NancyJ’s 2026 ATYChallenge⛱️☂️

[NancyJ]

Reject Challenge - Favorite prompts that didn’t make it in
52 week Challenge
Seasonal challenges
Monthly tags
=========


✴️2026 Awards and Lists Challenge✴️
Rej challenge part 1
✴️A book nominated for an award that values peace, cultural understanding, and related social issues - Dayton, Orwell, pulitzer.
✴️A book shortlisted for a Dublin Literary Award
✴️A book that won an international literary award -Booker, Dublin,
✴️A book that was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in any year
✴️A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2025 or 2026
✴️A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists
✴️A book on one of Obama’s reading lists
✴️A book listed in any ‘Best Books’ list of 2024 or 2025
✴️A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year
✴️ A book from any widely recognised list of your choice

Part 2
❇️A book that includes a “forbidden” topic in polite conversation, such as religion, politics, sex.
❇️ A book tagged by Goodreads readers as Literary Fiction
❇️A book related to medical science or health
❇️A book related to psychology, mental health or neuroscience
❇️A biography or memoir
❇️A book involving a fork in the road or a life changing decision
❇️A book about a family or family relationships
❇️A book with a character that has been orphaned, adopted or abandoned

🌏 A book about a social, political, or environmental issue you care about
🌏 A book with a “green” topic or character
🌏 A book about wildlife or nature conservation
🌏 A book that includes the "fish out of water" trope - immigrant or migrant
🌏 A book about women crossing borders and boundaries
🌏 A book about nature, climate, or the environment
🌏 A book connected to the Middle East in some way
🌏 book set in or near the Caribbean or Indian Ocean
🌏 book with a desert

=============
🔆A book that is related to one of the group’s moderators

====

🎸 A book related to performance - music, acting in life, gen performance
🎸 A book with a musician character or author
🎸 A book suggested by one of the song titles from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon
🎸 A book that deals with REM's It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I feel fine)setting

🔆A book that is related to one of the group’s moderators
🔆 A book with a challenge or competition, such as a marathon, contest, or campaign
🔆A book set at a school, college, or university
🔆A book about science
🔆 A science fiction or fantasy book published after 2020
🔆A book set in an alternate history or an imaginary world/universe
🔆A book with a character with a disability or chronic health problem
🔅A book with a main character who is an outsider
🔅A book exploring personal or cultural identity
🔅A book featuring a feat of engineering
🔅A book featuring a writer or the craft of writing
🔅A book on one of Goodreads New Releases by Genre page

[NancyJ]

R

[NancyJ]

2026 ATY PLAN - only for completed books

1. A book from a genre that starts with A, T, or Y
2. A book with a primarily red, green or blue cover
3. A book that fits a prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list
4. A book by a new-to-you author
5. A book you want to read because of something you read in 2025

6. A book related to blood, sweat, or tears
7. A book with a character who appears in more than one book
8. A book set in Africa, Asia, or Australia
9. A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title

10. An award winning book
11. A history or historical fiction book
12. A book with cover text that is NOT black or white
13. An author's second/sophomore book
14. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh

15. A book you've wanted to read for a long time
16. A book featuring a character with a similar occupation to one of the Clue/Cluedo characters
17. A book set in the wellness or beauty industries
18. A book with a location in the title

19. A book related to yesterday
20. A book related to today
21. A book related to tomorrow
22. A book by a Korean or Korean-diaspora author

23. A book with a road trip or long journey
24. A book that is either frothy or gothy
25. A book from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list
26. A book with a Z in the title and/or author name
27. A nonfiction book

28. A book related to a resistance, rebellion, or revolution
29. A vacation book
30. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Frontlist Book
31. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Backlist Book

32. A novella of 100-250 pages
33. A book with an Indigenous character or author
34. A book with a window on the cover
35. A book where all or part of the action takes place in a library, a museum, a school, or another public building
36. A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40

37. A book that includes a science topic
38. A book that's part of a series
39. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie
40. A book that has a punctuation mark in the title

41. A mystery or true crime book
42. A book set in an isolated location
43. A book involving survival
44. A book with a symbol of death on the cover

45. A book connected to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
46. A book that is not a novel
47. A book with "this", "that", "these", or "those" in the title
48. A book with something edible in the title
49. A second book for your favorite prompt

50. A book with a bird on its cover
51. A book published in 2026
52. A book related to the name of one of Santa's reindeer

[NancyJ]

