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Back-to-School Contest. Each entry must also be used in the main contest.
July: Summer Vacation -- Earn up to three entries by completing one of two tracks (pick a track earn all three entries in that track)
Track 1: Summer Reading List
Read three books, each in a different genre. (examples: non-fiction, self-help, YA, cozy, thriller, romance, romantasy, dystopian, historical romance, memoir, biography, romantic suspence, paranormal , sci fi, humor, chick lit, coming of age, erotic lit, fable, etc)
Each genre earns one entry, for a max of three.
Track 2: Vacation Reading
Earn an entry for each book with a main character who is:
a teacher, a student, on vacation, working in a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, math). Max of three entries.
Bonus entry: If you complete a track, you may complete an elective (see below) for extra credit (one entry, total of four in July)
August: Back to school -- Earn an entry for each curriculum course completed PLUS one elective (max three entries for the month)
Complete a course by reading a book that fits one of the prompts in the syllabus. (one entry per course)
Math Syllabus:
- Read a book in a series
- Read a book with a number in the title
- Read a book with a number in the author's or character's name (i.e. Bill Stone)
- Read a book with numbers on the cover
Foreign Language Syllabus:
- Read a book that was translated to English
- Read a book that takes place entirely in another country
- Read a book by an author who is not American
- Read a book with a main character that is not American
Complete any elective (see below) for extra credit (one entry)
September: Welcome Autumn -- Earn an entry for each curriculum course completed PLUS one elective (max three entries for the month)
Complete a course by reading a book that fits one of the prompts in the syllabus. (one entry per course)
PE Syllabus:
- Read a book about a sport
- Read a book with a main character or author that is an athlete (professional or amatuer, competition or hobby)
- Read a book about a competition or battle
- Read a book with a person trying to better themselves
Science Syllabus:
- Read a book about space or takes place in space or another planet
- Read a book about an animal, with an animal main character, or an animal on the cover
- Read a book with plants in the title or on the cover or in a main character's or author's name
- Read a book with a mystery
Complete any elective (see below) for extra credit (one entry)
Electives:
Complete an elective by reading a book that fits one of the following prompts
- Psychology 101 – a book that has to do with isolation or imprisonment
- Psychology 201 – a book that has to do with dysfunctional families
- Geography -- a book set someplace you'd like to visit
- Anatomy 101 -- a book with person or part of the body on the cover
- Anatomy 102 -- a book with a forensic investigation in the story
- Chemisty -- a romance
- Biology -- an explicit romance
- Class clown -- a book that is funny
- Detention -- a book with someone in jail or a fugutive or ex-convict
- Substitute teacher -- a book by a new-to-you author
- Student teacher -- an author's first published book
- Library -- a borrowed book
Welcome to 2018’s Back-to-School Challenge. Listed below you will find several disciplines followed by courses in those disciplines. Make your reading selections to suit your graduation goal:
- Cum laude: 1 course from each discipline (7 books) plus 1 elective (2 books). Total books = 9
- Magna cum laude: 2 courses from each discipline (14 books total) plus 2 electives (4 books). Total books = 18
- Summa cum laude: 3 courses from each discipline (21 books) plus 3 electives (6 books). Total books = 27 books
You may substitute an elective choice for 2 courses from other disciplines.
Electives may be repeated once for credit. (For example, you might read 4 books from the same geographic location.)
Please include the date you complete each course and your evaluation of the materials covered.
Note: As a reminder, when choosing a book that "has to do with" a course, you may interpret "has to do with" as strictly or as loosely as you prefer. For example, looser interpretations of "a book that has to do with a ship, an island or a body of water" might include just an image of a ship on the cover or the word "water" in the title.
