What’s inside: A run-down of the reading challenge for 2025 including how it works and free download of book logs.

Reading Challenge 2025

I have got a “Mix & Match” Reading Challenge for you for 2025! Hold on to your hats!

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Reading as a habit

I know, you all love books and reading as a habit. Because you love living books and know that reading a wide variety of ideas is part of becoming a self-learner.

Plus, if you are a Charlotte Mason homeschooler, chances are strong that you already have a full curriculum of living books.

So this challenge focuses on the joy of reading and reading for pleasure (vs. reading for instruction) although I include one how-to challenge book – I find reading for instruction pleasurable, so it’s okay if the line gets blurred!

In fact, it’s okay to modify this challenge however you like to make it work for your family.

Because that is what is important as you provide the feast for your children – you know your family best. And when we step outside of our usual routines (just a bit), we can gain new perspectives and a bit of refreshment on our journey.

It is my hope that these ideas will help sprinkle some new learning into your lives.

Here is the Main Idea for this Challenge

Each Month has a challenge theme. You will match that theme to a category subject pulled from my “23 Subjects Taught by Charlotte Mason (CM)” List.

That’s the heart of the idea.

What about the “Mix” part of the “Mix & Match”?

Here’s the freedom: You have my permission to mix up any month’s theme with any category subject. Even if it isn’t from the current month.

For instance, if you want some nature in mid-winter, you can use June’s theme of “Read a Book with Nature Theme” to read Walden by Thoreau in March, instead of June.

Mix & Match it up however you like.

Are there any rules at all?

Yes, here are the rules:

• No twaddle at any time.
• A book can only count for one month.
  • So you can’t select Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury because you were born in 1953 and you’ve never read the science fiction genre and count it as January, April, May, and November (because you asked your friend for a recommendation). It only counts as one month. Choose wisely.
• You can change the theme you check off for a book after you read it if you find a second one in the same theme.
  • So if you read 1984 by George Orwell, you can take Fahrenheit 451 out of the “Book with a number in the title” and put it in the “New genre” theme if that works better for you.
• Make it work for your family.
• Make sure your kids are reading slightly “below” their reading level for books of enjoyment. And don’t make them narrate it unless they want to. This is free reading.
  • If it’s a book on tape, it can be “above” their reading level.

Enough rules!

Let’s get to the themes and categories. I have a download for you which includes these as well as some commonplace notebook blank pages.

Match a Theme with a Subject

Pick one theme and one category each month (or whatever schedule you are on for free reading!)

Goal of the 2025 Book Challenge

Goal: Have fun and keep track of the books you loved.

One way to keep track of the books you loved is by keeping a commonplace notebook. The free download below has some pages you can use if you keep your commonplace in a binder. If you already have a dedicated notebook, then just remember to keep it nearby when you are reading. And don’t forget a pen also!

Simply write down any thing that you find particularly appealing for whatever reason. Just copy the quote into your commonplace. It’s your book and you don’t have to share it with anyone if you don’t want.

I keep both a notebook to hand write in and a digital “commonplace notebook” on my Pinterest board because I think that is fun. And it’s nice to go back and look at what struck me, especially with a book I re-read (see December!)

Keep on Learning

All in all, I hope this inspires you to keep learning fun. Especially with reading. If you have a reluctant or non-reader, your challenge may be to find ways to engage that child with books.

Good luck! I’ll check back in to see how you are doing and give you updates and more ideas.

FAQ

Download the Book Challenge Log & Tracker

Keep on Learning

P.S. I found an intriguing Charlotte Mason Book Challenge I might also have to join over at A Humble Place. Rebecca does an annual Art Book Challenge. She has some good suggestions for Art books which you may want to try for ideas if you run short in the Mix & Match Challenge!

Happy reading!

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