The 2027 Reading Challenge
Ten years ago, we launched our very first reading challenge. The prompts were simple. There were no reading guides or shareable downloads, no book suggestions or fancy graphics (and that prompt list was in desperate need of some consistency edits!) Its beginnings were humble, and those early days had a lot of learning curves. But something magical happened along the way. A small group of passionate readers bloomed into a vibrant International community of bookworms, and as one of our members famously said, “I found my favourite little place on the internet.”
So to those who have been reading alongside us for the past decade, and for those who just stumbled across us today, welcome. We’re so happy you’re here.
Here’s to the first ten years, and all the challenges still to come!
What is the challenge?
The 52 Book Club’s annual reading challenge is made up of 52 unique reading prompts. The goal is to match one book to each prompt, for a total of 52 books over the year.
Prompts are related to everything from specific words in the title to cover design, authors, genres, settings, themes, characters, etc. Each prompt asks you to look for something specific in a book. (For example, one of the prompts on this year’s challenge is “A purple cover.” For that prompt, pick any book with a purple cover. It can be any genre, any length, or format.)
We like to think of this challenge as a giant bookish scavenger hunt. We encourage participants to try books outside their regular reading comfort zones and push themselves to read more, read differently, and get creative.
How does it work?
1) Follow The 52 Book Club on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Goodreads, Storygraph, and Instagram. PLUS, don’t forget to sign up for e-mails to stay in the loop with any new challenge news!
2) Using the list below, match one book to each of the 52 prompts. (52 books total.) Get as creative as you like with interpreting the prompts! (Hint: If you need help understanding a prompt, check out our 2027 Challenge Guide!)
3) When January 1, 2027 rolls around, start reading!
4) This challenge is entirely self-led. Read at your own pace and track your challenge however works best for you. The Facebook group is our most popular spot for posting reads. We also invite you to join our Goodreads group or Storygraph challenge, and you can track your reads using our custom 2027 Reading Challenge journal!
5) Join The 52 Book Club community! The 52 Book Club is a global group made up of thousands of bookworms. Connect with new friends in our Facebook group or other social sites using #the52bookclub or #the52bookclub2027.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Do I have to complete the challenge in order? Not at all. Working through the list in order will make the challenge more difficult. Some members choose to work through the prompts in order as a fun add-on to increase difficulty, while others like to bounce around. Do what works best for you!
- Can I read (a specific book or format of reading) for this challenge? Yes! All reading is reading. Any book that fits the prompts works for this challenge. Each prompt can be completed using any format of reading (physical copies, e-books, audiobooks, live readings from the author, children’s board books, graphic novels, etc.) There is no required length or format of reading. Interpret the prompts as creatively as you like!
As we like to say, “If you think a book fits the prompts, it does!”
- What if I can’t read all 52 books? That’s okay! Join anyway and complete as many as you can, or cross off multiple prompts with the same book. This is a self-led, pressure-free challenge! It’s not a competition. Read at your own pace and have fun!
- I read more than 52 books a year. Is that okay? Of course! Sign up for e-mails and keep an eye out for the bonus mini-challenges we release throughout the year. For our most prolific readers, we also have suggestions for increasing the difficulty of your 2027 challenge!
- Help! I don’t understand a prompt… We’ve got you covered. Head over to our 2027 Challenge Guide, and we’ll walk you through each prompt in detail.
- When does the challenge start? The challenge officially begins January 1, 2027! Any books read in 2027 count toward this challenge.
Have more questions? Check out our FAQs.
So, let’s get started! Here are our 2027 prompts:
Sharing the challenge? Don’t forget to use the hashtags #the52bookclub or #the52bookclub2027
Invite your friends and family members to join in. It’s okay if you can’t read 52 books in a year. All are welcome!
2027 Challenge Downloads
Want to download a copy of the challenge for yourself? Check out these free printables!
Note: To edit the shareable JPEG graphics, download a copy and then edit using a photo editing app of your choice. (We like to use a free photo-editing tool like Canva.)
The 2027 Challenge Journal
Want to know our favourite way to track the 2027 Reading Challenge? With The 52 Book Club’s custom 2027 journal, of course! This journal contains review pages for all fifty-two of our 2027 prompts, as well as planning pages, bonus challenges, tools for tracking your monthly reading stats, and more!
This journal is printed by Amazon KDP and is available wherever Amazon ships. (Due to Amazon printing in Australia, journals ordered from Amazon Australia will have a black-and-white interior.)
Note: Because this journal is printed through Amazon, pages may be thinner than other planners. We recommend using non-bleed pens (like these ones) when using the journal. This journal is also fully compatible with our 2027 prompt stickers from PlanItWithStickers.com.
For sample photos of the journal or for a video walkthrough showing you exactly what’s included, click here!
If the button does not direct you to the Amazon region closest to you, here are the links to the individual Amazon regions: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon DE, Amazon FR, Amazon ES, Amazon IT, Amazon NL, Amazon PL, Amazon SE, Amazon AU, Amazon JP.
AUSTRALIA: Due to the different interior printing, the above button won’t work for Amazon Australia. Our friends using Amazon Australia can purchase here.
Other Resources for 2027:
Need help with your 2027 challenge? We’ve got extra resources for you!
Before starting your challenge, we highly recommend taking time to read our 2027 Reading Challenge Guide. This guide walks through EACH of the 52 prompts and contains creative interpretations, ideas to get you started, and links to our Goodreads lists. The challenge guide is a helpful launching point for your challenge and will show you a variety of ways to interpret the prompts, but it’s not an exhaustive list. Feel free to think outside the box and find what works for you!
Want a quicker way to access the Goodreads lists? We’ve compiled a full list of all 52 Goodreads lists for this challenge. Click the buttons below to access both resources!
2027 Sticker Collection:
The 52 Book Club 2027 sticker set collection from PlanItWithStickers is available now! These stickers are an optional add-on for those who enjoy tracking their reads with physical journals or planners. (They’ll also fit within your 52 Book Club 2027 Journal!) This sticker collection has been custom-designed to match the Tenth Anniversary design for this challenge and contains stickers for all fifty-two prompts.
Connect with us:
Want to make some bookish friends? Have more questions? Our social sites are an excellent place to ask for book suggestions, get challenge help, and meet new bookish friends! We invite you to join our Facebook group, Goodreads group, The 52 Book Club 2027 challenge on StoryGraph, YouTube, and/or follow us on Instagram! You can find quick links to each of these groups below. Reading is always more fun together! Come join us!
Ready for 2027? Some prompts on this 2027 challenge may seem easy, while others may feel more daunting. It’s all part of the challenge! Some prompts we’ll love, and some will stretch us. Research, ask for suggestions, and get creative! Don’t be afraid to try new genres and step outside your regular reading comfort zones. Push yourself to read more, read differently, and have fun!
(Don’t forget to read through our guidelines, FAQs, and our 2027 Challenge Guide for more tips on completing your 2027 challenge!)
Happy reading!