2022 Summer Reading Challenge

Read Across the USA, Win Prizes!

This year, we are revisiting our Read Across the USA virtual road trip reading challenge. Reading is a fantastic way for your children to learn more about the great diversity of climates, cultures, and heritages experienced across the states. Alternatively, you can choose to focus on your own state this summer by reading as many books as you can fit in about places close to home.

The Challenge (choose one, or if you’re up to it, do both!):

  • Read 20 books each set in a different state.
  • Read 20 books all set in the same state.

Prizes:

  • Every family that finishes their list (20+ books) gets 200 Doodle Dollar reward points, equivalent to a $10 Timberdoodle Gift Certificate. Redeem this to buy Dot to Dot: Around the USA, Doodle America, USA ScrunchMap, or whatever you’ve had your eye on lately!
  • Runners-Up: Five winners will receive a $50 Timberdoodle Gift Certificate!
  • Grand Prize: One winner will receive a $500 Timberdoodle Gift Certificate!

Multiple Entries:

  • Every family member who turns in their completed reading challenge will receive an entry for the Runner-Up and Grand Prize.
  • Complete both challenges, and get two entries.

No Purchase Required

Here's the free PDF with the lists to fill out as you choose your own books to fulfill one or both of the challenges.

Want book ideas? Buy the 2022 Summer Reading Challenge pack, and you'll get a fun Across the USA Activity Book along with an ebook that lists book ideas for all 50 states, Washington D.C., and 3 territories. (See the sample PDF above for an idea of what to expect.) We include a variety of suggestions for each state, with a total of over 4,000 suggested titles, but don't forget that you are welcome to add in any others that you read!

Also Available as Free Gifts!

The ebook is available free with any order over $75.

The Read Across the USA Reading Challenge Bundle is available free with any order over $250.

Finish This Summer

Send your completed lists to books@timberdoodle.com by Monday, September 5, 2022, to receive Doodle Dollar reward points and be entered to win a Runner-Up or Grand Prize. The winner will be notified on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.

Books May Be Available to Read for Free!

Many of the suggested titles are available in ebook (Kindle) format so that you can take advantage of your library's electronic lending or your Kindle device. Others will be available as printed books at your library. Plus, many are available on Kindle Unlimited and Kindle FreeTime, and a few are even public domain titles!

A Note About Our Book Ideas

If you've been reading to your child long (or if you've simply perused your local public library), you've probably noticed that families have very different standards in their reading materials.

Just as in our handbook's reading challenge, the books you'll find listed here are ones that members of our team have read, added to their "I want to read this" list or have had recommended to them. Even among our team, there is a wide range of what titles our families would find acceptable. Some of us find fantasy objectionable and would skip books that obscure a solid Christian worldview, but will gladly read a scarier adventure story than other families would be comfortable reading together. Others of us consider those fantasy titles to be an exciting addition and worthy of much discussion. We've opted to include titles with abandon, knowing that you will be able to determine if they are a good fit for your family.

So this is not a "Timberdoodle would sell these books if we could" list. We can't vouch for each of the titles, and we certainly can't know which ones are a good fit for your particular family. Nevertheless, we're providing this list to give you some ideas in case you're drawing a blank in thinking of books for a specific state. Use the ideas as the jumping-off point for which they are intended, and, as always, we highly recommend reviewing the books yourself.

Have You Completed the Reading Challenge?

Email us a picture of your reading list to books@timberdoodle.com and we'll make sure you get your Doodle Dollar award and are entered in the drawing for the $50 and $500 gift certificates! We'll even send you a fun completion certificate and celebrate your achievement on social media!