If you are having a hard time picking what to read next, why not start a reading challenge? Here are five tips to get you started.
1. Pick a different genre.
If you are stuck in a rut and want to try something new, a book challenge can introduce you to a wide range of genres and subjects. You may have grown up hating nonfiction books, or maybe you never listened to an audiobook before. Check out our recommendations below or request your own custom list to try something new.
2. Try a new theme.
If you have found your genre jam and don't know what to pick up next, try a themed challenge. These challenges may encourage you to read books based on prompts, the book's cover, the title, or even a topic to learn about. One of the lists below is even aimed at stopping "brain rot" and endless doom scrolling.
3. Start off with a pre-existing challenge.
Check out this list of 2026 reading challenges. Pick a challenge that sounds fun to you or make your own from parts of those listed. Remember that you can do multiple challenges, stop and start as needed and customize to your own needs.
4. Check out different mediums.
Comic books, graphic novels, manga, audiobooks and short stories all count as reading!
5. Sample a variety of materials.
For your own Canton Public Library challenge, try checking out one item from every collection. Staff will always be happy to show you our lesser-known collections.
Need a place to start? Check out these librarian-curated e-book and e-audiobook lists:
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