Try The 'Reading Without Walls' Challenge This Month

Books can take you anywhere and allow you to experience the world (or distant worlds, even) through new eyes. And that's why we're excited about a new event called , which challenges readers to explore beyond their usual literary comfort zones.
The rules of this challenge are simple. Just pick your next book using one of these suggestions:
1) Read a book about a character who doesn't look like you or live like you.
2) Read a book about a topic you don't know much about.
3) Read a book in a format that you don't normally read for fun (a graphic novel, a book in verse, or an audiobook).
Beginning this month, is planned as an annual event every April. It's meant to expand the range of books children read, but we think it's a great idea for readers of any age. You can check out the Reading Without Walls more information, reading lists, kids' activity books, and more. And if you want to follow along on social media, check out the hashtag .
began as a pilot program last year when author and comic book artist Gene Luen Yang was appointed (you can see Yang announcing the project in the video ). Yang is the author of American Born Chinese, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and many more graphic novels.
We'd love to know how you get out of your reading comfort zones and how that's helped you become a better reader. Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Elinor
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Apr 07, 2017 07:55AM

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10 points to Gryffindor!




Just means you're already refusing to be pigeon-holed in your reading! You could always try a genre that you'd normally avoid.
And now that I've said that, I probably need to go take my own suggestion. Hmm...graphic novel or chick lit? Definitely graphic novel.

Just means you're already refu..."
Give a try to chick lit. You might be surprised!
I read a PNR this month and found an author I would really check again in a genre I've disliked until I read her book. :)


Chris wrote: "How about "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and then "Americanah " by the same author. Both took me right out of my life and into another world. Highly recommend!"


Yes, it is, and that's how I do it. :D

Chris wrote: "How about "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and then "Americanah " by the same author. Both took me right out of my life and into ano..."
I think both are on my "to read" list. Good suggestions!

Thanks to ŷ, I have learned to read outside my comfort zone and have found new authors that are now on my favorite lists.
I have always loved to find places, people and topics to escape to outside my current world.
I LOVE this idea and hope that this expands peoples minds and opinions of others and their cultures.
I do that all the time alredy.
There isent that many books that scream "me"(except fangirl by rainbow rowell off course).
Planning on reading
soon and as am neither muslim or british that ticks off a lot of boxes.
I do agree its important to read diversly.
There isent that many books that scream "me"(except fangirl by rainbow rowell off course).
Planning on reading

I do agree its important to read diversly.


If you haven't you should read Gene Luen Yang's "American Born Chinese."

Isn't Jim Dale great? :D

I know right LOL...except for, in my case, format, because I often don't enjoy audiobooks.

I never do those.
Currently reading "IT"...and as I am neither a group of kids, nor a Psychotic Evil Clown...I think that qualifies, right? ;)


Thank you, I agree. I don't get the need for this. We don't all read books because they have characters that "look like me," etc.



Children are impressionable & reading about a topic they may not have been interested in or had prior knowledge of &/or reading about an adverse group of individuals, culturally different MC etc would be a great learning experience for a child. Kudus to the #readingwithoutwalls project.



I like audio books for stories set in foreign places. I recently read The Vow: A Novel, and listening along as I read was very helpful with all the Polish.

Reminds me of FanGirl, so I think autocorrect actually was awesome this time. Lol.

It is a long time since I have read a book in verse. I'd love some recommendations. And I've never read a Manga book so recommendations there would also be great.
Thanks to Gene Luen Yang for the inspiration and for caring about young readers and to ŷ and the moderators for the Challenge.

I love you so much and I don't even know you hahaha

HAHAHAHA me too

What kind of books do you like to read, Kingsley?




Just means you're already refu..."
Definitely graphic novel!

1) I'm not American or European, but I feel like by reading American or European literature I'm not necessarily exposing myself to characters or authors that are/look different, or have hugely different backgrounds. Ton of white authors, ton of, you know, not really Anglo-Saxon, but but nothing about the immigrant experience, either. I don't read nearly enough books by African or Asian authors. The last one I can really think of is A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, but that was years ago. I'm currently reading Lady of Palenque : Flower of Bacal, Mesoamerica, A.D. 749, by Anna Kirwan, which is about a Mayan princess, but the author sure isn't Mayan. Sure, I read a ton of books by German authors, but that's pretty much my life, so it's not anything new to me (apart from A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City: A Diary, that was different).
2) I'm not doing too well in that department, either. I mostly read fiction, and in that category I mostly read thrillers/mystery/crime novels. Noah by Sebastian Fitzek was a mind-opening read. Otherwise, all the nonfiction I've read lately seems to be about things I'm already interested in. Linguistics (Wordsmiths & Warriors: The English-Language Tourist's Guide to Britain, by David Crystal), German History (A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City: A Diary and Anna Funder's Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall)... I have one book lined up about the Celts, and another about Ireland, but then again, even if those aren't things I've any knowledge about, they're things I'm interested in, so I'm not straying too far from the beaten path and picking up surprising things. Hmm.
3) I pretty much only read printed books. I'm completely unable of following audiobooks (I really can't focus), and the time I tried to read Kim Thuy's Ru is pretty much the reason why I don't read e-books. It's been a billion years since I've last read prose, and by a billion I mean like 5. So maybe I should get to that, as I already enjoy graphic novels, or maybe I should read classics? Those are the nemesis of those with short attention spans...
All in all, I thought I was pretty bamf, but turns out I could do more.

Also, Naoki Urasawa's Monster, Volume 1, because I haven't read a manga in ages and this one has been on my to-read list since high school.

I read widely across genres, genders and race, but seem to eschew books that depict characters and stories involving my own social identity as a white, middle-class, young woman (as featured in lots of chick lit). It's a bit ironic, but I just can't relate to those characters and their issues. Does anyone else have that experience?