read the first book (#1) in a series. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing in grayscale parentheses following the title.
ex. The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
20.7 - Shorter is Sweeter - MEGSCL's Task: Wordle Wordle Wordle!
Help Thread
Like many people, I've been a bit obsessed with Wordle lately. As well as the original, there are a lot of fun variants out there. Here are a few of my favourites.
Choose one option and read one book. Graphic novels are allowed for this task.
Required: Identify the option.
1. WORLDLE. This game involves identifying a country from its map. Read a book with a map on the cover.
ex.
Required: Post the cover
2. DORDLE, QUORDLE, SEDECORDLE. Why do one wordle when you can do 2 or 4 or 16!? Read a book that is #2 #4 or #16 in a series.
The series name and number must be indicated in grayscale parentheses following the title on the GR page.
3. WORDAWAZZLE. dingo, yobbo, smoko; can you guess the 5 letter Australian word? Read a book by an Australian author (by birth or current residence)
Required: If the author's status is not evident in the GR bio include a reference when you post.
20.8 - Nickels & Dimes: Paul's Task: Is 139 a Prime Number?
Help Thread
Amazon recently announced a price increase for Amazon Prime (to $139 and change).
Read a book that meets the requirements of one of the two options listed below.
Books with the MPG of Children or Kids are not allowed.
Books with the MPG of Sequential Art / Graphic Novels are allowed.
Minimum page count is 139 (of course), but please note the general SRC rule 2.5: "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."
Required: State the option you chose.
Option 1: Read a book written by a single author whose initials (all of them) can be found in the letters in "AMAZON PRIME".
Option 2: Read a book with a word of three or more letters in the title and/or subtitle that can be made from the letters in "AMAZON PRIME". You may only use letters as often as they appear in that phrase. Some examples: ZONE, RIPE, MAP, MAZE, EAR. Words must match exactly.
Required: State the word you chose.
20.9 - Moderator's Pet - Sarah E's Task: Most Volcanoes
Help Thread
Most Volcanoes Erupt Mulberry Jam Sandwiches Under Normal Pressure
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
This mnemonic for the planets of the solar system is one I have known since childhood, passed down by my space-loving Dad. Even though Pluto has now been downgraded, I'm sticking with it.
Read a book with a word in the title or subtitle that matches either a word from the mnemonic or the name of a planet in our solar system. For the purposes of this task that includes Pluto (Pressure). Singular or plural variations are allowed as are possessives, but no others.
20.10 - Group Reads
Read one of the books selected as a group read for the Spring 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: Non-US Based Mystery
The Thursday Murder Club
Discussion Thread
Fiction: Time Travel
Oona Out of Order AKA The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart
Discussion Thread
Nonfiction: Travel
Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other
Discussion Thread
Gutenberg Classic
The Enchanted April
Discussion Thread
Mod
25.1 - Sandy's Task: I Want My Baseball!
Help Thread
I was never much of a sports fan, until I moved to Boston in the mid-70s. Boston was a huge sports town and my husband was a lifelong baseball fan, so I grudgingly agreed to go to a Red Sox game with him (my previous baseball experience was being forced to attend my younger brother’s Little League games – NOT exciting!). One Red Sox game, and I was totally sucked in!
No childrens books may be used for this task. The combined total of the two books must equal at least 500 pages. Read 1 book from each of two options.
Book 1 – Read a nonfiction book with the main page genre Sports (standalone or embedded).
Book 2 – Read a book, fiction or nonfiction, with the single author’s initials (ALL initials) found in the phrase END THE LOCKOUT.
25.2 - Brooklyn's Task: Upcoming Milestone!
Help Thread
I have a milestone birthday coming up in 2023, which, God willing, I plan to celebrate by taking a “bucket list” trip. I can’t decide where I want to go, though, which is a problem. I’d like to have the destination set or at least narrowed down to 2 options by the end of the Spring SRC Challenge so I can start researching and planning, and so a couple of friends can decide if they can join me. This task is based off of my current top choices.
