Inspired by reading challenges offered by many public libraries but limited to people in those specific communities, GSHE is hosting a 2023 Reading Challenge for NH’s homeschool community!
It is just for fun, to help young readers explore new authors, subjects, and genres. Our monthly challenges are very broad so families may choose whatever book they wish and feel is appropriate for their children.
We announce each challenge in our monthly newsletters – they usually go out around the 13th or so. This is where you will first see our monthly reading challenge, as a bonus to our subscribers. Sign up for our newsletter at our website; there is a box in the right-hand column that says “join today” and pop-up boxes to register. If you have any difficulty, email us at info@GraniteStateHomeEducators.org and we will register you.
Participants are not required to write book reports, give oral presentations, or complete formal projects, and families are free to incorporate our reading challenge into their child’s learning as they see fit. We have a simple 2023 GSHE Reading Challenge log that families may print out to keep track of their child’s participation, if they wish. It can be part of your child’s homeschool portfolio!
PARTICIPATION RULES
Parents/guardians may send GSHE one submission per month per child – include the child’s name and age along with what book he/she read. Email us at info@GraniteStateHomeEducators.org with “Reading Challenge” in the subject line so we can more easily keep track of everything. Submissions are due before the next month’s challenge is announced. 
Each month’s participation is another chance to win! For example, if your child reads something each month, that is 12 opportunities to win one of our prizes. If a child participates in six of the monthly challenges, that is six chances to win.
For kids that are not reading independently, audio books and books you read together are perfectly fine. All reading abilities are welcome to participate.
To help motivate kids to participate, we would love to have photos to go along with the monthly submissions that we can use in our monthly newsletters.
At the end of the year, we will award $25 Amazon gift cards to FOUR lucky winners!
Let’s get started!!
For April, read some poetry!
April is national poetry month! It started in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets as a special recognition of the role that poetry has on culture and literature.
When asked “Does poetry matter,” the Academy of American Poets answered this way:
“Perhaps no other art form is asked to defend its value, impact, relevance, and existence as often as poetry. Through the centuries poets have explained how poetry connects us to ourselves. With a mastery of language and its possibilities, poets elevate the material of everyday communication to art that requires reflection and contemplation, and ultimately elucidates our location in the world.”
They are hosting a virtual gala on April 26 at 7:30pm when special guests will read favorite poems. The event is free, if you are interested in joining them.
One of the most recognized and celebrated American poets is Robert Frost. Although he was not born in New Hampshire, he lived and wrote many of his famous poems in Derry. Consider adding a field trip to the Robert Frost Farm! The historic site is open to tours from May through October for a small fee, and the grounds and trails are open to the public at no cost year-round.
Suggested Authors
Shel Silverstein
Robert Frost
Edgar Alan Poe
Dr Seuss
Roald Dahl
May Angelou
Lewis Carroll
Edward Lear
AA Milne
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ogden Nash
Edward Lear
TS Eliot
Robert Louis Stevenson
Several list of poems for kids by the Academy of American Poets
Several lists of poems for teens by the Academy of American Poets
Poems for middle and high school students by We Are Teachers
