Helmet Reading Challenge 2017

Helmet Reading Challenge is finally here! Helmet libraries challenge their patrons for the third time to participate in a year-long reading project. Just like in 2015, the new challenge is a collection of 50 subjects or different criteria for choosing what you read.

The challenge list of 2017 is based on the previous year participants’ suggestions. In 2017 one of the special challenge themes is Finland’s 100th anniversary of its independence. On top of that, we have worked together with the project Kirja-Suomi 2017 which has inspired some of the challenge subjects.

Not all the challenge subjects are related to Finland’s 100th anniversary celebration, even indirectly. We offer many other topics, including some of the upcoming events of 2017. The aim has been to create a reading challenge that will broaden your worldview, inspire, and surprise. And just like last year it’s open for everyone to come and join the fun!

Five key points to success in the reading challenge:

1. Anyone can join
Even though the challenge is called Helmet reading challenge, any readers who want to take the challenge are very welcome to do so.

2. No-stress challenge
When you take the reading challenge remember that it is intended to increase the joy of reading and not the stress over that. So read as many books as you have time to, choose thin books or quit the challenge in the middle of the year if you feel like it. Also you don’t need to follow the challenge subjects order; you can choose any order suitable for you.

3. Free-style challenge
Do you want to use the same book to check more than one subject from the list? A subject doesn’t inspire you and you’d like to skip it? You want to read detective stories 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. Shared joy of reading is double joy
It’s 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 also in English). There you can talk about the most wonderful, awful and surprising book you read through the year.

5. Help is always available
Have hard time finding suitable books for the challenge subjects? Don’t worry, help is near! Go visit your library or the reading challenge Facebook group and the library staff or other readers will help you. There are also many online resources available.

Have a great reading year 2017!

Helmet Reading Challenge:

1. A book’s name is beautiful
2. A book discussed in reading blogs
3. Finnish classics
4. A book inspiring wellness and wellbeing
5. A book about travelling in the wild
6. A book with many storytellers
7. A book written under a pen name
8. A book about Finnish history
9. A book inspired by some work of art
10. A book with a beautiful cover
11. A book written by an acknowledged professional
12. A book about politics and politicians
13. ”Your story” book
14. A book you’d chose by its summary on the book cover
15. A book about a hobby
16. A book which has got some award abroad
17. A book cover colors are blue and white
18. There are no less than four words in a book’s name
19. A “one day story” book
20. A book about a disabled or seriously ill person
21. A hero story or a book about a brave person
22. A book with illustrations
23. A translated book
24. A book about solving a crime
25. A book where nobody dies
26. A family story
27. A book about a place where you live (or where you come from)
28. You have read only one book by this author before
29. A book’s main character can do something which you would like to learn
30. There is a word ”feel/feeling” in a book’s name
31. Fantasy book
32. A book that has inspired a work of art
33. A book about India
34. A book about the times when you were not born yet
35. There is a proper noun in a book’s name
36. A biography or memoir
37. A book by an author who has written more than 20 books
38. There is a wedding in a book
39. A book about aging
40. A book by a writer who comes from a different (from yours) culture
41. There is an animal on a book’s cover
42. A debut book
43. A book that you have planned to read for a long time
44. A book about faith or religion
45. A book about a Finnish woman
46. A book by a writer from Oceania
47. A book that would cover two subjects from the challenge list
48. A book about something which you know only a little bit
49. A new book of 2017
50. A book recommended by a librarian

Printable version of the reading challenge

The Facebook-group for the reading challenge (Discussions mostly in Finnish but you are free to ask help also in English)

The 2016 reading challenge

The 2015 reading challenge