Inspired by reading challenges offered by many public libraries but limited to people in those specific communities, GSHE is hosting a 2023 Reading Challenge for NH’s homeschool community!
It is just for fun, to help young readers explore new authors, subjects, and genres. Our monthly challenges are very broad so families may choose whatever book they wish and feel is appropriate for their children.
We announce each challenge in our monthly newsletters – they usually go out around the 13th or so. This is where you will first see our monthly reading challenge, as a bonus to our subscribers. Sign up for our newsletter at our website; there is a box in the right-hand column that says “join today” and pop-up boxes to register. If you have any difficulty, email us at info@GraniteStateHomeEducators.org and we will register you.
Participants are not required to write book reports, give oral presentations, or complete formal projects, and families are free to incorporate our reading challenge into their child’s learning as they see fit. We have a simple 2023 GSHE Reading Challenge log that families may print out to keep track of their child’s participation, if they wish. It can be part of your child’s homeschool portfolio!
PARTICIPATION RULES
Parents/guardians may send GSHE one submission per month per child – include the child’s name and age along with what book he/she read. Email us at info@GraniteStateHomeEducators.org with “Reading Challenge” in the subject line so we can more easily keep track of everything. Submissions are due before the next month’s challenge is announced.
Each month’s participation is another chance to win! For example, if your child reads something each month, that is 12 opportunities to win one of our prizes. If a child participates in six of the monthly challenges, that is six chances to win.
For kids that are not reading independently, audio books and books you read together are perfectly fine. All reading abilities are welcome to participate.
To help motivate kids to participate, we would love to have photos to go along with the monthly submissions that we can use in our monthly newsletters.
At the end of the year, we will award $25 Amazon gift cards to FOUR lucky winners!
Let’s get started!!
For May, read an award-winning book! 
There are dozens of different literary awards! There are different awards that are international, specific to different countries, languages, genres, and demographic groups. Pick from any category for this month’s challenge.; you’re not limited to the ones we listed below.
Nobel Prize in Literature – the oldest literature award, given “in the field of literature, produced the most outstanding work in an idealistic direction,” based on the author’s total body of work
America Award – a lifetime achievement award for international writers
The Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year – celebrates books with odd titles
Bram Stoker Award – winners are selected by the Horror Writers Association (HWA) for “superior achievement” in dark fantasy and horror writing
Caldecott Medal – honors the “most distinguished American picture book for children”
Henry Awards – an American award given to short stories
Nebula Award – recognizes the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the US
Edgar Award – given by the Mystery Writers of America
Newbery Medal – an award given by the Association for Library Service to Children to “the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children”
National Outdoor Book Award – honors writings and publishing about the outdoors
Pulitzer Prize – administered by Columbia University, 22 different categories
PEN America – over 20 distinct awards for “most outstanding voices in literature across diverse genres, including fiction, poetry, science writing, essays, sports writing, biography, children’s literature, and drama”
Spur Award – awarded by the Western Writers of America (WWA)for distinguished writing about the American West
The Hugo Award – an award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements, administered by the World Science Fiction Society
