2026 September Reading Challenge - Granite State Home Educators (GSHE)

For this month, the 2026 September Reading Challenge focuses on short stories.

Inspired by the success of GSHE’s past reading challenges and similar programs offered by public libraries, GSHE is continuing its monthly Reading Challenge for 2026, created especially for New Hampshire’s homeschool community.

This challenge is designed to be simple, flexible, and enjoyable. Each month offers a broad reading theme that encourages children to explore new authors, subjects, and genres in ways that fit your homeschool style.

Families may choose any book that matches the monthly theme and feels appropriate for their child’s age, interests, and reading level.

There are no required book reports, projects, logs, or submissions to GSHE. If you choose to keep a record of your child’s participation, it may be included in your homeschool portfolio, but that is entirely optional.

Participation

GSHE does not collect reading logs, track participation, or offer prizes for the Reading Challenge. Families are welcome to extend the challenge in their own creative ways, such as offering a small monthly incentive, planning special library visits, or setting aside dedicated family reading time.

For children who are not yet reading independently, audiobooks and family read-alouds count. Readers of all abilities are welcome.

If you’d like encouragement and ideas for reading together as a family, you may also enjoy:

Read Alouds: Benefits, Research, and Favorite Books – Part 1

Read Alouds: Tips and Favorite Books – Part 2

Finding Books on a Budget

Your local library is a great place to start, including access to interlibrary loan (ILL) programs.

GSHE members also have access to a wide range of free book and audiobook resources through the GSHE Resource Directory. Create a free account at gshenh.org/join to explore options such as:

Libby by OverDrive
LibriVox (public-domain audiobooks)
NH Downloadable Books Consortium
Project Gutenberg
Storyberries (especially helpful for younger readers)
Ben and Me (free Kindle books for children)

For September, read a collection of short stories!

For this month’s challenge, read a few short stories of any sort. They can be by the same author or different people, have a common theme or be a random selection you like. That’s the fun of this challenge – an opportunity to explore.

Short stories offer several benefits especially for new or reluctant readers.

It may not be as daunting as a large book or novel.
It is more likely the reader will finish reading the entire work.
There is a sense of accomplishment when completing it that may motivate further reading.
Because they’re brief, short stories may encourage exploration of new genres and authors.
It encourages a habit of daily or more regular reading routines.
They are a great alternative to apps and cell phone distractions when there are brief moments of “in between” time.
For budding authors, reading short stories can help hone their writing craft.

Suggested Stories

The stories below are organized roughly by reading level. Reading ability varies considerably, of course, so use your judgment about what will be a good fit for each reader.

Elementary / Younger Readers

The Blind Man and the Elephant by Traditional Folktale
The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen
The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde
Jack and the Beanstalk by Traditional Fairy Tale
King Midas and the Golden Touch by Traditional Myth
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame
Stone Soup by Traditional Folktale
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

Middle Grades

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
The Last Leaf by O. Henry
The Lady or the Tiger? by Frank R. Stockton
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
The Magic Shop by H. G. Wells
The Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving
The Ransom of Red Chief by O. Henry
The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
The Sword and the Stone by T. H. White
To Build a Fire by Jack London

Middle School / Young Adult

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov
The Lady or the Tiger? by Frank R. Stockton
The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick
The Open Window by Saki
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar by Roald Dahl

High School / Advanced Readers

The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
The Magic Shop by H. G. Wells
The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick
The Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
To Build a Fire by Jack London