We love reading challenges! To help everyone find books that fit prompts, we're working on a series of lists that might help.

Kenneth Oppel

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Texas

The Graphic Novel

A small bat blown off course makes the perilous journey home with new friends in the adventurous middle grade odyssey from award-winning author Kenneth Oppel—this bestselling story is now available in graphic novel format! Shade the young silverwing bat may be the runt of his colony, but he’s determined to prove himself on the long, dangerous winter migration to Hibernaculum—millions of wingbeats to the south. Too soon, his hopes are dashed when a fierce storm catches Shade in its grasp. Driven far from the others by the unforgiving winds, Shade is left alone. On his journey back to his family, Shade meets other winged loners. Marina is a Brightwing bat with a strange metal band on her leg, Zephyr the mystical albino bat has an unusual gift, and Goth the carnivorous vampire bat is the largest bat Shade has ever seen. Shade will need all the help he can get if he hopes to reunite with his colony, but with a long and perilous flight ahead, how will he know who to trust?

Silverwing

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#hardcover #animals #juvenilefiction #mice #battle

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Pennsylvania

The Warriors series meets Redwall in this first book in an epic animal adventure series set in the subway tunnels of Brooklyn and for "fans of Erin Hunter, Brian Jaques, and Kathryn Lasky" (School Library Journal).

Hopper is just an ordinary pet shop mouse before he escapes. Soon he finds himself below the bustling streets of Brooklyn, deep within the untamed tangles of transit tunnels, and in Atlantia, a glorious utopian rat civilization.

But all is not what it seems. Though Hopper is treated as a royal guest, he misses his siblings that he lost in the escape attempt. That, and Atlantia is constantly threatened by the rebels who wish to bring the city to its knees. And there are cats everywhere in Atlantia, cats that leave the citizens unharmed... and no one can seem to answer why.

Soon, Hopper is caught in the crosshairs of a colossal battle, one that crosses generations and species. As the clashes rage, Hopper learns terrible, extraordinary secrets: Deadly secrets about Atlantia. Painful secrets about his friends.

And one powerful secret about his destiny...

Learn more at Mouseheart.com!

Mouseheart

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Garth Stein

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Louisiana

A Novel

Nearing the end of his life, Enzo, a dog with a philosopher's soul, tries to bring together the family, pulled apart by a three year custody battle between daughter Zoe's maternal grandparents and her father Denny, a race car driver.

The Art of Racing in the Rain

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Animal is the main character or narrator

We love reading challenges! To help everyone find books that fit prompts, we're working on a series of lists that might help. This shelf is all about books with images of one or more beverages on the cover!

Tim Federle

New York

Cocktails with a Literary Twist

Features 65 drink recipes inspired by history's most loved novels.

Tequila Mockingbird

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Krista Davis

Oklahoma

FIRST IN THE DOMESTIC DIVA MYSTERY SERIES!

Domestic diva Sophie Winston is about to learn that some dishes are best served cold...

Few can compete with local celebrity Natasha Smith when it comes to entertaining, but Sophie Winston is determined to try. Her childhood rival may have stolen the spotlight--and her husband--but this Thanksgiving Sophie is determined to rob Natasha of the prize for Alexandria, Virginia's Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown. She just needs the right ingredient.

But Sophie's search for the perfect turkey takes a basting when she stumbles across a corpse. And when the police find her name and photo inside the victim's car, Sophie will have to set her trussing aside to solve the murder--or she'll be serving up prison grub...

Includes delicious recipes and entertaining tips!

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme 2476

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#fiction #hardcover #adamofallonprice #contemporaryfiction #thegrandtour 

