For many Americans, being fit and healthy is their number one New Year’s resolution. Here at Poudre River Public Library District, we want to help you stay healthy…through reading!
Yep, you can improve your health by reading books (of course you’ll still have to follow a healthy diet and active lifestyle).
Research studies routinely show that reading helps improve memory and reduce stress, and it may actually help you live longer.
The Library District’s Reader’s Advisory Team created a fun way to build reading into your healthy New Year’s resolutions with the GenreLand Challenge: 12 months and 12 genres.
We’re encouraging you (and your family) to read books you might not normally check out and talk about what you’re reading. Read outside your comfort zone!
Getting Started
- Follow us on Facebook, so you see reminders and suggestions for each month’s genre selection complete with book ideas, recommendations, and inspiration for keeping up with your Reading Resolutions.
- Print out a copy of the full-size GenreLand Game Board and use it to guide your reading resolutions. It’s also a great place to record what each family member chooses to read or other titles to come back to later.
- Download the handy GenreLand Challenge Guide to keep track of each month’s genre, book recommendations, and more!
- Choose your book title. Each month, you read one book of your choice from within the designated genre and its sub-genres. And, yes, listening to an audiobook counts!
- Consider reading across the collection. Read at least two books from an age level you don’t normally follow. If you primarily read adult fiction, then choose young adult or children’s fiction.
- Use a Wild Card. Everyone gets one Wild Card to use that allows you to pass on a particular genre. You still need to read a book, just not in that particular genre. So, if you really hate horror fiction, use your Wild Card in October and read something of your own choice.
- Discuss what you’re reading with your friends or family. Give everyone an opportunity to share what they’re reading. This might spark some new book titles you hadn’t considered before.
- Share with us what you’re reading. We’d love to hear what books you choose and how it goes reading outside your comfort zone. Share on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media, and be sure to tag us #FoCoBooks @poudrelibraries!
To ease you into your Reading Resolutions, the January genre is wide open with “Fiction A-Z,” and can draw from many genres such as suspense, humor, and action, to name just a few, but it can also include literary fiction and classic literature.
Some of the Fiction sub-genres you might consider: Coming-of-Age stories, Urban Fiction, Magical Realism, Adventure, Christian, Fable, Fairy Tale, Folklore, Beach Reads, Humor, Westerns, or Dystopian lit.
Stuck and Don’t Know What to Read?
Watch for monthly “Genre Cheat Sheets” on our Facebook, social media and blog pages to spark ideas for the next month’s genre challenge. And, of course you can always talk to a librarian for book suggestions or browse the library book displays.
Did you also know that you can receive great recommendations right in your inbox with NextRead newsletters from the Library District? You choose the genres you’re interested in, and the Library District’s NextRead newsletter is sent directly to your email.
One of our most popular tools for book recommendations is NoveList Plus, which allows you to search based on genres, what type of book you’re in the mood for, and much more.
Other useful book lists are available on our Reader’s Café webpage as well as on the Kids and Teens sections of the Library District website.
Preview the 2017 Monthly Genres
| January | Fiction A to Z |
| February | Romance |
| March | Biography, Autobiography, & Memoir |
| April | Thrillers & Suspense |
| May | Historical Fiction |
| June | Science Fiction or Science Factual |
| July | Mind & Body Fitness |
| August | Armchair Travel |
| September | Graphic Novels or Picture Books |
| October | Spooky/Horror |
| November | Mystery |
| December | Fantasy |
I’m in. This should help me with my Nanowrimo research for November 2017.
That’s great! What will you be writing for NaNo 2017? Good luck!
I’m thinking of a alternative history novel about the Roanoke Colony.
Hello from a prairie Canadian who is keen to join! All of the challenges I host (four of them) and do draw from the vast physical pile of what I already own. I never go out and buy something for challenges, so sometimes getting a category right is a stretch but that is fun: seeing what works with what I have! I am not into sports or organized exercise, so that catetgory might have to swap out but only that one. I’m no romance-reader either but tons of genres like mystery and paranormal incorporate romance. Lastly, I never took to facebook and don’t have Twitter (blogs take time enough on rural slow speed internet) so as long as our blogs are all I need to share what I read: I’ll get trucking! I imagine waiting until we are in a designated month is needless. I’m a 150 a year-striver so I need to keep moving ahead. 🙂
Everyone is invited to my groups too! Let me know if I should repeat one of your categories as a replacement, or create a fresh one. My three broad themes cater to all of what’s below (Ethereal, Celtic Coasts, My Kind Of Mystery) and you might really like my category-game challenge, “Gentle Spectrums”!
Sincerely, Carolyn.
Further to my question above: is there anyplace blog-related to send a sign-up post and our progress? I mentioned I am very happy to join and think I can get the categories to fit, eliminating the sports one, as long as there is somewhere to put my posts that y’all and other visitors will be reading. A linky button? The comment box here? I repeat my invitation for game-players and readings to do my own 2017 themes. 🙂
Hi Carolyn! The GenreLand Challenge is really pretty reader-focused, so you don’t have to update your progress with us — we’re purely encouraging readers to read outside their comfort zone! You’re welcome to update progress using the Comment Box here, but we don’t have an official link or button — maybe something for us to keep in mind for next year!