Winter 23 Read-a-Thon: Team Challenge Intro & FAQs

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

It's time for our final team challenge of the year, and in honor of the holidays, we will be looking at books that fit each and every holiday from December 1st through January 20th!

If you haven't signed up for the team challenge yet, head to this thread to be added to a team.

The goal of this team challenge is, of course, to read! But, in the spirit of competition, we have three different levels of this challenge, with each getting progressively harder. You must finish the first set of prompts before moving on to the next! For example, you must finish the Bronze Level (December 1-15) before moving on to the Silver Level (December 16-31).

Additionally, for every 5 hours of audio listened or 400 pages of books read, you will earn one candy cane. These candy canes can be used to check off certain prompts in your list.

The tasks are as follows:

Bronze Level
December 1: World AIDS Day - Read a book where someone is sick
December 2: National Bartender Day - Read a book featuring a party
December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities - Read a book featuring a character with a physical disability
December 4: National Dice Day - Read a book with a 6 in the page number
December 5: International Ninja Day - Read a book set in Asia
December 6: Collect 8 Candy Canes
December 7: First Day of Hanukkah - Read a book with a light source on the cover
December 8: Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day - Read a book relating to time in some way
December 9: National Pastry Day - Read a book with a yellow cover
December 10: International Human Rights Day - Read a book by an author whose first or last initial can be found in HUMAN RIGHTS
December 11: National App Day - Read a book whose cover is the same color as your favorite app
December 12: Collect 8 Candy Canes
December 13: National Horse Day - Read a book featuring an animal in some way
December 14: National Postal Worker Day - Read a book that features a letter
December 15: Bill of Rights Day - Read a historical fiction or history book set in the US

Silver Level
December 16: National Chocolate Covered Anything Day - Read a book by an author whose first or last initial can be found in CHOCOLATE
December 17: Wright Brothers Day - Read a book that features a plane or brothers
December 18: International Migrants Day - Read a book that features an immigrant or someone migrating from their home country
December 19: National Emo Day - Read a dark and depressing book
December 20: National Ugly Sweater Day - Read a book with an ugly cover
December 21: Winter Solstice - Read a book with less than 200 pages
December 22: Collect 8 Candy Canes
December 23: Festivus - Read a book featuring a friendship
December 24: Christmas Eve - Read a book centered around family
December 25: Christmas Day - Read a book related to Christmas
December 26: Boxing Day - Read a book that you received as a gift or that you would give as a gift
December 27: National Fruitcake Day - Read a book with a fruit on the cover
December 28: National Short Film Day - Read a book related to a TV show or movie
December 29: Collect 8 Candy Canes
December 30: National Bacon Day - Read a book starting with a letter in the words BACON or PIG
December 31: New Years’ Eve - Read a book by an author you’ve read before

Gold Level
January 1: New Years Day - Read a book by a new-to-you author
January 2: National Science Fiction Day - Read a sci-fi book
January 3: Collect 8 Candy Canes
January 4: World Braille Day - Read a book featuring someone with a disability
January 5: National Screenwriters Day - Read a book that is not a novel (nonfiction, poetry, play, etc.)
January 6: Three Kings Day - Read a book with three words in the title
January 7: National Bobblehead Day - Read a book with a larger than life character
January 8: Elvis Presley’s Birthday - Read a book with a title that starts with a letter in THE KING
January 9: National Apricot Day - Read a book with a red or orange cover
January 10: National Houseplant Appreciation Day - Read a book with a plant on the cover
January 11: National Vision Board Day - Read a book with multiple timelines
January 12: National Youth Day - Read a YA or Middle Grade book
January 13: Collect 8 Candy Canes
January 14: National Dress Up Your Pet Day - Read a book by an author whose first or last initial can be found in DOG, CAT, or FISH
January 15: National Hat Day - Read a book with a hat on the cover
January 16: National Nothing Day - Read a book with a 0 in the page count
January 17: Collect 8 Candy Canes
January 18: National Thesaurus Day - Read a book that has a word with 7+ letters in the title
January 19: National Popcorn Day - Read a book with a snack on the cover
January 20: Heroes' Day - Read a book featuring someone who is a hero

If a team finishes all of these prompts, they will be given a *Platinum Level* to complete January holidays.

If you have any questions, please ask below!

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

TEAMS:

Twinkle Lights
Captain: Robin P
Captain: Sheena
Joyce
Chrissy
Samantha
Karen
Sophia
Kellie Lyn
Maryam
Caitie

Snowflakes
Captain: Kendra
Captain: Erica
Trish
Elizabeth
Sherri
LYNN
Sarah S
Tamara
Catsalive
Louise

Tacky Sweaters
Captain: Irene
Captain: JennH
Kat
Jen K
Wendi
Nancy
Robin
Ciara
Shelby

Gingerbread
Captain: Sue
Captain: Ellie
Johanna
Bec
Katherine
Ailsa
Emma R
JessicaMHR
Allie
Edie

Eggnog
Captain: Roxana
Captain: Emily
Ira
Abbie
Traci
Meg
Aimee
Meghan
Tanu

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

FAQs:

Q: I started reading a book before the Read-A-Thon. Does it still count?

A: Yes! As long as you have at least 100 pages left at the start of the challenge, you may count the book.

Q: What does it mean when the prompt says there needs to be a 6 in the page count?

A: Any page number that contains a 6 will work for this prompt. If the book is 162 pages, 653 pages, or 267 pages, for example, these would work. You can use the page count of the edition you're reading, or use the default page count on the book's page.

[Emma R.]