Georgia

A bitingly funny, smart and moving road novel about two hapless lost souls--an alcoholic Vietnam veteran turned bestselling author, and his awkward, shy college student superfan--who form an unlikely connection on the world's most disastrous book tour. Richard Lazar is advancing in years but regressing in life. After a career as a literary novelist that has ground to a halt and landed him in a trailer in Phoenix, Richard is surprised to find sudden success publishing a gritty memoir about his service in Vietnam. Sent on a book tour by his publishing house, Richard encounters his biggest (and really only) fan: an awkward, despondent student named Vance with issues of his own (an absentee father, a depressive mother, his own acute shyness). Soon Vance has volunteered to chauffeur Richard for the rest of the book tour, and the two embark on a disastrous but often hilarious cross-country trip. When things go wrong, Richard and Vance forge an unlikely bond between two misanthropes whose mutual insecurities and disdain for the world force both to look at each other, and their lives, in a more meaningful way. As they reach the end of the book tour, The Grand Tour ultimately becomes a moving tale of unlikely friendship that should catapult Adam O'Fallon Price into the company of such masters of All-American dyspepsia as Sam Lipsyte, David Gates and Walter Kirn.

The Grand Tour

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Beverage on the cover

Here's our list of books with one or more birds on the cover to help you complete your reading challenge!

Isaac Marion

Florida

A Warm Bodies Novella

"The prequel to zombie love story WARM BODIES, THE NEW HUNGER depicts Julie and R's lives in post-apocalyptic America before they met"--

The New Hunger

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New Jersey

This is for the hardback book Illusions of fate by Kierstwn White. It is exlibrary with typical stamps and stickers. Otherwise in great shape with some shelfware. #hardcover #fiction #fantasy #magic #romance #ya 

Wyoming

Dive into a world of enchantment and romance in this lush fantasy, which Stephanie Perkins, international bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss, called “an absolute delight—a magical, sparkling, dangerous world with witty repartee and a romance that will light your heart on fire.” Fans of Libba Bray and Cassandra Clare will fall in love with this captivating stand-alone novel from Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of the Paranormalcy trilogy. Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets the gorgeous, enigmatic Finn, who introduces her to the secret world of Albion's nobility. It’s a world that has everything Jessamin doesn't—power, money, status . . . and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, and the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess them. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits, can stop him.

Illusions of Fate

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Bird on the cover

We're here to help with book suggestions to fulfill this prompt for your reading challenge! (Also, if you just enjoy books with water on the covers.)

Lucy, with her mother and her photographer father, has just moved to a small rural community in New Hampshire, and with her new friend Nate she plans to spend the summer taking photos for a contest, but pictures sometimes reveal more than people are willing to see.

Half a Chance

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#paperback #fiction #juvenilefiction #mystery #secrets #suspense #ya

Iowa

In this riveting middle-grade adventure from Watt Key, the son of a Mississippi policeman finds a boy living on his own in the wilderness. Twelve-year-old Sam has been given a fishing boat by his father, but he hates fishing. Instead he uses the boat to disappear for hours at a time, exploring the forbidden swampy surroundings of his bayou home. Then he discovers a strange kid named Davey, mysteriously alone, repairing an abandoned cabin deep in the woods. Not fooled by the boy’s evasive explanation as to why he’s on his own, Sam becomes entangled in his own efforts to help Davey. But this leads him to telling small lies that only get bigger as the danger increases for both boys and hidden truths become harder to conceal. From the author of Alabama Moon, Hideout is complex tale of friendship, kindness, and dangerous secrets. This title has Common Core connections. Praise for Hideout: "A compelling read that will keep a tween audience burning the flashlight batteries late into the night.” —The Bulletin “In the tradition of Gary Paulsen’s survival tales . . . short chapters filled with action and adventure keep the pacing taut and will entice reluctant readers . . . A good pick for action/adventure fans.” —School Library Journal “It's man versus nature as well as man versus man in this tale that will have strong appeal to Key's fans and adventure lovers.” —Kirkus Reviews “An exciting adventure set in Mississippi’s Pascagoula River marshlands . . . The boys’ survivalist adventures in the swamps are suspenseful, [with a] reassuring ending.” —Booklist Praise for Watt Key: “Excellent. A terrific choice for reluctant readers.” —Booklist, starred review “An unusual coming-of-age story.” —The New York Times Book Review

Hideout

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#hardcover #juvenilefiction #historicalfiction #fiction #cuba #nazigermany #refuge #survival 

Although separated by continents and decades, Josef, a Jewish boy livng in 1930s Nazi Germany; Isabel, a Cuban girl trying to escape the riots and unrest plaguing her country in 1994; and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015 whose homeland is torn apart by violence and destruction, embark on harrowing journeys in search of refuge, discovering shocking connections that tie their stories together.

