Grimsby Public Library Reading Challenge

Welcome to the Grimsby Public Library's 2023 Reading Challenge! Designed to help you read more, get through your TBR (to be read) piles, and encourage a love of books in the community. Join the challenge and get reading this year.

Stay in the loop!

Receive monthly reading recommendations for each challenge delivered straight to your email inbox throughout the year by signing up for our e-newsletter.

How to join the challenge

Read a book that fits into each topic on our list (there's a different one from January to December) to complete the GPL Reading Challenge. That's 12 books total, and only one book a month. You can do it!

GPL Reading Challenge list

Read a book for each of the following topics:

January: A book based solely on the cover/title
February: A book about a family or family life
March: A book that is over 500 pages or under 200 pages
April: The first book in a series
May: A book by an Asian author or set in an Asian country
June: A book with a transgender author or main character
July: A book by an author living in or from Ontario
August: A book from a library display or social media post
September: A book with an animal on the cover
October: A book in a different format than usual (e-book, audio, etc.)
November: A book that is 10+ years old
December: A book that has a colour in the title

Share what you're reading

Sharing the books you read is not required, but highly encouraged! Share your progress with us and other readers by posting photos and updates on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #GPLReadingChallenge or by tagging us @GrimsbyLibrary!

Grand prize draw

At the end of the year we will open up a raffle to draw for our fabulous grand prize package. Anyone has completed the challenge is eligible to enter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can participate in the challenge and prize draw?

Our Reading Challenge is for library users who want to get more reading under their belt this year. The list and grand prize is geared toward adult readers, but teens and kids can join in too.

Do I have to read books from the library?

You are definitely encouraged to use our collection to complete the Reading Challenge, however you can use books you have bought, borrowed from friends or already had on your home bookshelf.

Can I read the book topics on the list out of order? ie. Read the January book in June?

Yes, you can read the books in whatever order you like, as long as you complete the list! However we recommend reading in order to make it more challenging.

What book formats are allowed?

You can read fiction or non-fiction, in any language, in the following formats:

Hardcover or paperback
Audiobooks
e-Books or e-Audiobooks
Graphic novels

If I read a book that fits into 2 categories, can I use it for both?

Nope! Only one book per category.