The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

It's time to start thinking about what tasks you would like to see for the next challenge. Feel free to post as many ideas as you come up with - also don't worry about repeating what another player might have already suggested. I'll draw from these ideas and ideas of my own to create the 5,10, and 15 point tasks for the next challenge. I look forward to seeing what you come up with and have fun with it.

Thanks,
Cynthia

A book with "winter" in the title.

Read a book with a red, green, white, or yellow (gold) cover/binding or with one of those colors in the title. For example, the hardcover version of Poison Apples is red.

Christmas hannukkah, , and Kwanzaa ( this could be broaden, to Jewish, Africa and Christian countries for a geogpraphy task)
winter
cold
ice
winter solitice
new resolutions
"new"
letters, for the 3 months
Something off the best book of 2009 lists,
SOmething off the worst book of 2009 lists ( or any of the other many other lists that shows up this time of the year)

Martin Luther king day, which is African history Month

Feb brings Madri gras ( new Orleans) food related
Feb has presidents day, valentines days
dec 5 walt disney birthday
pearl harbor, ww2
emily dickinson birthday dec
betehvoen birthday dec
there are a lot of food days in Dec http://familycrafts.about.com/library...

•Non-fiction book about a winter holiday
•Mistletoe: a book with "Kiss" in the title
•Literary version of a movie being released within the dates of the challenge (Dec. 09 - Feb. 10)

New year-Read a new author

December:
World AIDS Day (Dec. 1)
Pearl Harbour Day (Dec. 7)-read a book about WWll
Human Rights Day (Dec. 10)
Christmas Eve/Christmas/Kwanza/Hannukah
Read a book with Santa, reindeer, Rudolph, Christmas, Gift in the title
Read book with holly, mistletoe, poinsettia, present, bow on cover

January:
New Year's Day-read a debut novel or a book with new or year in the title
Orthodox Christmas (Jan. 7)
Martin Luther King Day-read a book about him or another civil rights activist

February:
Groundhog Day (Feb. 2)
Valentine's Day-read a book with red or pink in title or a heart in title or on the cover
President's Day
Black History Month
Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada (Feb 12-28)

a book with wintry words in the title (snow, freezing, cold, ice, etc)

It's the start of a new calendar: Read a book with a number between 1 and 31 in the title, a book with a day of the week in the title, and a book with a month of the year in the title.