This task requires 2 books. Please choose 2 different options.
No books with children’s as a MPG can be used because this will be an adult trip.
Required: State which options you choose.
Option 1: Australia (and maybe also New Zealand)
I was in my early teens when the movie Crocodile Dundee was released, and it had me wanting to visit Australia ever since. (Yes, I realize it was a movie, but there was something about the accent…) I’d love to snorkel around the Great Barrier Reef, see Sydney, and visit a couple of friends in Melbourne. If time allows, it would be great to also spend time in New Zealand on this trip. I fell in love with the beauty of the land after watching The Lord of the Rings, which was filmed there.
Read a book set at least 75% in Australia or New Zealand.
Required: If the setting isn’t obvious from the GR description or metadata, include a reference that establishes the setting.
Option 2: Machu Picchu
I have never been to South America, but have long been intrigued by the continent. The part it plays in the planet’s sustainability, the passion of the people, the cultural diversity and its history make it difficult to narrow down where I’d go, but there is no question that Machu Picchu would be the focal point of the trip.
Read a book with a 2 word title. All words count, including articles. Subtitles should be ignored.
Option 3: African Safari
This trip has been on my list for as long as I’ve had one. If this choice ends up being selected, I’ll have to do a lot of research as to where exactly I want to go. There are so many countries that offer safaris, so the reputation of the guides, feedback from previous travelers and the political climate will all have to be taken into consideration.
Read a book set at least 50% in an African country. This list will be used for the countries: https://www.whereig.com/world-countri...
Required: State the country.
If the setting isn’t obvious from the GR description or metadata, include a reference that establishes the setting.
Option 4: Southeast Asia
Years ago I spent a week in Thailand and absolutely loved it. The people, the culture, the beautiful scenery and the food have had me wishing I could go back ever since. Last time I was in Bangkok and Phuket, so next time I’d like to see a different part of the country. If this option is chosen I’d also stay longer and travel to other countries in the general area like Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia. I haven’t met an Asian cuisine I don’t like, so trying the different foods in the new countries is something about which I’m really excited.
Read a book with a MPG of Food or Food & Drink. The genre can be standalone or embedded.
25.3 - Cat's Task: Good Reading
Help Thread
My industry has been grappling with the complex issues of ethical behaviour with increasing prominence the past six months, trying to work out how to balance cost with the need to support diverse communities and reduce harm done to the world. Lets wrestle with some of those ideas in our reading too!
One Graphic Novel / Manga MPG acceptable
One book must be non-fiction. The other can be fiction or non-fiction.
Both books must be new to you.
Required: State that the books are new-to-you.
This is a two book task; you can use the same option for both books, or (better!) choose two different options.
Option 1: Diversity - read a book not originally published in English. You can read a translation into English or another language, but the original book must have been first published in a language other than English.
Option 2: Inclusion - read a book shelved as Disability from the first 25 pages of this list: Disability
Required: State the page your book is found on.
Option 3: Environment - read a book from one of these lists:
Best Environmental Books
Cli-Fi: Climate Change Fiction
Required: State the list and page your book is found on.
Mod
25.4 - Wayne's Task:
Help Thread
At this time of year, I am usually eagerly looking forward to the start of Spring Training.In a few days from now, instead of cold, snowy Calgary, I can look at warm, sunny Dunedin, spring home of the Toronto Blue Jays! But as I write this, we are only five days away from games being removed from the regular season schedule, and all I can think about is the disastrous 1994-95 strike.
Choose any two options. The combined total of the two books must equal at least 500 pages. Books with a Childrens or Kids MPG are not permitted.
Required: Identify the options.
Option 1: Mr. Padre
Even though a lot of players were having excellent seasons, Tony Gwynn's season stood out. Throughout the season, I made a point of watching the highlights to see if he had inched closer to Ted Williams' .406 average. When the strike hit, I thought, 'Surely they'll settle this quickly and give Tony a shot at the first .400 season since 1941!" But no. He wound up with a .394 average. A great season, but not quite what it could have been.
