Hey fourth and fifth graders, are you ready to read, learn and win? The 2023 Global Reading Challenge launches today, with the unveiling of this year’s books.
Now in its 28th year, the Global Reading Challenge is a reading incentive program between the Library and Seattle Public Schools (SPS). Fourth and fifth graders enrolled in SPS of all reading abilities read the books together and team up for trivia competitions. The semi-finals and City Final competitions, which happen in March 2023, will be in person this year! Find out more at spl.org/GRC.
But let’s get to the books! This year’s Global Reading Challenge lineup includes eight wonderful titles that represent a wide range of experiences and backgrounds. As usual, we chose books where the author has a cultural connection to the story they are telling. You can learn about the books from our children’s librarians in this video, or read about them below.
We’ve included links to the books in our catalog, so you can easily put a hold on a copy with your Library card. You can also check out digital copies with your Library Link account. Global Reading Challenge books will also be distributed at participating Seattle Public Schools, so check with your school librarian. And three of the books are available in Spanish.
Find out more about the Global Reading Challenge at spl.org/GRC.
Rabbit Chase, by Elizabeth LaPensée
Fantasy/Anishinaabe culture, graphic novel, 108 pages
Aimée is experiencing bullying for their nonbinary and Anishinaabe identities in school. On a field trip for Indigenous youth, they fall through into another dimension.
Why did we pick it? We loved the mash-up of traditional Anishinaabe stories and Alice in Wonderland, and we loved Aimée’s bright, brave spirit. The author is known for promoting Indigenous viewpoints in video games and that comes through very clearly.
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle, by J. Dillard
Fiction, 126 pages, available in Spanish
In a semi-autobiographical story set in Mississippi, third grader J.D. teaches himself how to create great hair and begins an entrepreneurial adventure.
Why did we pick it? It’s funny, empowering, and based on a true story. J.D.’s strong opinions on hairstyles and fearless use of the clippers to help his friends is inspiring. We also loved the illustrations!
Power Forward, by Hena Khan
Fiction/basketball, 126 pages
Zayd Saleem struggles to sneak in basketball practice when he should be at orchestra in his contemporary Pakistani American family. (This was previously a Global Reading Challenge title.)
Why did we pick it? Zayd is hilarious, and so is his loving family. We loved his adventures on the court and in the orchestra.
Planet Omar, Accidental Trouble Magnet, by Zanib Mian
Fiction/humor, 205 pages
Omar’s big imagination helps him makes friends when his Muslim family moves to a new neighborhood, and he starts a new school.
Why did we pick it? Great illustrations that remind us of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” and Omar, like Zayd Saleem and J.D., has a great sense of humor. This book is set in Britain, so it’s also a peek into a different culture.
Stef Soto, Taco Queen, by Jennifer Torres
Fiction, 166 pages, available in Spanish
Stef has a love-hate relationship with her family’s taco truck, Tía Perla. The City is putting in new restrictions on food trucks, and Stef must help her Papi navigate them, or decide to let Tía Perla go.
Why did we pick it? So much heart! We loved Stef’s family and we loved Tía Perla. Stef does a lot of soul searching to decide what matters to her rather than caring about her image at school. Heartwarming, like a delicious meal.
Tip! The e-book and e-audiobook versions of this book are available for instant download!
The Legend of Auntie Po, by Shing Yin Khor
Historical fiction/legends, graphic novel, 290 pages
Set in the Sierra Nevadas in 1885: Chinese American Mei tells amazing stories, has a crush on her best friend, Maggie, and works as a cook with her father at a logging camp. The camp is sent into an uproar when racist pressure from the logging company forces the camp director to fire her dad.
Why did we pick it? Imaginative, empowering historical fiction does not come around that often. We loved the Pacific Northwest connection to the logging camp and that the book tackles the hardships caused by the Chinese Immigration Act. We also loved that Mei is Chinese American and is more interested in girls than boys. Great representation for people who have been here from early settler times.
Spirit Hunters: Island of Monsters, by Ellen Oh
Mystery/horror, 243 pages
Harper Raine is back, and her family is going on a special Caribbean vacation. It’s too bad her grandmother, a Korean Shaman known as a Mudang, can’t see through the darkness that hangs over the island. What terrifying things will Harper find there?
Why did we pick it? Some of us like to read scary books, and this one is terrifying! Ellen Oh also does a tremendous job weaving traditional Korean beliefs from her heritage into the book and telling a story that you just don’t want to put down. If you don’t like a fright, you might skip it, but if you enjoy that sense of relief that comes from a good scare that ends when you close the cover, we highly recommend it.
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
Fantasy, 408 pages, available in Spanish
Amari’s summer is about to be full of the most amazing things she never expected, and possibly some answers about what happened to her missing brother.
Why did we pick it? This is a whole new magical world to explore, and Amari is everything you could want in a hero. The book is so long, you only have to read the first half for Global Reading Challenge. The book is so good, we dare you to be able to put it down halfway.
Want more book suggestions for young readers? Find Global Reading Challenge book lists from previous years.
More about the Global Reading Challenge
The Global Reading Challenge is made possible by funding from The Seattle Public Library Foundation, the Northwest Literacy Foundation, and Ballard Rotary. We thank our partners at Seattle Public Schools who make this program possible every day.
If you have any questions about the Global Reading Challenge, or anything else, call the Library at 206-386-4636 or contact us at www.spl.org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information.
– Jenny C.
Leave a Comment