Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
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Summer Reading Challenge Introduction and FAQ
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June
1. National Ballpoint Pen Day
June 10th, the anniversary of the patent filing. Fun fact: the world's most popular ball point is the Bic Crystal, which sells on average 57 pens per second.
a. A book with a writing utensil on the cover
b. A book written under a pen name
c. A book about a writer, bookseller, or librarian
2. National Prune Day
June 15th. Fun fact: prunes, the dried version of plums, were originally from China.
a. A book written by someone over the age of 60
b. A book with more than 400 pages
c. A book with purple on the cover
3. Let's Catch a Movie
The term 'blockbuster' was originally used to describe especially destructive bombs, and then came to mean shocking news stories. It's current use as a movie with huge box office returns is often attributed to producer Max Youngstein
a. Author's initials can be found in BLOCKBUSTER FILM
b. A book that has been adapted into a movie or series
c. A book published in the last two years
4. Happy Birthday Paul Gauguin
Born on June 7th 1848 Gauguin was a French artist most known for his contributions to the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements. He lived in France, Peru, Martinique, Tahiti, and the Marquesas Islands.
a. A book with at least 4 colors on the cover
b. A translated book see FAQ
c. A book with a seven in the page count
July
1. Happy Birthday Satchel Paige
Baseball pitcher Leroy R. (Satchel) Paige (1906-1982) was the first African American pitcher in the American League. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
a. A book whose author's initials appear in CURVEBALL
b. A book featuring a sport
c. A book with a black main character
2. The Apollo Moon Landing
Apollo 11, the first manned landing on Earth's moon, touched down on the surface on July 20, 1969.
a. A book set in space
b. A book with the moon on the cover
c. A book published in the 1960s
3. Let's Go on a Hike
Fun fact: Yellowstone National Park averages 1 bear attack per year, and there have only been 8 bear-caused fatalities in park history. For perspective that is 1 bear attack per 26.2 million park visits.
a. A book with a cover of a nature scene without people
b. A book set in a rural area
c. A book with an element of survival
4. Dog Days of Summer
Fun fact: this phrase refers to the time when Sirius the dog star is visible in the sky.
a. A book with a dog on the cover
b. A book with a hot setting
c. An author's first book
August
1. The Destruction of Pompeii
Pompeii was a Roman city that was buried under volcanic ash and pumice during the eruption of Mt Vesuvius
a. A book featuring an ancient civilization
b. A book with red on the cover
c. A book set in a city
2. Vacation Time
Fun fact: 60% of the Earth's lakes are located in Canada. Something to think about next time you're by a lake.
a. A book you've been meaning to read
b. A book by a favorite author
c. A book set somewhere you would like to visit
3. Let's Play a Game
Fun fact: In Chile the Clue character Mr. Green is named Chef Lettuce.
a. A book with multiple points of view
b. A book by an author whose initials appear in SCRABBLE
c. A book in a series
4. Back to School Sales
Fun fact: in 2023 the average American household spent $890 on back to school shopping, according to an online survey. Ok, that one's not actually that fun.
a. A book borrowed from the library
b. A nonfiction book
c. A book with a character in an educational setting
Mod
Q: How many times can we be entered into the drawing?
A: You can earn up to 3 entries (one per month). You are welcome to complete every single task if you so choose but you will only get 3 raffle entries.
Q: Can books overlap between the main Around the Year challenge and the summer challenge?
A: Yes, absolutely! Some of the tasks are designed to be easy for you to fit in books you’re planning to read for AtY.
Q: Can a book be used for more than one summer challenge prompt?
A: Each book can only be used for one prompt in the summer challenge. No double-dipping.
Q: Can I use a prompt more than once?
A: Each prompt can only be used once towards a raffle entry. No repeats. Also, each month can only be used for one raffle entry (ie no doing June three times).
Q: Do the prompts need to be completed in any kind of order?
A: No, you can complete them in any order you like. Prompts do not need to be completed in their month to count.