Read a book with a page number that ENDS with a 3, 9, or 4. SRC page number rules apply.
Option 2: A Great Season, But...
Gwynn was not the only player to have an excellent year. Matt Williams of the San Francisco Giants had 43 homers when the strike hit, giving him a legitimate shots at Roger Maris' 61 homers in 1961, the record at the time, and Frank Thomas was AL MVP for the second year in a row. Ken Griffey Jr. who had 40 homers when the strike hit, summed it up neatly: "We picked a bad season to have a good year."
Find a word comprised of at least 4 consecutive letters in order, forward or backward, in the following: WEPICKEDABADSEASONTOHAVEAGOODYEAR
Read a book with that word in the title or subtitle.
Words such as pick, picked, seas, season, onto, have, good, goody, and year work.
Required: State the word.
Option 3: Les Expos
When the Expos joined the NL in 1969, I was of just the right age to become a diehard fan. I never missed a game. Singing "The Happy Wanderer", listening to Rusty Staub do his very best to speak French, and best of all, the PA rendition of the backup catcher's name: John Boccabellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllaaa! (And yes, that's really how he pronounced it.) Even though I lived thousands of miles from Montreal, I loved every minute of it.
Things looked really good for the Expos in 1994. Best record in MLB, six game lead over the Braves, what could possibly go wrong? The strike, that's what. Not only did it rob them of their shot at a World Series, they lost about a third of the season revenue, which forced them to sell four of their best players. Angry Montreal fans stayed away, putting the team in an even more desperate financial situation. It was the beginning of the end for Les Expos.
There is a silver lining, though. Former Expos mascot Youppi! is now plying his trade for the Montreal Canadiens, and has the distinction of being the only Canadian in the Mascot's Hall of Fame (There really is such a thing. I checked.)
Read a book with a doubled letter in the title.
Option 4: Sayonara MLB
With the strike threatening to drag into a second season, Kevin Mitchell, Shane Mack and Julio Franco, all of whom batted .325 or better in 1994, decided to play in Japan in 1995
Read a book set at least 50% in Japan.
Required: If the setting is not evident in the GR description or metadata provide a reference.
OPTIONAL: Who is the worst MLB Commissioner of all time?
A: Bud Selig
B: Rob Manfred
C: I want to see how badly Manfred messes things up before I decide
D: Other
Let's keep our fingers crossed everyone!
25.5 - Nick KY’s Task: Scarecrow Leftovers
Help Thread
Here are some “leftovers” adapted from the suggestions for Spring tasks – plus one of my own.
Select one option.
Required: State the option.
Option 1. Read two books from one or two of the following Suggestions. Both books should be below 500 pp in length, but total 500+ pp.:
Suggestion 1. From Lisa: "Ease on Down the Road":
Read a book from this list: Books by Black Authors
Required: State which page your choice(s) fall on.
Suggestion 2. From Dee: Freely adapting Dee’s “BRAIN” idea to be topical:
Read a book with the letter sequence “RAIN” intact in a word in the title/subtitle. Examples: Rain, Brain, Grain, Ukraine.
Suggestion 3. From me: I always watched "The Wizard of Oz" on TV. (Once, in college, I saw it on the big screen. The student audience sang along impromptu. It was strange.)
Read a book from the first 10 pages of GR’s “TV” genre list.
OR
Read a book from GR’s “Mass Communication” list.
Required: State the list and which page your choice(s) fall on.
Option 2. Read ONE book of 500+ pp which fits at least one of the above suggestions.
25.6 - KmarieD's Task: Reaching Goals
Help Thread
I have worked in libraries over 20 years and am a lifelong heavy reader. Towards the end of last year, I decided to make myself some goals for 2021/2022 that would help me structure my reading a little bit and surprisingly helped me finish the Winter challenge.
