The Ultimate List of Book Bingo & Reading Challenge Ideas

Book bingo reading challenges are a great way for you & your kiddos to find reading inspiration, read outside your comfort zone, and have fun doing it.

Growing up, the reading program at my library was one of the best things about summer. The main children’s librarian was an older lady with dyed blonde hair in a style that any 80s kid can still see. She had the best smile, a stern voice when she needed it, and seemingly knew every book in the children’s department—and it was a big department!

One laminated reading program game board hung on the brick column, the other on the table below it. The librarian knew us by name, and she’d find our participant card in the metal index box as soon as we came in. She’d dutifully record the book titles we were returning and listen to us give a summary of the book. I can remember how nervous I was that I would give a lousy summary and not get credit for the books I read.

(As an adult, I’m quite certain that everyone got credit — but as a kiddo, the nerves were real.)

And then the anticipation hit. Picking up the dice & rolling, we’d move our game piece along the board to find out what type of books we needed to read next. This is what I loved. Would I have to read a biography? A book about animals? A chapter book? After my sister and I got our ‘marching orders,’ we’d scour the library looking for books that met the requirements.

When I went to sign my own kiddos up for a summer reading program, I was disappointed to learn that most programs now are based on how long a kiddo reads or how many books they actually read out of their stack of books. It’s an easier system to administer & track, for sure, but, oh, how I longed for the type of program I grew up with.

Enter the internet, Goodreads & Storygraph, Pinterest, Booktok, and Instabook. The reading challenges I grew up with are now all the rage. Sometimes, you’ll find them as game boards, but usually, interesting book challenges are found on book bingo boards instead.

How to Play Book Bingo

As we wander the bookstore or library, it’s natural to gravitate to our favorite authors or favorite sections. There’s something comfortable and somewhat predictable about that. But getting readers out of their comfort zone is important, too.

While these cards can be used for readers of all ages, this list & the book bingo sets were created with adults, high school, and middle school students in mind.

A Summer Book Bingo card plays like any other bingo card. Read books that fit each square to form a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line. And don’t forget your free space in the middle of your card.

Book Bingo Reading Challenge Rewards

While we don’t usually do reading rewards, I will offer something for the first bingo they complete each summer.

• Gift Cards
• Free Books
• Ice cream (always ice cream!!)
• A movie
• A trip to the park (or other favorite location)
• Pizza night
• A lunch out

Historical Fiction Reading Challenges

I swore that historical fiction sounded boring. While I enjoy history, I thought that historical fiction books would be like reading a textbook. It was a summer reading challenge at the library on base when we were stationed in Hawaii that changed my mind.

Get inspired with these 40+ Books about the 20th Century for Middle School

• Read a book that takes place in ancient times
• Read a book that takes place in medieval times
• Read a book that takes place in pre-colonial America
• Read a book that includes an enslaved person
• Read a book that involves a president
• Read a book that includes a leader of another country

• Read a book that takes place in World War 1
• Read a book that takes place in World War 2
• Read a WW2 book set in a non-Western country
• Read a book that takes place during the Civil War

Challenges Based on the Setting

• Read a book set in Africa
• Read a book set in Asia
• Read a book set in Antarctica
• Read a book set in South America
• Read a book set in Australia

• Read a book set on an island
• Read a book set in the USSR
• Read a book set someplace you’ve traveled
• Read a book set someplace you want to travel
• Read a book set in space
• Read a book set near/on an ocean

• Read a book set in the Pacific Northwest
• Read a book set in the Southwest
• Read a book set in the Great Plains or Midwest
• Read a book set in the Northeast
• Read a book set in the South
• Read a book set in your state

Mama, check out these perfect-for-summer books for you.

Reading Challenges for Science

• Read a book with a pet as a main character
• Read a book that has a non-pet as a main character
• Read a book that includes a chemist
• Read a book about a biologist
• Read a book about a veterinarian

• Read a book about an experiment
• Read a book about a natural disaster

• Read a book set in every season
• Read a book set in the summer
• Read a book set in the fall
• Read a book set in the spring
• Read a book set in the summer

Judge a Book by It’s Cover (or Title)

• Read a book with a one-word title
• Read a book with a three-word title
• Read a book with a person’s name for the title
• Read a book with an animal in the title

• Read a book with red (or other color) in the title
• Read a book you judged by the cover
• Read a book with blue & yellow on the cover
• Read a book with stars on the cover

• Read a book with an animal in the title
• Read a book with a face on the cover
• Read a book with a map on the cover

Genre Challenge Ideas

• Read a book of short stories
• Read a book of poetry
• Read a book of myths
• Read a cozy mystery

• Read a genre you’ve never read
• Read a book you loved as a child
• Read a true crime book
• Read a joke book

• Read a book based on a true story
• Read an audiobook
• Read a play

• Read a book with a movie adaptation you haven’t seen
• Read a book with a movie adaptation that you have seen
• Read a non-fiction history book
• Read a travel memoir

• Read a graphic novel
• Read a comic book
• Read a book based on a true story
• Read a classic story (adult)
• Read a children’s classic

• Read a travel guide
• Read a cookbook
• Read a non-fiction book for a new-to-you topic
• Read a fantasy story

Location-Based Ideas

• Read in bed
• Read in the car
• Read near the water
• Read in a waiting room
• Read at the library
• Read on the grass
• Read on a porch

Reading Challenge Ideas That Don’t Require Reading

• Visit a new-to-you library
• Visit a used bookstore
• Pass a book you enjoyed on to a friend
• Visit a Little Free Library

• Visit a new-to-you bookstore
• Attend a book/author talk
• Attend a book signing
• Donate to a Little Free Library

• Check out a book from the library
• Buy a used book
• Shop at Bookshop.org

Challenges Ideas Based on the Author

• Read a debut novel
• Read a book written by a politician
• Read a book by a female author

• Read a book written by a historical figure
• Read a book by a local author
• Read a book by an Indigenous author

Just for Fun Book Bingo Challenge Ideas

• Finish a book in a day
• Read a banned young adult book
• Read a book with fewer than 150 pages

• Read a magazine
• Stay up reading past your bedtime
• Read a book you own but haven’t read
• Read a book with an odd (or even) number of pages

• Read a book on display at your library/bookstore
• Read a book recommended by your library staff
• Start a new series
• Finish a series you’ve started

• Read a book published this year
• Read a banned adult book
• Read a book you own but haven’t read
• Read a used book

• Read a book published the year you were born
• Read a banned children’s book
• Read a book with more than 300 pages
• Read a book that makes you laugh

• Finish a book you’ve started but abandoned
• Read a book published the year you were born

Happy Reading!

Inside each Book Bingo pack, you’ll find four different bingo cards + a place to keep track of the books you read.