"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day" Macbeth, William Shakespeare Read 3 books: One with the word Today, one with Tomorrow, and one with Yesterday in the title
Where are you from? Read a nonfiction book about your hometown, county or state--the smallest area you can find a book for. Must be smaller than country.
Hold that tiger. Read a fiction or nonfiction book about vanishing species--can be single species or overall topic.
That sure is punny Read a book with a pun or some kind of word play in the title. Donna Andrews' mysteries are a good example
Bent on revenge Read a book with the theme of revenge.
Classics Read a classic first published between 1900-1950.
How do I love thee? Read a book of romantic poetry of at least 75 pages--may be an anthology.
Well-read people Read a book with a red cover (over 50% of front must be red).
Romance is in the air Read a book with roses, jewelry, or chocolates on the cover.
Not going there Read a book about somewhere you are unlikely to visit in person. Must be a place in the real world.
Just the facts, ma'am Read a true-crime book
Shut up and deal Read a book with either a) the name of a card (i.e, Jack, King, Queen, Ace, Deuce,Trey, Joker) or number Two-Ten in the title, OR the name of a card game in the title (Solitaire, Poker, Seven Up, Crazy Eights, Old Maid, Whist, etc.) List of card games: http://www.pagat.com/national/ If you use this web site, please use only the card games.
Happily Ever After Read a book about a marriage (happy or not)
Little creepy crawlies Read a book with a pet other than a dog or cat
Just horsin' around Read a fiction or nonfiction about a horse or horses.
See how the other half lives Read a biography of someone the opposite gender as you.
Walk in another person's shoes Read a book with a picture of shoes on the cover or the word shoe or shoes in the title. Can be name of type of shoe--loafer, sneaker, brogues, stilletto, mule, etc.
Money talks..but what does it have to say. Read a book of financial advice
Curl up with a good book Read a book that has a barber shop or beauty salon as a setting or on the cover.
It's summer somewhere Read a book set south of the Equator.
Left holding the baby Read a fiction or nonfiction about an abandoned child.
Read a book with nontraditional pages--other stuff included (a la Griffin & Sabine) need not be 100 pages, but can't be Children's
Urban renewal Choose a book with the name of a city in the title.
Prize winners Read a book by one of the authors on the Nobel Prize for Literature list.
Read fiction or nonfiction about man or woman working or living an unconventional life.
Spice up your life Read a book with the name of a spice or herb in the title.
Everything is Relative Read a book with the word (singular or plural) Aunt, Uncle, or Cousin in the title.
If you were going to name a baby today, what would you name it? Read a book by an author or with a main character with that name.
Brighten up the dreary days of winter Read a book with the word Cheer or Cheery or some variation in the title
Weather outside is frightful Read a fiction or nonfiction about a winter weather related natural disaster.
It's all water under the bridge Read a book about fresh water bodies--ponds, lakes, streams etc or in title.
Because many people give gifts at this time of year Read fiction about a gift given or received
The older the violin… Read the book with the oldest copyright on your TBR list
Family ties Count up the number of brothers and sisters you have. Add 1. Read a book with that number of words in the title.
Hold fast the dream Read a book in which dreams figure prominently.
Black History Month Read a positive book by an African-American author, or about the Civil Rights Movement or about contemporary African American issues.
Read a book with the word Black in the title or by an author named Black.
GR buddies Go to the GR members page and sort by date joined. Find your name. Pick someone within 5 people of you and read one of their 5 star books. How did you rate it?
Do a Good Deed Daily Read a book about a Good Deed and then go out and do one.
My thing is Hats Read a book with the picture of a hat on the cover
Tea for two Read a fiction or nonfiction with a teapot, teacup or othe rtea accuterment on the cover, or about tea. Or coffee or hot chocolate.
Bathroom book Nonfiction collection of facts, lists, trivia stuff that can be read for a few minutes in the bathroom. (You can actually read it anywhere) No cartoons and must be at least 100 pages.
Animal crackers in my soup Read a book narrated by something other than a person (an animal or abstract--no zombies need apply)
Read a fiction or nonfiction about knitting, crocheting, tatting, embroidery, etc. Wear a sweater while doing so. Describe sweater.
Read a true-life adventure book.
Read a fiction or nonfiction about wine--making, selling, consuming.
Inititially Read a book with the First letter of the title (discounting The, A, or An) matching the First initial of the author's last name.

It's all about me Book written in first person

Sorry so many animal topics appear--must be all the dead skunks I saw along the road on the way to Wichita.

Use the site http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/se... by typing in one of your 5-star reads from your "Read" shelf here on goodreads.

Read one of the books it suggests.

The Gift Which Keeps On Giving -- Read a Novel that was Gifted to You (or loaned)

January 12, 1888, Schoolhouse Blizzard That Surprised A Nation -- Read a Novel about winter storm survival (example - Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors)

Janus Faced, January is named after Janus -- Read a Novel featuring a main character/villian who is two-faced

He Sees You When You're Sleeping -- Read a Novel about Santa Claus or the Origins of Santa

Twelve Days of Xmas -- Read a novel that has Twelve in the Titles, Twelfth in the Series, OR has one of the gifts in the title (example: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith -- Nine "Ladies" Dancing)

Baby, It's Cold Outside -- Warm up by catching up on your literature by reading a Classic off the randomhouse 100 Best List (http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibr...)

Russian Literature -- Isn't winter best for Russian Lit? The cold & misery? Read a novel by a Russian author.

Bing Crosby, Singer of Carols -- Read a novel that has a holiday song in the title, at least 2 words. (example: Home for Christmas by Anita Stansfield - I'll Be Home for Christmas)

Let the Good Times Roll -- Mardi Gras is celebrated with a King Cake. Read a novel featuring a King!

Ring in the New Year -- Time for your NY's Resolution! Read a book which features your resolution!

Super Bowl -- Read a book about football

Love is in the Air -- Read a book that features your imaginary sweetheart

Holiday Rituals -- Read a nonfiction book explaining the origins of these winter holidays

Groundhog Day -- Groundhogs fear their own shadows. Read a book that has your fear in the title or is a main theme.

Black History Month -- Read a book by an African-American Author

Ground Hog's Day - read a book about predicting the weather or meteorologists

Flu Season - read a book about an epidemic (plague, influenza, smallpox, etc.) or someone suffering from or curing and epidemic disease

December 13 is Saint Lucy's feast day - Read a book about a character that is blind.

For Boxing Day (Dec 26) read a book about a service worker (servant, postmaster, etc.).

