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

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)

February Reading Challenge: Book → Stage or Screen

For February, it’s a two-part challenge! Read a book that is a play or has been adapted for the stage or screen, and then watch the performance or movie.

This is a great opportunity to add some extra fun and connection. Consider hosting a group book/movie day as a meet-up at your local library or in your home—it’s a wonderful excuse to meet people and make new friends. (Full credit to some creative moms who did this for teens in Hooksett—love that idea.)

There are also several theater production companies around the state, so you may want to choose a show first and read the book before attending the performance. We’ve included a list of theater companies at the end of this article.

This challenge naturally sets up rich discussion as well. Comparing and contrasting the book with the play or movie often reveals meaningful differences in interpretation, storytelling, and themes. Families are encouraged to adapt selections to their children’s ages and interests, including using read-alouds and family viewing.

We hope you enjoy this month’s challenge!