Once again, we are challenging you to read local with us.
For the last few weeks, #ThisIsTucson has been working with the Pima County Public Library and Bookmans Entertainment Exchange to create our second Summer Reading Challenge for Grown-Ups.
And we are SO EXCITED. Why should kids get to have all the fun?
We've selected 18 titles with some kind of Arizona connection. Many of these books are written by local Tucson authors or are set in Tucson or Arizona. Some explore topics relevant to our region. We asked the Pima County Public Library and Bookmans for recommendations — specifically for titles by women and Native American authors.
This year, we have nine categories with two titles each. Categories are:
• Course of nature (sense of place)
• Dust in the wind (historical fiction)
• Saguaro-verse (poetry)
• Arizona superstars (famous Arizona authors)
• Frontera (border stories)
• Blinded by science (science)
• It's a dry humor (light reads)
• Desert magic (fantasy)
• A walk down memory stravenue (biography/memoir)
Like last year, we're challenging you to read one book from each category or, sure, just read them all. We are also fully supportive of your busy summer if you need to just stash the list for when life calms down.
(Also, if you missed last year's reading challenge, you can check that list out here.)
We'll be sharing the full-color checklist of titles with you in person May 19 at our super cool kick-off event at the midtown Bookmans, 3330 E. Speedway. Come visit us there to pick up a physical copy of the list (it's adorable), plus a #ThisIsTucson sticker and bookmarks. We've also partnered with Bookmans to send you on a blind date with a book.
Bookmans has ordered copies of most of the challenge titles, and they'll be wrapped in brown paper with a few clues jotted down on the covers. Purchase the one that sounds most intriguing to you, see which title you get and let the reading journey begin!
If you can't make the event or would prefer to see the list of titles digitally, we'll post the list online later that day at thisistucson.com/readingchallenge.
P.S. The library will be handing out the sheets A DAY EARLY at their Family Fiesta Summer Reading Kick-Off — that's the launch for the kids' summer reading program. If you want to get a day's jump on reading and inspire your kids to do the same, they'll be at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet, 4100 S. Palo Verde Road, 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, May 18.
After the event, you'll also be able to pick up copies of the checklist at library branches, as well as at Bookmans locations, while copies last.
We'll conclude our summer of reading local with a book club meeting in August.
Now let's talk about PRIZES.
We'll have 50 green "Read Local" t-shirts available for reading challenge superstars. To get your prize, show up for book club at the end of the summer with your reading challenge tracker and tell us about your favorite books on the list. Or tell us which ones you hated. We're open to that, too. We'll hang out and share our love of reading with fellow book nerds. More details on that later.
All summer long, you can find us in the #ThisIsTucson Book Club on Facebook, where we'll be chatting about the challenge books we read. If you want to post about your progress on Insta, use #thisistucsonbookchallenge.
LET'S DO THIS.
If you go
What: This Is Tucson's Summer Reading Challenge kick off — come get the checklist with all the titles and go on a blind date with a book.
When: Sunday, May 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Bookmans, 3330 E. Speedway
More info: Search #ThisIsTucson Book Club on Facebook to join our digital book club.