PLAYGROUND - IDEAS - for ATY 2026 Plan


1. A book from a genre that starts with A, T, or Y
Art, adventure, adult fiction, American history, american revolution, anthropology, archeology, action, acting,
theatre, thriller,
YA,

2. A book with a primarily red, green or blue cover
3. A book that fits a prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list
4. A book by a new-to-you author
5. A book you want to read because of something you read in 2025
- China , tech, octopus, intelligence,

6. A book related to blood, sweat, or tears
7. A book with a character who appears in more than one book
8. A book set in Africa, Asia, or Australia -all 3
9. A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title

10. An award winning book
11. A history or historical fiction book
12. A book with cover text that is NOT black or white
13. An author's second/sophomore book
14. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh

15. A book you've wanted to read for a long time
16. A book featuring a character with a similar occupation to one of the Clue/Cluedo characters - LIST?
17. A book set in the wellness or beauty industries
18. A book with a location in the title

19. A book related to yesterday
20. A book related to today
21. A book related to tomorrow
22. A book by a Korean or Korean-diaspora author

23. A book with a road trip or long journey
24. A book that is either frothy or gothy
25. A book from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list
26. A book with a Z in the title and/or author name - John Scalzi
27. A nonfiction book

28. A book related to a resistance, rebellion, or revolution (and activism)
29. A vacation book - summer trip
30. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Frontlist Book
31. The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist: Backlist Book

32. A novella of 100-250 pages
33. A book with an Indigenous character or author
34. A book with a window on the cover
35. A book where all or part of the action takes place in a library, a museum, a school, or another public building
36. A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40

37. A book that includes a science topic (science in fiction tag)
38. A book that's part of a series
39. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie
40. A book that has a punctuation mark in the title. (Nonfiction)

41. A mystery or true crime book
42. A book set in an isolated location
43. A book involving survival
44. A book with a symbol of death on the cover

45. A book connected to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
46. A book that is not a novel
47. A book with "this", "that", "these", or "those" in the title
48. A book with something edible in the title
49. A second book for your favorite prompt

50. A book with a bird on its cover
51. A book published in 2026
52. A book related to the name of one of Santa's reindeer

[NancyJ]

R

[NancyJ]

Rr

[NancyJ]

RrRejects challenge Worksheet for ideas and kinks

Rejects Challenge - the prompts that didn’t make the list.

2026 Awards and Lists


Rr 2026 Awards and Lists

✴️A book nominated for an award that values peace, cultural understanding, and related social issues - Dayton, Pulitzer, …
✴️A book shortlisted for a Dublin Literary Award
✴️A book that won an international literary award -Booker, Dublin,
✴️A book that was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in any year
✴️A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2025 or 2026

✴️A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists
✴️A book on one of Obama’s reading lists
✴️A book listed in any ‘Best Books’ list of 2024 or 2025
✴️A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year
✴️ A book from any widely recognised list of your choice

✴️A biography or memoir
✴️A biography, memoir, or autofiction
✴️A medical memoir
✴️A book related to medical science or health
✴️A book related to psychology, mental health or neuroscience

✴️ A book tagged by Goodreads readers as Literary Fiction
✴️A book about science
✴️A book involving a fork in the road or a life changing decision
✴️A book that includes the "fish out of water" trope
✴️A book with a main character who is an outsider
✴️A book about women crossing borders and boundaries
✴️A book about wildlife or nature conservation
✴️A book exploring personal or cultural identity

=============
✴️A book that is related to one of the group’s moderators
🔆A book on one of Goodreads New Releases by Genre page

====
🎸 A book suggested by one of the song titles from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon
🎸 A book that deals with REM's It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I feel fine)
🎸 A book related to performance - music, acting in life, performance mensures
🎸 A book with a musician character or author
🌏 A book with a “green” topic or character
🌏 A book about nature, climate, or the environment
🌏 A book about a social, political, or environmental issue you care about
🌏A book that includes a “forbidden” topic in polite conversation
🌏 A book connected to the Middle East in some way
🌏 book set in or near theCaribbean
🌏 book with a desert setting

✴️A book with a challenge
or competition, such as a marathon, contest, or campaign
🔆A book set at a school, college, or university
✴️A science fiction or fantasy book published after 2020
✴️A book set in an alternate history or an imaginary world/universe
✴️A book about a family or family relationships
✴️A book with a character that has been orphaned, adopted or abandoned in any way
✴️A book with an orphaned or adopted character
✴️A book with a character with a disability or chronic health problem
✴️A book that is related to one of the group’s moderators
🔅A book featuring a feat of engineering
🔅A book featuring a writer or the craft of writing

