Helmet Reading Challenge 2019

Helmet Reading Challenge is published for the fifth time in 2019.

The first ever Helmet Reading challenge was published in 2015. Now in 2019 it is time for the fifth challenge. The Reading Challenge is a playful reading project where you choose something new to read from 50 different subjects. Come explore literature with us!

The creation of the reading challenge is a shared effort of a group of library professionals. However most of the subjects are originally suggested by the Reading Challenge participants. Our aim is to create a versatile challenge that will inspire and challenge readers in multiple ways. We hope that participants old and new will all have fun with the challenge throughout the year.

Last autumn the Reading Challenge participants got a change to vote for their favourite subjects from all the previous years. The results of the vote can be found in this article( in Finnish). We had promised to bring back some of the most voted for subjects to the challenge in 2019. The two subjects returning are 25. A book from an author you have never read before and 38. A banned book.

As usual this years Reading Challenge has references to current subjects and historical events relevant to this year, too. Subjects referred to include Brexit, Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the 175th birthday of a notable Finnish writer Minna Canth.

If a list of 50 subjects feels too long, there is another option available. The Little Helmet Reading Challenge is a smaller challenge with only 25 subjects. This Reading Challenge is created especially children in mind and the subjects are chosen accordingly; but it is equally suitable for grown up readers as well.

The aim of The Helmet Reading Challenge is to excite and surprise, and to give readers new perspectives. The Reading Challenge is an open invitation to reading for all and we hope you join in with us !

Five key points to success for the reading challenge:

1. Anyone can join

Even though the challenge is called The Helmet Reading Challenge in reference to the Helmet Libraries, any readers who want to take part in the challenge are more than welcome to do so.

2. No-stress challenge

When you join the reading challenge remember that it is intended to increase the joy of reading and not stress. Therefore, read only as many books as you have time for. Choose thin books or withdraw from the challenge in the middle of the year if you feel like it. Also, you don’t need to follow the order of the challenge. You can pick and choose your reading order.

3. Free-style challenge

Do you want to use the same book to check off more than one subject from the list? Perhaps a subject doesn’t inspire you and you’d like to skip it? You would prefer to read memoirs for most of the challenge subjects? You are free to do so! The goal of the Helmet Reading Challenge is to give you inspiration; you can make your own rules.

4. The shared joy of reading is multiplied

It’s more fun to tackle the Reading Challenge with other people. Challenge your friends to join in or join the Helmet Reading Challenge Facebook group (discussions mostly in Finnish, but you can start one in English). There you can talk about the most wonderful, awful, or surprising book you read during the year.

5. Help is always available

Having a hard time finding suitable books for the challenge subjects? Don’t worry, help is near! Go visit your library or check the reading challenge Facebook group. The library staff or other readers will help you. There are also many online resources available, like Ask a librarian service, where you can send questions about literature and other subjects.

Have a great reading year 2019!

Helmet Reading Challenge 2019

1. The book cover has a human face on it
2. Someone is looking for a missing person or an item in the book
3. A book from a genre you don’t usually read
4. The only book written by the author
5. The book has been a nominee for a book prize in your homeland
6. A romance novel
7. A book about a place you have visited
8. A book whose reading belongs to general knowledge in your opinion
9. A book recommended by someone under 18 years old
10. A book written by a person of colour
11. A book about women’s role in society
12. A book connected to Great Britain
13. A book for children or youth from your homeland
14. The authors last name starts with the same letter as yours
15. A taboo is dealt within the book A book about a taboo
16. A story that shifts between reality and unreality
17. There are twins in the book
18. A book written by a European writer
19. You don’t like the title of the book
20. The book deals with a culture that you are not familiar with
21. A book written by a celebrity
22. A book about climate change
23. The book title has a name of a country in it
24. Book chosen from a bookshelf with your eyes closed
25. A book from an author you have never read before
26. A book that you see someone you don’t know reading
27. The book is some way based on Nordic mythology
28. There is a moon on the book cover
29. Someone is dreaming in the book
30. The book cover has a city landscape on it
31. Someone travels by metro in the book
32. The book title has a profession in it
33. You have seen a movie based on the book
34. The book has writings by several writers in it
35. There is an entrepreneur or company in the book
36. Someone is alone in the book
37. A book published by a small publisher
38. A banned book
39. A book about the relationship between humans and animals
40. A book about mental health problems
41. A book about a time period you would like to live in
42. You like the name of the author
43. A book that follows the growth of a child to adulthood
44. A book about Berlin
45. The book title has a negative in it
46. The book has a trans or non-binary character in it
47. The book has less than 100 pages
48. The book has a hearing-impaired or visually impaired character in it
49. A book published in 2019
50. A book recommended by library personnel