This is a 2-book task. Each book should be at least 200 pages. Choose a different option for each book. There are five options to choose from, I just labelled them to correspond with one of my goals. REQUIRED: Post which options you chose.
My Goal #1: Read as many books published in 2022 as I can. I had only read about 4 of the nominees for the Goodreads Choice Awards last year. I would like to be able to have a more relevant vote this year
Option 1 - Read a book first published in 2022.
Option 2 - Read a winning title from the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards.
My Goal #2: Read more childrens and young adult books. I have recently become manager of my library's bookmobile and run an outreach program for youth during the summer, so I need more awareness of their current literature for Reader's Advisory.
Option 3 - Read a book with MPG of Young Adult.
Option 4 - Read a book where a bookmobile or mobile library plays a role. The bookmobile or mobile library element must appear in the GR description or first page reviews.
ex. The Giver of Stars, Lending a Paw, Reading Places: Literacy, Democracy, and the Public Library in Cold War America
My Goal #3: Catch up on series I have already started, I have started sooooo many series and some of them have new books coming out this year. I need to catch up so I can read the new releases.
Option 5 - Read a book that is #2 or above in a series. Whole numbers only. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing in grayscale parentheses following the title.
25.7 - Andy P’s Task: Symmetry
Help Thread
Many things in nature display some form of symmetry. During the spring with plants and animals rousing themselves from a winter’s sleep this symmetry becomes apparent.
First the general guidelines for this task:
> No book containing the genre Children’s on the book’s main page may be used for this task
> All books used for this task must be written by a single author.
> One book must fulfill the requirements for Book One, the other must fulfill the requirements for Book 2.
> The total page count for both books must be 500 or more.
Book 1. Read a book that contains a word of at least 5 letters in the title that begins and ends with the same letter. Subtitles are excluded.
ex. Madam Tulip, Blue Ticket
Book 2. Read a book by an author whose name contains a name part that begins and ends with the same letter. The name part must be at least 3 letters. Any name part would work: first, middle, other, last. An author who uses a single name may be used.
Ex. Willow Aster, Mary Anna Evans, Sara Nelson, Sophocles
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25.8 - Amy FL’s task: Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On
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My family, unfortunately, has quite a bit of experience with brain-related disorders. My husband suffers from Parkinson’s disease (PD) and I have essential tremor. I’ve done my share of research in this area since my husband was diagnosed 17 years ago, so let’s put some of the terminology I’ve encountered to use here.
This is a two-book task. Read a book from two of the below options Required: Specify the options you have selected in your post.
Option 1: Neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine and serotonin, play a significant role in Parkinson’s disease.
Read a book with a word of 5 letters or more in the title that can be made from the letters in NEUROTRANSMITTERS. Letters may be used only as often as they appear and subtitles should be ignored.
Some examples: notes, treasure, mouse, train
Required: State the word.
Option 2: The part of the brain predominantly impacted in PD is the substantia nigra.
Read a book by a single author whose initials (all) are found in SUBSTANTIA NIGRA.
Option 3: PD is linked to pesticide exposure. My husband served in Vietnam and was exposed to Agent Orange which was presumed to be the cause of his condition.
Read a book with one of these color words in the title or subtitle: red, blue, yellow, orange, green or violet . The word must match exactly, no variations.
Option 4: Why not learn more about the brain?
To do so, read a book from the first ten pages of the Brain shelf.
Required: Specify the page where your book is found when you post.
25.9 - Tien's Task: Come on Down Under
Help Thread
Read two books, using 2 different options
OR
Read one book of 500+ pages which fits 2 different options
Required: State the options you use.
1. Come to the Outback
The term “Outback,” or “the bush,” defines any part of Australia removed from the more-settled edges of the continent. In other words, it is “out back” from the larger cities that reside on Australia's coasts. The Outback is typified as arid or semiarid, open land, often undeveloped.
Read a book from one of these lists:
Rural Romance Books
OR
Aussie Noir Books
OR
Outback Books
Required: State the list and page your book is found on.