The prompts on the spreadsheet and here are different. Which one should we be referencing?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Oops. I'll update the spreadsheet.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Just to clarify - the dates are just there as markers for the different holidays, etc. No need to read that book on that day or in that order, right? (except for finishing Bronze before Silver before Gold). And how do the free candy canes work? Do we just get them on the day indicated?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Correct on the dates... you just have to read December 1-15 prompts before moving on to the next section, but you don't have to read them in order within the levels.

For the candy canes, as you accrue them, you type 8 into the completion sheet and it will clear that prompt. So you accrue the candy canes by reading pages or listening to audio, then you use 8 candy canes to clear the prompts. (I may end up editing the amount of candy canes you need to use for the prompts, depending on how much I see we are reading throughout the read-a-thon).

[Anastasia]

Is the read-a-thon from Dec 1 to Jan 20th or only the prompts?

[Sheena]

Anastasia wrote: "Is the read-a-thon from Dec 1 to Jan 20th or only the prompts?"

Readathon runs December 2-10.

[Kendra]

So if I finish a book that doesn't work for any of the bronze prompts before my team finishes that level, does that mean I just can't use it at all? Or can I just hold it and use it for a higher prompt after my team finishes the level? And can we move things later on - if someone reads something that works for a bronze prompt can we move what we'd originally placed in that slot?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Theoretically, the goal is to read and finish books for all of Bronze level, then those books are locked in and you move on to the next level. So no moving books between levels once you've completed one level - those are locked in.

However, there's nothing saying you can't save the last page of the book for when your team makes it to Silver lol. And you're always reading for pages because you'll need to collect Candy Canes to complete each level.

[Kendra]

So they won't count for anything other that candy canes. Got you.

[Sue]

We have an Alyssa in Team Gingerbread - is it meant to be Ailsa?

[Tanu]

I had 3 hours of audio left before the challenge. Not sure how much that counts for - am I allowed to count this book as part of the readathon? Cheers

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Yes, sorry, I'll update the spelling on the teams list... my bad Ailsa!

And yes, Tanu, that will count. We generally say 100 pages or 100 minutes still to go.

[Tanu]

Emily wrote: "Yes, sorry, I'll update the spelling on the teams list... my bad Ailsa!

And yes, Tanu, that will count. We generally say 100 pages or 100 minutes still to go."

Thank you! On the candy cane form, should we include the entire book or only the portion we read during the challenge dates?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

You would only include what pages/audio you've read during the challenge period!

[Irene]

Hi, if we finish all the prompts in the Bronze tier but haven't reached 16 candy canes, would any book we read before hitting 16 candy canes not be eligible to be counted for a Silver tier prompt? (Not sure if this will happen or not, but just thought I'd ask in case it does!)

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Technically, that's correct. You'd need to finish the entire tier, including candy canes, before moving on to the next tier.

However, there's nothing saying you can't stop a few pages short and wait until your team finishes the first tier before finishing your book to count it for the second tier.

[Irene]

Emily wrote: "Technically, that's correct. You'd need to finish the entire tier, including candy canes, before moving on to the next tier.

However, there's nothing saying you can't stop a few pages short and wa..."

Great, thank you!

[Irene]

Hi Emily,
This question came up in my group: if a book (specifically, 1Q84) was originally published as 3 books/volumes but we are reading a translation that combines the three, can we count it as 3 books for this challenge? Or would we have to go with the specific edition we're reading?

Edit: Thanks Emily!!

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I'd say to stick to the specific edition you are reading, so in this case, it would only be one book.

[Tanu]

Can we count DNFs for candy canes/towards our page or audio count?

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Tanu wrote: "Can we count DNFs for candy canes/towards our page or audio count?"

Yes

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Do we have any rulings on graphic novels? I have Roaming which is over 400 pages BUT of course it's mostly pictures and can be read in well under an hour. Seems unfair to count all those pages. Some graphic novels have much more text.

[Elizabeth]

Bouncing off Robin's question - I forget how many pages does a graphic novel need to be to be used for a prompt?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Requirements are 200 pages for graphic novels or picture/illustrated books!

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Quick question.

Can two members of a team read the same book, and each use it for a different prompt. For example, could we use A Christmas Carol for both Word of 7 letters" prompt, and "character with a disability" prompt, if different people read it.

Thanks.

[Erica]

I’ve started The Perfumist Of Paris and I’m not quite sure what prompts it fits yet.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Trish wrote: "Quick question.

Can two members of a team read the same book, and each use it for a different prompt. For example, could we use A Christmas Carol for both Word of 7 letters" prompt..."

Yes, if two people read the same book, they can each apply their read of the book to separate prompts. Honestly surprised we haven't seen this come up before lol

[Irene]

Hi, is there any chance our team (Tacky Sweaters) can see the platinum prompts? We've cleared all of the gold level prompts and are just catching up on the last few candy canes. Just so we can plan what to read next and try to not finish our books so we can use them for platinum-level prompts :)

[Trish, Annular Mod]

Jackie wrote: "Yes, if two people read the same book, they can each apply their read of the book to separate prompts. Honestly surprised we haven't seen this come up before lol"

Perfect. Thanks, Jackie.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Irene, I'll post them on your team's thread in a bit, and update your spreadsheet! Congrats!

[Erica]

Team Snowflakes is almost ready for the platinum prompts, if you could add them to our spreadsheet as well Emily?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Done!

[Erica]

Thank you!

[Irene]

Emily wrote: "Irene, I'll post them on your team's thread in a bit, and update your spreadsheet! Congrats!"

Thank you!!

[Aimee]

Jackie wrote: "Trish wrote: "Quick question.

Can two members of a team read the same book, and each use it for a different prompt. For example, could we use A Christmas Carol for both Word of 7 l..."

We have had this before - Emily and I both read Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty last readathon (I think we'd both started reading it before the readathon too, so it was pure coincidence) and used it for different prompts. I guess having a mod in the group meant we didn't ask about it in the main FAQs, sorry!