Refugee

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Body of water on the cover

More reading challenge prompt help! All of these have one or more books pictured on the cover.

Vicki Delany

Virginia

A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery

Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson are busy managing the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium on Baker Street and adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room in anticipation of the store’s upcoming book signing with the illustrious Renalta Van Markoff, author of the controversial Hudson and Holmes mystery series. But during the author Q&A session, dedicated Sherlockian Donald Morris verbally attacks Renalta and her series for disgracing Sherlock’s legacy, only to be publicly humiliated when the author triumphantly lashes back and gains the upper hand. That is until Renalta collapses on the table—dead. Donald insists he didn’t do it and pleads to his friends to clear his name. Fortunately, Gemma and Jayne have no shortage of suspects between author’s bullied personal assistant, her frustrated publicist, the hapless publisher, a handsome rare book dealer, an obsessively rabid fan, and a world of other Sherlock enthusiasts with strong objections to Renalta’s depiction of the Great Detective. It’s up to the shrewd sleuthing duo to eliminate the impossible and deduce the truth before the West London police arrest an innocent man in Body on Baker Street, the second Sherlock Homes Bookshop mystery perfect for fans of Miranda James and Kate Carlisle.

Body on Baker Street

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#paperback #fiction #fantasyfiction #bronte #adultfiction #britain #adult #classic 

A Thursday Next Novel

Meet Thursday Next, literary detective without equal, fear or boyfriend Jasper Fforde’s beloved New York Times bestselling novel introduces literary detective Thursday Next and her alternate reality of literature-obsessed England—from the author of The Constant Rabbit Fans of Douglas Adams and P. G. Wodehouse will love visiting Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, when time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously: it’s a bibliophile’s dream. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection. But when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday is faced with the challenge of her career. Fforde's ingenious fantasy—enhanced by a Web site that re-creates the world of the novel—unites intrigue with English literature in a delightfully witty mix.

The Eyre Affair

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Gabrielle Zevin

Washington

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE

A New York Times Bestseller



"Funny, tender, and moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry reminds us all exactly why we read and why we love." --Library Journal, starred review



A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over--and see everything anew.   



"This novel has humor, romance, a touch of suspense, but most of all love--love of books and bookish people and, really, all of humanity in its imperfect glory." --Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child



 "Marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both."--The Washington Post



"You won't want it to end." --Family Circle



"A natural for book groups." --Richmond Times-Dispatch



"A reader's paradise of the first order." --The Buffalo News



"A fun, page-turning delight." --Minneapolis Star Tribune



"Captures the joy of connecting people and books . . . Irresistible." --Booklist



"A wonderful, moving, endearing story of redemption and transformation that will sing in your heart for a very, very long time." --Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain



"Readers who delighted in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,  The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and Letters from Skye will be equally  captivated by this novel." --Library Journal, starred review

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry (movie Tie-In)

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Books on the cover

These are my favorite ten books of all that I read in 2022. There may be less than 10 if all aren't currently listed on Pango.

Steven Rowley

Minnesota

From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer. Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is, honestly, overwhelmed. So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick's brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of "Guncle Rules" ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting--even if temporary--isn't solved with treats and jokes, Patrick's eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you're unfailingly human. With the humor and heart we've come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times.

The Guncle

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Stephanie Garber

Please see pictures for slight fold in front corner

Wisconsin

The acclaimed New York Times bestseller! Welcome, welcome to Caraval—Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of the unbreakable bond between two sisters. It’s the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world... Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over. But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever. Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away. New York Times bestseller #1 IndieNext Pick Publishers Weekly Flying Start Entertainment Weekly Best 10 YA Books of 2017 Teen Vogue Best YA Book of the Year Amazon Best Book of the Year Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year BuzzFeed Best Book of the Year “The Hunger Games meets The Night Circus. Grade: A-.” —Entertainment Weekly “Impressive, original, wondrous.” —USA Today “Spellbinding.” —US Weekly “Magnificent.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “I lost myself in this world.” —Sabaa Tahir, author of An Ember in the Ashes “Beautifully written.” —Renée Ahdieh, author of The Wrath and the Dawn “Shimmers with magic.” —Marie Rutkoski, author of The Winner’s Curse “Darkly enchanting.” —Kiersten White, author of And I Darken “Decadent.” —Roshani Chokshi, author of The Star-Touched Queen “Like stepping into a living dream.” —Stacey Lee, author of Outrun the Moon “Destined to capture imaginations.” —Kirkus Reviews “Ideal for fans of The Night Circus, Stardust, and The Hunger Games.” —School Library Journal