2. Australian Women Writers
https://australianwomenwriters.com
I was a little sad that this challenge is no longer being run and yet, am still keen to read more, so...
Read a book written by a Woman Writer who is Australian by birth or residence.
A book with multiple authors is acceptable as long as all authors are Australian women.
Required: If the author's status is not evident on her GR bio include a reference when you post.
3. Indigenous Australia
At beginning of meetings / events, an Acknowledgement of Country is delivered. An Acknowledgement of Country is an opportunity for anyone to show respect for Traditional Owners and the continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country. We can't visit the Outback without Acknowledging the Traditional Owners:
Read a book from Indigenous Australia Books
Required: State the list and page your book is found on.
4. #LoveOzYA
#LoveOzYA https://loveozya.com.au
A hashtag I am barracking as it aims to promote Aussie YA books.
Read a book that has been shelved as LoveOzYA from this shelf loveozya
Required: State the page your book is found on.
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30.1 - Katrisa's Task: Dune
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This task is in honor of one of my favorite book series - Dune. I read the series first when my 23 year old daughter was born. Reading Dune was how I passed the time in the middle of the night when I had to wake up and feed her. I am a fan of the original series as well as the books written by Frank Herbert’s son, Brian and Kevin J. Anderson.
This is a two book task.
Since most of the Dune books are long, one of your books must be 500+ pages and the combined page total must be at least 700 pages.
Select two options and read a book for each.
Required: Identify the option.
Option 1 - Arrakis, Dune, Desert Planet: The desert planet of Arrakis is the heart of the Dune universe.
Read a book with the word DESERT in the title or series title. Subtitles are excluded.
Option 2 - Tell me of the waters of your home world: The Atreides home world is the Planet Caladan - a lush watery world.
Read a book with a cover that depicts a natural body of water, such as a lake, river, or ocean. The body of water must be central to the scene and must be larger than a swimming pool. Underwater scenes work as long as they are natural water sources (no pool lane markers, tile edges, etc)
Required: Post the cover.
Option 3 - The Litany Against Fear: This is one of my favorite bits of literature and one that has made it into my personal lexicon
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
Face your fears and read a book with an MPG of horror.
Option 4 - The Dune Universe: Read a book with one of the words from the titles in the Dune Universe books in the TITLE (subtitles excluded). Plural, singular and possessive forms are allowed (children/child). Please choose from the 19 primary works (Words not allowed OF or THE) Dune Universe
Required: State the source book title.
Option 5 - The Spice Melange - The spice melange is what makes the Dune universe tick. The word melange means mix. Read a book from this list Genre Bending Books
Required: State the page.
Option 6 - Let me finish for you! - Frank Herbert left the Dune series on a bit of a cliffhanger when he died. I am thankful that his son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson not only finished the series, but wrote some amazing backstory books. Read a book from a series where someone continued the series after the original author dies (can be prequels or sequels) This is NOT a list task but this list may be helpful in finding a book.
Novel Series Continued After Death Of Original Author
The book can be from any point in the series and from either the original or the new author.
Required: If the continuation author is not clearly identified, state the original author and the author who continued the series
30.2 - XBM’s Task – The Birds and The Bees
Help Thread
In 1964, Jewel Akens had a hit release called “The Birds and The Bees.” The lyrics inspired this task.
Let me tell ya 'bout the birds and the bees
And the flowers and the trees
And the moon up above
And a thing called love
Let me tell ya 'bout the stars in the sky
And a girl and a guy
And the way they could kiss
On a night like this
When I look into your big brown eyes
It's so very plain to see
That it's time you learned about the facts of life
Starting from A to Z
Read two books, using 2 different options.
Required: State the options you use.
Option 1: Read a book with bird(s) or bee(s) on the cover
Required: Post the cover.