Course offerings:
Math:
- Mother lode – a book that has to do with treasure, fortune, or wealth
- Put your money where your mouth is – a book that has to do with finance, jobs, or employment
- Rule of thumb - a book that has to do with rules or laws
- Knock on wood - a book that has to do with superstition, magic, or gambling
Psychology:
- Cabin fever – a book that has to do with isolation or imprisonment
- Bend over backwards –a book that has to do with helping others, helping professions or generosity
- Elephant in the room – a book that has to do with dysfunctional families
- Tongue in cheek – a book that has to do with humor or comedy
Physical Education:
- All in the same boat – a book that has to do with a ship, an island or a body of water
- Out on a limb – a book that has to do with risk
- The ball is in your court - a book that has to do with sports
- Jumping the gun – a book that has to do with weaponry, fighting, a battle or war
Science:
- Under the weather – a book that has to do with illness
- Barking up the wrong tree – a book that has to do with misdirection, a mystery, a search or a detective
- Weathering a storm – a book that has to do with survival
- Hold your horses - a book that has to do with animals
Foreign Language:
- Go the extra mile - a book that has to do with travel or transportation
- Greek to me - a book that has been translated
- Melting pot – a book that has to do with more than one racial or ethnic group
- End of the road – a book that has to do with a journey, quest or death
Humanities:
- Like a broken record – a book that has to do with the arts
- It’s a piece of cake – a book that has to do with food, drinking or cooking
- A blessing in disguise - a book that has to do with spirituality or disguise
- Benedict Arnold – a book that has to do with betrayal or politics
Electives choices:
- Two books by new-to-you authors
- Two books from the same geographic location
- Two recommended books
- Two library/borrowed/traded books
- Two award-winners
Fill in your schedule below:
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Harry Potter Challenge
There are 4 Houses. Choose 1!
Hufflepuff - Read 6-10 books
Ravenclaw - Read 10-14 books
Slytherin - Read 14-18 books
Gryffindor - 18+ books
YEAR ONE (THE SORCERER'S STONE)
1) My Precious.... - Read a book with a precious stone in the title
2) Family Matter - Read a book with some serious family hatred towards one another
3) London Calling - Read a book written by a female British author
4) Friendship Goals - Read a book featuring a very good group of friends you'd like to a be a part of
5) Pick Your Potion - Read a book that features a potion or a poison
YEAR TWO ( CHAMBER OF SECRETS)
1) Pandora's Box - Read a book where a major plot secret is revealed
2) Two Faced - Read a book where a character pretends to be something they are not
3) Dear Diary - Read a book where someone keeps a journal
4) Magical Plants - Read a book featuring a medical doctor
5) Baslisk vs. Bear - Read a book where a character must fight an animal to survive
YEAR THREE (PRISONER OF AZKABAN)
1) Lock Him Up! - Read a book featuring a prisoner
2) Time Traveler - Read a book either set in two time periods or a book with time travel
3) "I Solemnly Swear..." - Read a book featuring a map
4) Where Wolf? - Read a book featuring a wolf or a dog
5) Runes and Hieroglyphics - Read a book set in Egypt
YEAR FOUR (GOBLET OF FIRE)
1) Slytherin vs Tudors - Read a book featuring a sport or a sporting event
2) Goodbye, Old Friend - Read a book where a good guy or gal bites the dust
3) Hello, Sworn Enemy - Read a book with a villain you'd like to punch
4) I Have to Dance?! - Read a book featuring a ball or dance
5) Riddles, Everywhere - Read an historical mystery - or any mystery
YEAR FIVE (ORDER OF THE PHOENIX)
1) Shhh! - Read a book featuring a secret society
2) The Wonder Years - Read a book featuring an angsty teenager
3) Dark Arts - Read a book featuring witches or witchcraft
4) Bad Teacher - Read a book featuring torture
5) Mismanagement - Read a book with a main character involved with any government
YEAR SIX (HALF BLOOD PRINCE)
1) Charming - Read a book whose main character is a prince
2) Muggle Studies - Read a book whose main character is an ordinary, everyday person - no titles, no rank
3) I Didn't See That Coming - Read a book where a major secret about a character is revealed
4) Memory Lane - Read a book featuring a flashback
5) Fatal Attraction - Read a book featuring a dangerous love infatuation
YEAR SEVEN (DEATHLY HALLOWS)
1) They Lived Happily Ever After - Read a book featuring a wedding
2) A Long Story - Read a book that spans at least 40 years of a characters life
3) Sad to See You Go - Read the final book in a series
4) Follow the Yellow Brick Road - Read a book featuring a treasure hunt
5) Freebie - Read any book you want! You've earned it!