Caraval

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Sara Brunsvold

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she's been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who's just entered hospice care.

But there's more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she's not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it's a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that's just what Mrs. Kip will give her--but she's going to have to work for it.

Debut author Sara Brunsvold delights with this emotional multigenerational story that shows that the very best life is made up of thousands of little deaths to self. You'll want to be just like Mrs. Kip when you grow up!

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

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Chewie's Top 10 Books of 2022

My favorite ten books I read in 2023, regardless of publication date. The astute among you will notice there are only eight on the list; that's because two aren't currently available on Pango. You should still search out "Nothin' Short of the Fate o' the Universe" by Ryan Falls and "Golden Son" by Pierce Brown!

Amanda Cox

Uncovering long-held family secrets may sting at first--but the result can be sweeter than honey Beekeeper Beckett Walsh is living her dream, working alongside her father in their apiary, until his untimely death sends her world into a tailspin. She suddenly finds she must deal with a new part owner of the family business--one who is looking to sell the property. Beck cannot fathom why her father would put her into the position to lose everything they built together. When Callie Peterson is named in the trust of a man she's never heard of, she's not sure what to do. Her fledgling business has just taken wing and her mother has reentered her life asking for help getting into rehab for her lifelong substance abuse issues, making Callie's financial situation rather . . . precarious. She's sure she has no right to someone else's farm, but the money from the sale could solve her problems and give her the stability she's always craved. As these two women navigate their present conundrum, they will discover a complex and entangled past full of secrets--and the potential for a brighter future for both of them.

He Should Have Told the Bees

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Neal Shusterman

California

Stories from the Arc of a Scythe

The New York Times bestselling Arc of the Scythe series continues with thrilling stories that span the timeline. Storylines continue. Origin stories are revealed. And new Scythes emerge!

There are still countless tales of the Scythedom to tell. Centuries passed between the Thunderhead cradling humanity and Scythe Goddard trying to turn it upside down. For years humans lived in a world without hunger, disease, or death with Scythes as the living instruments of population control.

Neal Shusterman--along with collaborators David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman--returns to the world throughout the timeline of the Arc of a Scythe series. Discover secrets and histories of characters you've followed for three volumes and meet new heroes, new foes, and some figures in between.

Gleanings shows just how expansive, terrifying, and thrilling the world that began with the Printz Honor-winning Scythe truly is.

Gleanings

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Tracey Lange

Arizona

From Tracey Lange, the New York Times bestselling author of We Are the Brennans, comes The Connellys of County Down: a story about fierce family loyalty, good intentions gone awry, and the consequences of improbable love.

When Tara Connelly is released from prison after serving eighteen months on a drug charge, she knows rebuilding her life at thirty years old won't be easy. With no money and no prospects, she returns home to live with her siblings, who are both busy with their own problems. Her brother, a single dad, struggles with the ongoing effects of a brain injury he sustained years ago, and her sister's fragile facade of calm and order is cracking under the burden of big secrets. Life becomes even more complicated when the cop who put her in prison keeps showing up unannounced, leaving Tara to wonder what he wants from her now.

While she works to build a new career and hold her family together, Tara finds a chance at love in a most unlikely place. But when the Connellys' secrets start to unravel and threaten her future, they all must face their worst fears and come clean, or risk losing each other forever.

The Connellys of County Down is a moving novel about testing the bounds of love and loyalty. It explores the possibility of beginning our lives anew, and reveals the pitfalls of shielding each other from the bitter truth.

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Shelves by Chewie the Mouse

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Chewie's Top 10 Books of 2022

Chewie's Top 10 Books of 2023