Q: Can books started before or in progress on be counted?
A: You may count a book started before the challenge begins as long as you read at least 100 pages of the book on or after June 1. You must have completed a book by August 31 to count it.
Q: For a task requiring a title beginning with a particular letter, do A, An and The count?
A: You can choose whether or not to count them - eg if the title has to begin with a letter in OCEAN, you can use The Old Man and the Sea (which, ignoring the word The, starts with an O).
Q: If an author has middle names, do those initials need to be included in the phrase?
A: Nah just first and last is fine. BUT it must be the name of the author as it appears on the book. If the book cover says Mary Smith, you can't use Carol Bennett just because they also write under that name.
Q: For prompts concerning publication date, page numbers, or covers, how do you handle reprints/multiple editions?
A: We will use the edition you tag in your completion post. This mainly affects page numbers and cover designs for this challenge, so tag whichever edition you read that fits the prompt. For publication year, we will use the original publication date. If you are getting a book from the library and aren't sure which edition you will get, you can just use the default edition (meaning the first one that comes up when you search for the book). We are using an honor system here, so please make sure you are tagging properly!
Q: How much of a book needs to be set somewhere (or somewhen) for it to count?
A: Would you bring it up when describing the book to a friend? There you go.
Q: Can we move a book to a different prompt once claimed on our progress for another prompt?
A: If you submit your completed challenge to the completion thread, you cannot change it after the fact. If you are unsure about where you want to place books, we recommend waiting until you complete the challenge before submitting your books to the completion thread!
Q: There are 3 options for each of the 4 prompts for each month. Do I need to complete an option for each prompt? Can I double up?
A: 1 option per prompt! So for example, you could do 1a, 2b, 3a, 4c for June and that would count. 1a, 1b, 2c, 3a would not count.
Q: If a book has been adapted into a movie or show but that movie/show hasn't come out yet, can it be counted towards "a book that has been adapted..."?
A: Yes, if it has a release date. If it doesn't have a release date, then it's a no.
Note: When I wrote this, I put the prompt as "an author who has a pen name"; I have updated that to "a book written under a pen name" because I think that is a little clearer. The point is the author's name on the book cover is not the name that they use for their day to day life. If we have instances where the author's name has since changed, I would accept that with the explanation that it was a pen name at the time of publication.
Q: For the translated book, can I read the book in its original language if it has been translated into other languages?
A: No, you need to be reading the translated edition, as in the book was originally written in a different language from the one you are reading it in.
Mod
Jackie, even though your FAQs were very thorough, I have question about what counts as a prompt, re: whether you have all 4 prompts for a month accounted for.Are, e.g., all of the ideas, 4a, 4b, and 4c for June all different prompts, or just options to use for a single prompt. Basically, do you have to have your 4 from the month from the 4 different Fun Fact sections, or could you just pick any 4 of the 12 ideas from each month? So would 1a 1c 3b 3c count, or would it have to be more like 1a 2c 3b and 4a to count?
I hope this makes sense...
In the past it’s been one of the options for each numbered category, so the latter of your two examples.
Thanks Chrissy. I’ve only done this style of challenge once and couldn’t remember this bit.
Mod
Hi! Is 4c mean an academic setting? I think what I just read said “an setting”
Mod
Am I okay to do my tracking on my 2024 plans post rather than in the specific folder, as long as I post in the completion thread?I just have post-book-finishing update fatigue with all the places I have to go to track what I've read and what it counts for!
Mod
I just have post-book-finishing update fatigue with all the places..."
Yes, that's totally fine! Some people like having a dedicated thread for their summer reading challenge, and others like to use their main challenge thread. How you plan/track is up to you, as long it's not on this page. As you said, once you're done post in the completion thread to be entered into the raffle.
Mod
Are, e.g., all of the ideas, 4a, 4b, ..."
You can only grab one 'idea' per prompt. So you could do 1a, 2c, 3a, 4b for June and that would be fine, but you couldn't do 1a, 1b, 2c, 3c for example.
