Inspired by reading challenges offered by many public libraries but limited to people in those specific communities and the success of our 2023 Reading Challenge, GSHE is organizing a 2025 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 will be very broad so families may choose whatever book they wish and feel is appropriate for their children.
Participants are not required to complete book reports, give oral presentations, create a formal project, or send in anything to GSHE. Families are free to incorporate our reading challenge into their child’s learning as they see fit. If you choose to keep a record of participation, it can be part of your child’s homeschool portfolio!
PARTICIPATION
For 2025, GSHE will not collect reading logs, track participation, or issue a year-end prize. Families are free to extend the Reading Challenge in any way they wish; perhaps provide a monthly incentive to encourage your child’s reading such as a new book if they complete all monthly challenges.
For kids that are not reading independently, audio books and books you read together are perfectly fine. Any reading ability is welcome to participate.
Let’s get started!!
For January, read a book that is considered a classic.
What makes a book a “classic?” Some people determine it based on ones that make a major contribution to literature, represent a genre or writing style, or one that is considered “timeless.” Lots of ways to interpret this, so have fun exploring what to read!
Suggestions for Classic Books
A Journey to the Center of the Earth
A Wrinkle in Time
Alice in Wonderland
Anne of Green Gables
Arabian Nights
Black Beauty
Chronicles of Narnia
Island of the Blue Dolphin
James and the Giant Peach
Little House on the Prairie
Little Prince
Little Women
Phantom Tollbooth
Robinson Crusoe
Secret Garden
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The Hobbit
The Prince and the Pauper
The Scarlet Letter
The Three Musketeers
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Treasure Island
Watership Down
White Fang
Where to Find Books
If you don’t already have the book you want for each monthly challenge, visit your local library. Many participate in the interlibrary loan (ILL) program.
The GSHE website has over 20 free sources for books! Create a free account at www.gshenh.org and search through our resource database under Money-Saving Programs to access their links. Below are just a few of the ones we have in our database.
Libby by OverDrive – free books and audiobooks from your local public library
LibriVox — free, public-domain audiobooks
NH Downloadable Books Consortium — courtesy of the NH public library system
Project Gutenberg – over 60,000 free ebooks
Ben and Me — extensive list of free Kindle books for children