[NancyJ]

R

[NancyJ]

2026 suggestions that didn’t make it.
PRE-POLL - Poll 8
(view spoiler)[
UNDESIGNATED
✴️A book with a main character who is an outsider
✴️A biography or memoir
🔅A book with a main character that has a pet
✴️A book involving a fork in the road or a life changing decision

POLL 1
BOTTOM
🔅A traditional or contemporary western
A book set primarily underground
UNDESIGNATED
A book based on or related to a "legend"
🔆A book you would consider a classic
🔅aA book with a title that includes a family relationship word
🔅A book with an urban setting
A book about people trapped together
🔆A book about something that gets your heart racing
✴️A book about science
✴️ book set in or near the Caribbean
A book title that includes a piece of clothing

POLL 2
BOTTOM
🔆A book set during the time of the American Revolution. (1775 - 1783)
🔆A book with a character dealing with birth or rebirth
🔅book related to the Declaration of Independence

UNDESIGNATED
🔅A book with the word friend in the description
🔅A book with a desert setting
🔅A book that has to do with a favorite animal
✴️A book with a “green” topic or character
A book with the word "and" or "or" in the title
✴️A book connected to the Middle East in some way
✴️A book that deals with REM's It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I feel fine)
🔆A book set at a school, college, or university
A book by an author who shares one of


POLL 3
BOTTOM
A book with a fraction in the title
A book with an embossed cover or raised lettering
A book from a publishing company, the logotype of which depicting a tangible thing

UNDESIGNATED
✴️A book that is related to one of the group’s moderators
🔆A book written in or set in the eighteenth century
🔆A book on one of Goodreads New Releases by Genre page
🔅A mystery without a murder or death
X A book with a symbol of death on the cover
A book with an alliteration in author name or title
✴️A book with a challenge or competition, such as a marathon, contest, or campaign
A book with a character who has an unusual, uncommon, or "extinct" occupation
A book connected to iron
A book featured as a Book of the Month Club pick


POLL 4 - MULTIWEEK
CLOSE CALL
✴️❇️2 Weeks: Two books where the first word of the second title is the same as the last word of the first title

UNDESIGNATED
2 Weeks: Two books where the last name of one author is the first name of the other
✴️❇️2 Weeks: One book related to hot and one book related to cold
2 Weeks: A book written by a male author that includes a love story, and a book written by a female author that DOES NOT include a love story
3 Weeks: One book related to a sharp musical note, one book related to a flat musical note, and one book related to a natural musical note
✴️❇️3 Weeks: One book related to planes, one book related to trains, and one book related to automobiles
2 Weeks: Two books, where the second book's title provides a response to or continuation of the first book's title
3 Weeks: One book related to the lion, one book related to the witch, and one book related to the wardrobe
2 Weeks: Two books where the second book's title contains a sequential number from the first book's title
✴️❇️2 Weeks: A book related to water, and a book related to earth
3 weeks: A book related to rock, a book related to paper, and a book related to scissors
✴️2 Weeks: A book connected to RIGHT, and a book connected to WRONG
✴️❇️3 Weeks: A book set in the N+W hemisphere, a book set in the S+E hemisphere, and a book set in the S+W hemisphere



POLL 5


BOTTOM
✴️❇️A poetic book
✴️❇️A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural style

CLOSE CALL
❇️A book with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team

POLARIZING
A book about obsession or desire
A modern retelling of an old story, myth, or fairytale
A book related to a current movie or television show

UNDESIGNATED
A book set in the opposite hemisphere from where you reside
A book with a writing implement on the cover
A book where someone's head or face is on the cover, but you can't see their eyes
A book with the name of a month in the title or in the author's name
A book with a lock or a key on the cover
A book with an author or character with a gender neutral name
A book with a title that contains a gemstone or jewel or by an author whose name contains a gemstone or a jewel
A book related to penguins


POLL 6


BOTTOM
A book with a horse as a character

CLOSE CALL
A book where the main character has an occupation that didn't exist before 1900
X

UNDESIGNATED
❇️🔅A book where one of the characters is a ghost, a spirit, an angel, or an imaginary being
✴️A book nominated for an award that values peace, cultural understanding, and related social issues
A book by the author who shows up most on your TBR but is so far unread by you
❇️🔅A book related to a national park
X A book related to a lion, a witch, or a wardrobe
A book with an adult main character who is NOT in paid employment
A book which features royalty as main characters
❇️🔅A book related to “soul”
X
A book that's title and author's first or last name start with the same letter
❇️🔆A book relating to television [as a medium of social change] - Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture


POLL 7


BOTTOM
A book written in the present tense
A book that features a horse in the title or on the cover

UNDESIGNATED
❇️🔅A book where being on a boat is important to the story
🔅A book set primarily somewhere creepy or scary
❇️🔅A book whose title follows the "______ of ______" pattern
🔅A sapphic story
❇️🔅A book that could fit the quote: “May you live in interesting times.”
❇️🔅A book related to a planet other than earth
✴️❇️A book set in a country bordering the Indian Ocean
✴️❇️A book set in one of the world’s great cities
🔅A book related to the song “Singin’ in the Rain”
A book with a six word title
🔅A book with an economically disadvantaged protagonist


Mod
POLL 8


BOTTOM
✴️A medical memoir
✳️🔅A book that starts and ends in different settings
A book with a character who does a necessary, but menial job in your country


CLOSE CALL
On list? A book with a character who appears in more than one book

UNDESIGNATED
A book with both black and red on the cover
A book that is the last in a series
❇️🔅A hot book
A book with a setting that provokes the question, "Why did you go there?"
🔅A book connected to one of The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales
✴️A book shortlisted for a Dublin Literary Award
🔅A multi-genre or genre-blended book
✴️❇️A book with a musician character or author (hide spoiler)]

[NancyJ]

Rejected prompts
POLL 9 -end
(view spoiler)[
BOTTOM
X A book inspired by or related to the Charlie’s Angels franchise
CLOSE CALL
On list - A book that includes a science related topic

UNDESIGNATED
A book with an immortal character
🔅A book set in a desert environment
🔅A book that has to do with a favorite animal
✴️A book related to one of the five basic tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami/savory)
A book by a 2026 debut author
✴️❇️A book with an orphaned or adopted character
🔅A book about wildlife or nature conservation
✴️✴️A book tagged by Goodreads readers as Literary Fiction
A book with a character who has a trait related to one of Dorothy’s companions in the Wizard of Oz


Poll 10

Close Call
On list - A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh

Undesignated
A book that is one of the first 20 books on your Goodreads "want to read" list
✴️❇️A book suggested by one of the song titles from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon
🔅❇️A Bildungsroman (coming-of-age) book
🔅A book for which all of the words in the title start with one of the letters in OLYMPICS
🔅❇️A fiction or non-fiction book that could be considered a microhistory
✴️❇️A book that includes the "fish out of water" trope
✴️❇️A book about women crossing borders and boundaries
🔅A book whose character has the same hobby or pastime as you
✴️❇️A book related to psychology, mental health or neuroscience


Poll 11

Bottom:
❇️A book with the name of a planet or their moons in the title
A book with a title that contains a pun, a dad joke, or other word play
❇️A book exploring personal or cultural identity

Polarizing:
🔅Ⓜ️A book title that contains the name of a professional sports team

Undesignated
❇️A book with twins, doppelgängers, or mistaken identity
❇️A book with a rebel
❇️A book with a trial
❇️🔅A book with a character who is searching for knowledge, love, courage or a way home
✴️✴️A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2025 or 2026
✴️❇️A book about wildlife or nature conservation
✴️❇️A book exploring personal or cultural identity
✴️✴️❇️A book related to medical science or health
A book related to baking


Poll 12

Bottom:
❇️🔅A book featuring a lawyer, politician or member of the clergy
❇️🔅A book that has been made into a movie

Undesignated
✴️❇️A book that relates to a river
A book with a cat on the cover
A book written in or set in the 1700s
A book with a character list or family tree.
✴️❇️A book about perceptions of reality or alternate realities
🔅❇️A book set in the west (however you define it)
A book set in an Olympics host city
✴️✴️❇️A book on one of Obama’s reading lists
✴️A biography, memoir, or autofiction


Poll 13

Bottom:
🔅❇️A book considered a space opera
🔅A book that could earn you a Goodreads bookmark

Close Call:
🔅A book that is not a novel
Undesignated
🔅A book that could fit three prompts on the list.
🔅❇️A book set in a NEW Place
❇️A book related to one of the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales
A book with a photographic element on the cover.
❇️A book that includes a “forbidden” topic in polite conversation - religion, politics, sex or money.
✴️A book that was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in any year
A book whose cover is divided or split in half
❇️A book with a word for a family member in the title
✴️❇️A book related to observation, experimentation, or inquiry