Option 2: Read a book with an MPG* of Nature
Option 3: Read a book with an MPG* of Romance
Option 4: Read a book with an MPG* of Biography, Autobiography or Memoir
Option 5: Read a book with an author with both an A and a Z any place in their name
Ex. Annejet van der Zijl
Option 6: Read a book with both an A and a Z any place in the title. Subtitles are excluded
Ex. The Zig Zag Girl
*Genres may be standalone or embedded.
30.3 - Dlmrose’s Task: Recurring Keys
Help Thread
Even though my laptop is not that old, I have worn the letters off the A, E, and N keys on the keyboard.
Read 2 books, one book 1 and one book 2.
Book 1: Read a book with a word in the title that contains all the letters A E N. Subtitles are excluded.
Book 2: Read a book written by an author whose name contains all the letters A E N in a single name part.
Alexander McCall Smith
Jessie Greengrass
30.4 - TessaVanessa's Task: National Library Week 2022
Help Thread
National Library week April 3-9
I have worked in a library for 30 years and celebrating libraries is important to me. Books are my love and reading is my passion. The constant learning that goes on with reading has made me who I am today.
Help me celebrate libraries by choosing 2 of these options and reading a book for each.
Required: State the options when you post.
Option 1: The Library of Ashurbanipal. The world's oldest known library was founded sometime in the 7th century B.C. for the “royal contemplation” of the Assyrian ruler Ashurbanipal. Located in Nineveh in modern day Iraq, the site included a trove of some 30,000 cuneiform tablets organized according to subject matter. Can you imagine carrying around stone tablets so you could get your reading fix? We are lucky that technology has created a portable tablet to read from.
Read a book that has all the letters from TABLET in the title only.
Option 2: Materials that can be checked out from the library have changed over the years. Many libraries have seed collections, cake pans, and gardening tools to name a few; at one time we even had Polaroid cameras available to check out.
Read a book checked out from your local library that has exactly one number 3 OR 0 (not both) in the number of pages (in honor of my 30 years). Your book can be a print or digital borrow. SRC page number rules apply.
Required: State in your post that you checked it out from your library.
Option 3: Libraries are so much more than the materials stored in the building. We have sponsored yarn craft classes, gardening presentations and solar energy groups, as well as community reads, cooking demonstrations and a weekly writers group.
Read a book by a single author that has all the letters of MORE in the author's first and last name. Other name parts are excluded.
Option 4: The theme from the ALA (American Library Association) for 2022
“Connect with Your Library,” promotes the idea that libraries are places to get connected to technology by using broadband, computers, and other resources.
Read a book that has a word in the title/subtitle of at least 4 letters that can be made from Connect with Your Library. Letters can only be used as many times as they appear in the phrase.
Required: State the word in your post.
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Help Thread
Season 2 of the Netflix tv series Bridgerton will premiere on March 25th. Historical romance normally isn't my thing, but I've found watching the series to be a refreshing way to escape the chaos of the past two years. It's witty, and is filled with beautiful costumes, set designs, and of course, scandals. This task is inspired by the show.
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, Kids, Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga on the main book page may be used.
Book 1: Bridgerton is set in England during the Regency era, in the early 1800's. While some of the characters are based on real people, it's an idealized version of the time period, with modern sensibilities woven into the story.
Read a FICTION book with a main page genre that includes "Historical" such as Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical, or Historical Fiction. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Book 2: The tv show is based on the Bridgertons series of books by Julia Quinn. There are 8 primary books in the series, with each book featuring one of the 8 Bridgerton siblings falling in love. The tv show is expected to run for 8 seasons, with each season representing one of the books.
Read a book that is part of a series with at least 8 primary works. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing in grayscale parentheses following the title. Any number in the series may be used.
Book 3: One thing the Bridgerton tv show is known for is its diverse cast. In season one, Daphne Bridgerton's love interest Simon Basset was portrayed by a Black actor. In season two, Anthony Bridgerton's love interest Kate Sheffield has been changed to Kate Sharma, who is of Indian decent.