Thanks for clarifying Jackie - that makes sense.
Mod
Can a book about a writer be a fiction book where the character is writing a book about someone? (Low pressure by Brown)
Mod
Trying not to be insulted by the prune = over 60 prompt But I also know what the back of my hands look like. 😆
I've done these challenges before but for some reason I'm not understanding how to complete the challenge. I finished 3 abc under Lets Catch A Movie. So I need to pick up one more prompt under another list of prompts to count as completed. I'm I right in my thinking?
Mod
The good news is you can reassign these books you've already read, and you don't have to do them in any order (so you can finish August's prompts in June, etc.).
Please let me know if that makes sense!
Shoot but thank you for the explanation
For June 1c. A book about a writer, bookseller, or librarian:In the book I'm reading now, the hero is the town librarian for his first adult job. (This is a part of the first 50ish pages.) He leaves that job and his lifepath never returns to the library. Will that qualify for June 1c?? Thanks
book: The Late Mattia Pascal
Mod
Jackie wrote: "Would you bring up his librarian job in describing the book as a whole?"No, I wouldn't, so I've got my answer :)
Does a book set on another planet that's not Earth count as set in space?
Mod
Yep definitely a different planet with a name, not an Earth-like planet. I think Earth doesn't even exist anymore in this world (Wayfarers by Becky Chambers, I'm reading #4).
Beth wrote: "Trying not to be insulted by the prune = over 60 prompt But I also know what the back of my hands look like. 😆"I was trying not to be insulted too, but I thought it was about digestive needs. Lol
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Our summer challenge has twelve prompts in total, divided into four for each month of summer. For each prompt there is a choice of three tasks. Some are easy, some are more difficult - it’s your choice which you want to complete. You only need to complete one task per prompt to finish the challenge. You can choose to complete all twelve prompts, or if you prefer a shorter challenge you can just complete one month’s prompts.
The Prize!
For each month you complete you will earn one entry into a draw to be held at the end of the challenge. The winner of the draw will be invited to create one prompt to be included in the 2025 ATY Reading List.*
How to Join the Challenge!
1. First check out the prompts and choice of tasks in post two of this thread.
2. Next, start a post in this folder where you will post your plan and track your progress through the challenge. You can also look at other people’s plans to get ideas for any tasks you’re finding tricky and ask for recommendations from other readers. This is not required, but it's a great way to plan out your books.
3. When you’ve completed all four prompts for one month, post the details in the completion thread https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/.... Once a mod has checked that the tasks are all completed in line with the rules we’ll confirm your entry to the draw.
*NOTE: You may earn a maximum of THREE entries - one for each month completed.
4. After the challenge ends on August 31 we will have a draw to choose a winner. The mods will announce the winner soon after and they’ll be invited to create a prompt for the 2024 ATY Reading List.*
What Books Can Be Counted?
Because there is a prize associated with our summer reading challenge (unlike with our other seasonal challenges), we have a few requirements for books to count:
1. Books must be at least 100 pages long, except for graphic novels or poetry, which must be at least 200 pages long. For audiobooks, the printed version of the book should be at least 100 pages long.
2. Picture books or any other books where illustrations make up most of the book can’t be used.
3. You must read the whole of a book between June 1 and August 31 to count it for this challenge. Books started before June 1 must have at least 100 pages left before beginning on June 1, or 200 pages left for graphic novels or poetry.
If you have any questions about the challenge then you can post them in this thread. The FAQs in post three below will also be updated as people ask questions so you might find your question has been answered there. If you’d like to check that a book will work for one of the tasks before you read it then you can ask here and we’ll confirm if it does.
Happy reading, and we hope you enjoy the challenge!
*Subject to the mods approval. For example the prompt can’t be the same or extremely similar to one already voted in and it must not be something that’s impossible for some readers to complete. If the winner is unresponsive to the message sent from the mods, there will be a redraw.