Challenge Our Shelves 2023

12 Month Self-Paced Reading Challenge

Each month of this year’s challenge will focus on a different theme related to life, community, and/or social equity. These are intentionally broad to make room for readers to explore the topic from whatever angle or intersection they choose.

Participants can read any relevant titles they choose to complete a theme. While we have assigned each theme a month, they can be read throughout 2023 in any order and at any pace to complete the challenge.

At the beginning of each month, we will post recommendations on our website and social media (well, this is the goal). We will share fiction and non-fiction recommendations for all ages. Recommended titles can be purchased in-store, directly from this website, through our Bookshop.org list, our Libro.fm list, or pick them up at your own local indie bookstore or library!

If readers would like to join the discussion on a topic, they can do so online using #CuriousSquirrelBookshop & #ChallengeOurShelves2023. This is not a requirement for participating in the challenge.

To participate, simply submit your information in the form below each time you complete a challenge topic and we will send you a special sticker for that topic. You can also join the challenge through StoryGraph.

Finish all 12 topics by Jan 31, 2024 and earn an exclusive Challenge Our Shelves T-Shirt!

Credit: This challenge is inspired by a 2022 challenge created by Bettie’s Pages, an amazing indie bookstore in Lowell, MI.