EXTRA POINTS
Fantastic Beasts - Read 4 books featuring named animals
Mount TBR Challenge
For this challenge, I'm only counting books I have accumulated before 2018.
- Pike's Peak - 12 books
- Mount Blanc - 24 books
- Mt Vancouver - 36 books
- Mt Ararat - 48 books
- Mt Kilimanjaro - 60 books
- El Toro - 75 books
- Mount Everest - 100 books
- Mount Olympus (Mars) - 150+ books
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Last year I introduced the Follow the Clues Mystery Challenge because I wanted to develop another mystery challenge that would be more all-encompassing. Unlike the variations of my yearly Vintage Mystery Challenge, this mystery challenge has no publication date limits. If it's a mystery--it counts and it does not matter when it was published. Participation seemed to me to be a bit spotty, but I ran a poll and had four folks who said they'd like to do another round.I initially thought I might try to change things up a bit, but I haven't had any bursts of inspiration. So, let's try this again...
Your goal? Is still to follow a set of clues furnished by the mystery books you read to create a body of evidence to support a book court case. Each book clue should lead you to your next read. The connection can be anything at all from author names to motive for murder to type of mystery (police, procedural, espionage, romantic thriller, etc.) to an item on the cover, but you must be able to make your case to the jury on your detective logic. I would prefer that you not read eight books from the same author and use the author/series/character/ etc. as the clue link. An example: If the first book I read is by Agatha Christie, then the next book could be by Elizabeth Daly, who has often been referred to as the "American Christie." If the Daly book is Arrow Pointing Nowhere, then my next book could be The House of the Arrow by A.E.W. Mason....and so on.
If you have doubts about whether your clue is convincing OR you need any clarification about the challenge at all, you may approach the bench with questions (phryne1969 AT gmail DOT com).
There are several levels of participation:
Infraction -- six books read in a single chain of evidence
Misdemeanor -- eight books read in a single chain of evidence
Felony -- ten books read in a single chain of evidence
Capital Offense -- twelve books in a single chain of evidence
Here are the rules:
~Challenge runs from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. All books should be read during this time period. Sign up any time between now and November 1, 2018. If you have a blog, please post about the challenge. Then sign up via the linky below. And please make the url link to your Challenge post and not your home page. (Links that do not follow this rule will be removed.) If you do not have a blog, links to an online list (Goodreads, Library Thing, etc.) devoted to this challenge are also acceptable OR you may comment below to indicate your sign up.
~All books must be mysteries. Humor, romance, supernatural elements (etc) are welcome, but the books should be mysteries/crime/detective novels first.
~Choose a level of participation. A full body of evidence must be read at the chosen level for a completed challenge and to be eligible for the end-of-year prize drawing.
~For this year's challenge, you start your chain after signing up. The idea is to let your books lead to one another, not to read several books and then look back for connections.
~You are welcome to level up if you find that your evidence trail leads you to suspect a more serious crime. But no reduced sentences will be accepted (no leveling down).
~A wrap-up post/comment/email will be requested that should include explanations of the clue links.
~Reviews are not mandatory, but a monthly link-up will be provided for those so inclined.
~The current headquarters link will be updated for 2018 after the beginning of the year--a place for review links and the year-end wrap-up.
Prizes!
~All challengers who complete their level with readily explained clues will be eligible for an end-of-year prize drawing.
https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2017/11/follow-clues-mystery-challenge.html
Last Edited on: 6/12/25 5:02 PM ET - Total times edited: 2
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