Read a book by an author that is new to you (does not specifically need to be a "new" author unless you choose so).

We Are the World - Read a book (fiction or non-fiction) about a Third World country.

Read a book (fiction or non-fiction) about Greek or Roman mythology.

Pretend you're snowed in and have to read the only book available to you - Choose a book to read that is not from a genre you would normally pick for yourself.

Read an art history book (non-fiction) - can be about a favorite artist, art history, art criticism, etc.

To celebrate both the shortest and longest days of the year, read EITHER two of the shortest books on your TBR (no less than 100 pages each) OR one of the longest books on your TBR. (Or whatever - this can be rearranged to make it more fair for everyone - I'm just throwing ideas out there, lol.)

Read a book about a character who shares an occupation with someone in your family, not yourself. If you have no family, do not know your family, or no one in your family works you may substitute someone in your life who you consider family.

Embrace your inner child - Read a book that in same way reminds you of your childhood. This can be as simple as reading a book that takes place in the town you grew up in or it can be as complex as reading a book about a child who went through an experience you shared, or anything in between.

Reverse Psychology - Read a book that takes place in or is about a warmer climate locale.

Read a book (fiction or non-fiction) about treasure hunting.

Read a book with one of the Birthstones of the 3 months in the Title (December: Turquoise or Zircon; January: Garnet; February: Amethyst).

Read a book with one of the Flowers of the 3 month's in the Title (December: Holly or Poinsettia; January: Carnation or Snowdrops; February: Violets or Primrose).

Read a book by a Goodreads Author who you have not read any books of.

Tis the Season to Cook -- Read a cookbook or a book featuring cooking, THEN try a recipe

It's Amadeus (Mozart: 27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) -- Read a novel with Classical in the Title, classical music is a theme, or about classical musician(s)

Let's Get Together - The holidays are always full of parties and reunions so read a book where the main characters are reunited after an extended time apart.

Read an entire book either curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, or in bed. (Does not need to be read in one sitting, but does need to be read only while in that place.) This is similar to past challenges where we would read an entire book outside, etc.

El wrote: "Read an entire book either curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, or in bed. (Does not need to be read in one sitting, but does need to be read only while in that place.) This is similar to..."

Heck yes! Sounds like my kind of task. :o)

LOL, Cait. I can just hear my boyfriend saying, "Isn't that what you do every night?" :)

Winter Olympics are in Vancouver this year - read a book by a Canadian author, one that takes place in Canada, or with Canada or a Canadian city in the title

Christmas - read a story about Christmas or a collection of short stories about Christmas

Read a book (at least 100 pages) in front of a fire or curled up under a blanket if you don't have a fireplace

Christmas cookies - read a book with the word cooking, cookie, baking, oven, kitchen in the title OR read a book in which one of the main characters is a chef or cooks a lot in the story

Valentine's Day - read a romance novel or collection of romance short stories

New Year's - read a book in which there is a New Year's party or the main characters celebrate the New Year in some way

February is the shortest month of the year: read a book that is less than 200 pages in length

Pulitzer Project -- Read two Pulitzer Prize novels

Similarily to Tanja's suggestion - Read one Pulitzer Prize novel and one book by the same author that did not win the Pulitzer Prize. Be sure to explain whether or not you think the right book by that author won the award and why.

Ahahaha!! I love the curled under a blanket bit, too! COZY!

Cabin Fever -- Read a book featuring an illness

Holiday Carols -- Pick a favorite holiday carol (can be a wintery song). Count the number of letters in the title. Find a book with the equal amount of letters in the title

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth --
1. Go to http://www.random.org/integers/
2. Generate 2 random integers
3. Each integer should have a value between 1 and 100
4. Format in 1 column
5. Click - Get Numbers
6. Memorize the two numbers and read the corresponding numbered book on the following link: http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibr...

OOoh El, I like the expansion on the Pulitzer Prize!

Tanja wrote: "The Truth and Nothing But the Truth --
1. Go to http://www.random.org/integers/
2. Generate 2 random integers
3. Each integer should have a value between 1 and 100
4. Format in 1 column
5. C..."


Fun!!

You guys are so creative. I am hoping to finish this challenge, but am so un-creative that I am hoping I can come up with a good task!

I love the christmas carol task and so many others! Can't wait for the next challenge.

It is "Bowl Season"

Pick your favorite NFL team, and read a book set in that city, whether or not it is the city you live in.

