Do you miss childhood summer reading challenges? The National Book Foundation has one for adults.
If you’re reading Lit Hub, it’s a fair guess that you have fond memories of school reading challenges over summer break, those individual and classroom-wide challenges to log your summer’s reading, show off, and maybe earn a prize in September. I definitely remember logging my books every summer, and comparing my records with friends. Books, list-making, self-assigned homework—it was a young nerd’s dream.
If you miss those summer reading projects, the National Book Foundation is launching their first Summer Reading Adventure today, “for adults to lean into the nostalgic, prize-filled fun of summer reading.” The Adventure is a celebration of the National Book Awards’ 75th anniversary, challenging readers to complete as many literary activities as they can over the summer, like swapping a book with a friend, reading outside, or making a pilgrimage to a literary site, and more. The full list of activities is on their site, as well as a link to download a printable card in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.
If the thrill of reading isn’t incentive enough, the NBF is offering prizes, too. The grand prize is two tickets to the 75th National Book Awards Ceremony on November 20th, plus flights and accommodations. But everyone who submits by the end of August will get Bookshop.org and Libro.fm discount codes and will be entered in a raffle to win books, coffee mugs, ice cream, and more.
And if you’re in New York City, you can pick up your Reading Adventure card and a National Book Foundation tote at some NYPL branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.
