I’ve started a new website devoted to young adult literature named The Book Jacket. It is located at http://www.thebookjacket.com. At this point I don’t know exactly how it will be different from Karin’s Book Nook, but someday they may merge.

My first act on the new website is to create a reading challenge. It is called The Chain 2010 Reading Challenge and here are the details.

Making connections between the books you read is something a good reader does. As a teacher/librarian it is a comprehension strategy I try to teach the kids. After reading WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead I started thinking about another book I read years ago. The second book made me think of a third book and so on and so forth.

So, I introduce The Chain 2010 Reading Challenge. When I read, like most of you, I can’t help but be reminded of other books I’ve read. Perhaps the books share a setting, a plot, or something as simple as a character’s name.

This challenge is meant to challenge you to search out connections between the books you read in 2010. There are two ways to go about this challenge. 1 – you can either make a list of books ahead of time that link together or 2 – you can create the list as you go throughout the year starting with one book and building your links from it.

Here is an example of a 4 Link Chain of books:

WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead involving time travel like…
THE POWER OF UN by Nancy Etchemendy involving a brother and sister like…
GREGOR THE OVERLANDER by Suzanne Collins involving people living underground like…
THE CITY OF EMBER by Jeannie DePrau

Guidelines:
1. Anyone can join. You don’t need to have a blog. Non-bloggers can post their information in the comment section of this post.

2. Any book format counts.

3. Challenge runs from January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2010.

4. You can list your books in advance or decide on them one at a time.

5. There are four levels to choose from:

  • 4 Links
  • 8 Links
  • 12 Links
  • 16 Links

6. The books you read for this challenge can overlap with books for other challenges.

7. When you sign up with Mr. Linky, please use your direct URL to the post about The Chain 2010 Reading Challenge so others can visit your blog and check out your book links and reviews.

Click on the button at the top of the post to go sign up for yourself.