Pick your favorite NFL OR college team and read a book that has the mascot's name in it, don't worry about plurals, for example, The White Tiger or Odd and the Forest Giants

The "Granddaddy of Them All", the Rose Bowl, read a book with the word "rose" in the title, or that was written by someone named "Rose", first or last.

Tanja wrote: "OOoh El, I like the expansion on the Pulitzer Prize!"

I do, too.
There's so many great ideas here already. I don't envy Cynthia in her task of setting up the new Challenges.

Thanks Amy for submitting the Olympics!

The Emperor of Japan has his birthday on the 23rd of December. Read a book either about an emperor (or empress) or with the word emperor (or empress) in the title.

Family Game Time (BINGO!) -- Read 2-3 books, each representing a genre listed on this Bingo Board (http://www.teachersdesk.org/readbingo...). They must be horizontal, vertical or diagonal to each other.

Example: Humorous Fiction, Adventure and Historical Fiction are horizontal to each other on the top row. I'd read A Dirty Job, Treasure Island and Cleopatra's Daughter.

I like how Cynthia takes our suggestions and composites them into those neato tasks. The Summer Challenge was my first to participate in so to see how our suggestions translated to the Fall one was COOL! Winter should be fun!

My birthday is in January - read a book having to do with birthday(s).

Nothing better on a cold night than hot chocolate - read a book about chocolate, or with Chocolate in the title, or with a picture of chocolate (hot or cold) on the cover.

Multi-tasking - read a book that will fit 3 or more tasks in the Winter Challenge. List the other tasks the book will fit and the books you will (have) read to fullfill them.

Yes, I stole the idea from my sister.

Jan (the Gryphon) wrote: "My birthday is in January - read a book having to do with birthday(s).

"

An alternative to that is...Read any book and then send a copy of it to someone who has a January birthday! May you get umpty-eleven books this coming January.

Yay Janice! We're Jan babies!

Could do this...

Baby New Year -- Read a book by an author who shares the same birthday as you; if there is no author, then select a book about a person OR event which shares your birthday

Here's one -

Read a book that is a past or present goodreads giveaway. It's a great way to find a new author, and helps support the goodreads giveaway program. :)

Tanja wrote: "Yay Janice! We're Jan babies!

Could do this...

Baby New Year -- Read a book by an author who shares the same birthday as you; if there is no author, then select a book about a person OR event..."

I know, from the last Challenge, that my birthday is only shared by one author. The second option of reading a book about a person or event that shares my birthday may be less restricting. Just a thought. I like the task.

-Read a book with the word light or dark or variations (lightly, darkness, etc) in the title
-Dec 10 is Human Rights day; read a book about a current human rights issue
-Dec 7 is Pearl Harbor Day; read a book that takes place in Japan or America pre-1941
-In honor of the year 2010, read the tenth book in your tbr list
-Read a book written between 1910 and 1920
-Make a new year's literary resolution (read a new author, new genre, books in your tbr, books you should have read in high school, etc). Tell us your resolution and read a book (or two books) to fulfill it
-Read a classic children's book written pre-1950
-Read a love story
-Read a book with a food in the title or on the cover

Donna Jo wrote: "Jan (the Gryphon) wrote: "My birthday is in January - read a book having to do with birthday(s).

"

An alternative to that is...Read any book and then send a copy of it to someone who has a Ja..."

NOOOOOOO! Nothing against your idea, just some of us can't bare to part with our beautiful books!

Tanja wrote: "Thanks Amy for submitting the Olympics! "

I'm just sad I can't go to them because of school. Vancouver is my favorite city, and they are gonna rock the Olympics... I really think they'll be the best Olympics we've seen in a long time.

Two more ideas -

Summer Down Under - Read a book that takes place in Australia or that is written by an Australian author

Beat the February Blahs - Read a book that takes place in a sunny or tropical location

Kathryn wrote: "Donna Jo wrote: "Jan (the Gryphon) wrote: "My birthday is in January - read a book having to do with birthday(s).

"

An alternative to that is...Read any book and then send a copy of it to someone..."

And my sister really needs more books

i like the way jennifer l. thinks! :)

I haven't read all the way through the suggestions so I don't know if this or something similar has been mentioned.

I think it would be fun to read a fiction or non-fiction about or centering around a winter holiday you don't personally celebrate (IE I grew up Christian so I could read something about Hanukkah). There are so many diverse people that are part of this group, it would be fun to learn about each other's traditions and celebrations.