Read a book written by an author found on the first 25 pages of the Diverse Authors Books shelf. Any book written by the author (single author only) may be used.
Required: State the page where the author is found.
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Oryx and Crake (other topics)The Handmaid’s Tale (other topics)
Catching Fire (other topics)
Little Women (other topics)
Cat’s Cradle (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Margaret Atwood (other topics)E.M. Forster (other topics)
Cathy Park Hong (other topics)
Louisa May Alcott (other topics)
Willow Aster (other topics)
More...
Help Thread
Read a book with a word of at least 4 letters from the lyrics of Ding Dong the Witch is Dead in its title (not subtitle). REQUIRED: State the word used.
Once there was a wicked witch in the lovely land of Oz
And a wickeder, wickeder, wickeder witch there never, never was
She filled the folks in Munchkin land with terror and with dread
'Till one fine day from Kansas way a cyclone caught a house
That brought the wicked, wicked witch her doom
As she was flying on her broom
For the house fell on her head and the coroner pronounced her dead
And thru the town the joyous news was spread
Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch
Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead
Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed
Wake up, the wicked witch is dead!
She's gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho
Let's open up and sing, and ring the bells out
Ding-dong! the merry-o sing it high, sing it low
Let them know the wicked witch is dead
Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch
Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead
Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed
Wake up, the wicked witch is dead!
She's gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho
Let's open up and sing, and ring the bells out
Ding-dong! the merry-o sing it high, sing it low
Let them know the wicked witch is dead
Words must match exactly.
5.2 - Auntie Em
Help Thread
Read a book written by a single author with a name that matches a name related to Em, from https://www.behindthename.com/name/em. This includes the "long forms," Emily and Emma listed on the page. Names must match exactly but they may be in any position (first, middle, last).
5.3 - Uncle Henry
Help Thread
Read a book with one of the following family relationship words in its title. Possessive and plural/singular forms can be used, no other variations.
mother
mom
father
dad
parent
children
son
daughter
sister
brother
grandmother
grandfather
grandparent
grandson
granddaughter
grandchild
aunt
uncle
niece
nephew
cousin
husband
wife
sister-in-law
brother-in-law
mother-in-law
father-in-law
partner
fiancé
fiancée
5.4 - Glinda the Good Witch
Help Thread
Was played by Billie Burke. Read a book whose author has a first and last name beginning with the same letter.
5.5. - The Wizard
Help Thread
Frank Morgan played the Wizard, as well as playing Professor Marvel, the Gatekeeper at the Emerald City, the Carriage Driver, and the Emerald City guard who refuses to allow Dorothy and friends to see the Wizard.
Read a book from a series with at least 5 whole number published books - Any book from the series may be used.
5.6 - The Munchkins.
Help Thread
Three of the featured munchkins are the members of the Lollipop Guild. Guilds were important in the Middle Ages, so read a book set at least 50% in the Middle Ages - 476 to 1450 A.D. If the setting date is not clear from the GR description or the metadata, provide a reference.
5.7 - The Flying Monkeys
Help Thread
Read a book with a living creature with wings showing on the cover. For purposes of this task, angels, demons, fantasy creatures/animals will work. The wings must be obviously shown on the cover.
REQUIRED: Post the cover in your post.
5.8. A Horse of a Different Color
Help Thread
Read a book from the Books with a Color in the Title list.
REQUIRED: State in your post the PAGE of the list on which your book is found.
NOTE: All SRC rules, such as page length and the Childrens book ruless, apply, regardless of whether the book is on the list.
5.9 - The Author
Help Thread
Not to be overlooked is L. Frank Baum, without whom we wouldn’t have the Wizard of Oz.
Read a book whose author uses an initial in the first name position. Ex.: J.D.Robb, G. Willow Wilson.
5.10 - Wish Upon a Star
Help Thread
You don't have to wait until "someday" to wish upon a star, wind up over the rainbow, and read the book of your dreams. Read a book of your choice that meets SRC requirements. 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.