Read Across America: An Interesting New Reading Challenge for a New Year

The past couple of years, I have been doing the 52 Book Club Challenge where you read 52 books in 52 weeks to follow specific prompts. The first year, we also completed the challenge in our read alouds! It was certainly a challenge; in fact, even finding age appropriate books for some of the prompts was a challenge, so last year we decided to do the alphabet challenge with our read alouds instead. One book for each letter of the alphabet.

This year, I wanted something different, so we are going to read across America in our read alouds!

Read Across America Challenge

The Read Across America Challenge is pretty self explanatory. We will read one book set in each state for a total of 50 books. The number could be a challenge, but I think it will be achievable.

You could narrow it further to historical fiction even as there are a lot of books to fit the genre.

Of course, this doesn't have to be a read aloud challenge. Anyone of any age can complete it! You could do it will preschoolers and picture books or teens could complete on their own. Adults can do it as well!

How Do You Find Books?

Finding books for some of the challenges we have done has been a bit tricky, but this was surprisingly easy. A quick Google search gives you suggestions and Goodreads has a list of books that take place in each state.

If you do a Google search be sure to put the type of book you are looking for. I ended up searching for "middle grade chapter books set in _____." Without the age definition I was getting picture books through adult books rather than books for an 11-year-old. This should work regardless of the age you are looking for; just use picture, middle grade, young adult, or adult for whatever audience you need.

You definitely don't have to buy all the books either! Check your local library, and I am sure they will have nearly all especially if they do interlibrary loans. You can even do what I do and put everything on hold at once then suspend the holds, so they will show up throughout the year. That way there is no scrambling for another book!

How to Track the Books?

Tracking the states you have already covered is simple with the printable map below. Just click the map to download then print and color the states as you read

Other Reading Challenges

If 50 books sounds like a bit much for you or your kiddo right now, you can always try the A to Z reading challenge. Simply choose a book that starts with each letter of the alphabet and read! You could also choose authors for each letter if you want to mix it up.

Like the previous challenge, this can be completed by any age group. Below are 2 options for tracking with the new year on them. My daughter wanted hearts, so my son opted for explosions.