POLL 14

BOTTOM
A book with a First Responder as a featured character
A book with a character with one of the jobs in the song 40 Hour Week (for a livin') by Alabama

CLOSE CALL
❇️A book that takes place in a country/place along the path of totality for the 2026 solar eclipse

POLARIZING
An epistolary novel

UNDESIGNATED
❇️🔅A book involving pirates, puppies, parrots, penguins, or pachyderms
❇️🔅A book with a main character who is a teacher, instructor, or professor
A book related to iron or steel
A book related to a park, such as a national, state, provincial, urban, castle, amusement or skate park
✴️❇️A book with a main character who has power(s)
A book that quotes or references another work in its title
A book where the main characters are siblings
A book featuring a party or festival
✴️❇️A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists
✴️❇️A book about books


POLL 15

BOTTOM
✴️❇️A book with a character who is passing
A book you read in a -ber month

UNDESIGNATED
✴️A magical realism or magical book
✴️A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2025 or 2026
✴️A book about a family or family relationships
A book that is either frothy or gothy
✴️A book that won an international literary award
A book with characters in a club
✴️❇️A book that includes a “forbidden” topic in polite conversation
✴️A book that is related to one of the group’s moderators
🔅A book featuring a feat of engineering
🔅A book featuring a writer or the craft of writing
A book that includes a single parent
✴️❇️A book set in an alternate history or an imaginary world/universe


POLL 16


BOTTOM
A book with a character that's in the public domain
✴️✴️A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year

POLARIZING
A book that fits a suggestion that was in the bottom of its poll

UNDESIGNATED
✴️A book listed in any ‘Best Books’ list of 2024 or 2025
🔅A book that would fill a favorite prompt from last year's list

✴️A book with a character that has been orphaned, adopted or abandoned in any way
A book published at least 50 years ago
🔅A book with antonyms in the title
X. A book that would fit the 26th prompt from any ATY52 year
🔅A book that was banned or challenged
🔅A book with a character pretending to be something or someone else
🔅A rainbow book


POLL 17


BOTTOM
A book where the main character has an occupation that didn't exist before 1900
✴️❇️A book with a character with a disability or chronic health problem
🔅A book with a character who is an astronaut

CLOSE CALL
✴️A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2025 or 2026

POLARIZING
🔅A book that takes place in a country/place along the path of totality for the 2026 solar eclipse

UNDESIGNATED
🔅A book with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team
✴️A book about a family or family relationships
🔆A book with a missing person
✴️❇️A book about nature, climate, or the environment
✴️A science fiction or fantasy book published after 2020
X A book whose title does not contain the first letter of your name
Repeat. - ✴️A book about a woman crossing barriers, borders, or boundaries
🔅A book related to the phrase "smoke and mirrors"


Poll 18
2.🔆 A book with a character who isn’t alive
4. A "cozy" book
5.✴️A book related to performance
6. A book connected to a Time's person of the year
7. 🔅A page turner
8. 🔆A book with a love story
✴️ 9.A book from any widely recognised list of your choice
10. A book where the main character is experiencing a transition
11. A book that features a chef or baker
✴️❇️12. A book about a social, political, or environmental issue you care about.
13. A book featuring a holiday that you don't celebrate
14. ✴️A book read by another ATY member in 2026
🔅15.book with a challenge or competition, such as a marathon, contest, or campaign
(hide spoiler)]

[NancyJ]

Extra rejected to prompts
(view spoiler)[
🔆A book that takes place in a country/place along the path of totality for the 2026 solar eclipse
🔅A book with a character who is an astronaut
🔅A book with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team
🔅A book with a missing person
🔅A book related to the phrase "smoke and mirrors"
🔅A book with a character who isn’t alive
🔅A page turner
🔅A book with a love story
🔆A book related to one of the five basic tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami/savory)
A book with a character who is passing (or passing for something else)

A magical realism or magical book
National park
A book with a main character who has power(s)
🔅A book related to the phrase "smoke and mirrors"

🔆 A book with a character who isn’t alive
A book related to performance
A book connected to a Time's person of the year
A page turner
A book with a love stor
A book involving pirates, puppies, parrots, penguins, or pachyderms
A book with a main character who is a teacher, instructor, or professor

book featuring a lawyer, politician or member of the clergy
A book that has been made into a movie

A poetic book
A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural stylebook with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team

A sapphic story
A book that could fit the quote: “May you live in interesting times.”
❇️A book related to a planet other than earth
✴️A book set in a country bordering the Indian Ocean
✴️A book set in one of the world’s great cities
A book about books
(hide spoiler)]