The start of the New Year here in Maine has brought us some snowy, cold days. For now, curling up in a cozy spot with a book to escape into is easy! How can you keep reading & promoting literacy all year long? We’ve got plenty of ideas to take you through the seasons and keep the pages turning.

Start a Challenge

Setting a reading goal doesn’t have to be strictly about the number of books you read. Maybe your goal is to read at least one book from your TBR stack before you pick up something new—or get back to a book you set down last year.

Some things to try:

• Join Storygraph to track your progress and goals, and to generate lots of fun graphics about your reading stats!
• If you have a child younger than five, try joining the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge. If your local library doesn’t currently offer the program, download the app to begin tracking what you read together. Remember, repeating reads counts!

Read Something Unexpected

When you hit a reading slump, or finish a really absorbing read, it can be hard to find something to capture your attention next. Sometimes stepping outside our usual reading habits can bring us new insights, ideas, and learning.

Where to begin?

• For new books recommended to children grades K–8, check out one of IRW’s Booklists. We particularly highlight authors and illustrators with connections to Maine!
• NPR’s “Books We Love,” is a great interactive resource for finding new books broken down by genre. Mix and match from their 28 categories for a selection of recommendations. Not sure what category to pick? “Seriously Great Writing,” has never let us down!

Read in New Formats

Many avid readers love the feel of a physical book—us included! But packing an e-reader for a long trip or while waiting for an appointment and queuing up audiobooks for a long drive can help fit more reading into busy schedules.

We recommend:

• To download free ebooks and audiobooks, try utilizing services through your library like hoopla, CloudLibrary or the Libby app! Purchasing ebooks and audiobooks as well as subscriptions to services like Kindle Unlimited can be pricey, but these services allow you to check out books with your library card.
  • Our Libby hack: If your local library doesn’t partner with Libby, consider getting a digital card through the Broward County Library. They offer a digital card to non residents for just $38 a year, which gives you access to their Libby collection of hundreds of thousands of books, audiobooks, and periodicals!

Support Local

One of the best ways to promote literacy is to support local access to books, whether through your local library or booksellers. If you shop online for books or download audiobooks, there are still ways you can give back!

Check out:

• Bookshop.org to purchase books that support independent bookstores and nonprofits. Use IRW’s affiliate link when you shop (bookshop.org/shop/irw) and we’ll receive 10% of your purchase!
• Libro.fm is a service that allows you to support local booksellers when you purchase audiobooks. There are tons of categories to choose from, including banned books!

Share Book Joy

We learned from our friend John Schu this year that books truly are best when shared. He makes it his practice to give away as many copies of his favorite book as possible! Keep your enthusiasm for reading alive all year by bringing friends and family together.

Try:

• Pick a favorite book to give away this year for birthday gifts, holiday gifts, or just-because! Drop a copy in a local Little Free Library. Include a card that describes what you love about it.
• Themed parties aren’t just for kids! At IRW, we host tea parties for all staff birthdays. Host a tea party for friends or family inspired by a favorite book.

From the staff at IRW—we wish you a year filled with learning, exploration, and books galore!