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Pam's Summer Challenge

June Finished!
1. National Ballpoint Pen Day
June 10th, the anniversary of the patent filing. Fun fact: the world's most popular ball point is the Bic Crystal, which sells on average 57 pens per second.
a. A book with a writing utensil on the cover
b. A book written under a pen name
c. A book about a writer, bookseller, or librarian
The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading by James Patterson

2. National Prune Day
June 15th. Fun fact: prunes, the dried version of plums, were originally from China.
a. A book written by someone over the age of 60
b. A book with more than 400 pages
Death's End by Liu Cixin
c. A book with purple on the cover

3. Let's Catch a Movie
The term 'blockbuster' was originally used to describe especially destructive bombs, and then came to mean shocking news stories. It's current use as a movie with huge box office returns is often attributed to producer Max Youngstein
a. Author's initials can be found in BLOCKBUSTER FILM
The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh
b. A book that has been adapted into a movie or series
c. A book published in the last two years

4. Happy Birthday Paul Gauguin
Born on June 7th 1848 Gauguin was a French artist most known for his contributions to the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements. He lived in France, Peru, Martinique, Tahiti, and the Marquesas Islands.
a. A book with at least 4 colors on the cover
b. A translated book
c. A book with a seven in the page count
Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis (171 pages)

July
1. Happy Birthday Satchel Paige
Baseball pitcher Leroy R. (Satchel) Paige (1906-1982) was the first African American pitcher in the American League. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
a. A book whose author's initials appear in CURVEBALL
b. A book featuring a sport
c. A book with a black main character

2. The Apollo Moon Landing
Apollo 11, the first manned landing on Earth's moon, touched down on the surface on July 20, 1969.
a. A book set in space
b. A book with the moon on the cover
c. A book published in the 1960s

3. Let's Go on a Hike
Fun fact: Yellowstone National Park averages 1 bear attack per year, and there have only been 8 bear-caused fatalities in park history. For perspective that is 1 bear attack per 26.2 million park visits.
a. A book with a cover of a nature scene without people
b. A book set in a rural area
c. A book with an element of survival

4. Dog Days of Summer
Fun fact: this phrase refers to the time when Sirius the dog star is visible in the sky.
a. A book with a dog on the cover
b. A book with a hot setting
c. An author's first book

August
1. The Destruction of Pompeii
Pompeii was a Roman city that was buried under volcanic ash and pumice during the eruption of Mt Vesuvius on August 24, 79 CE. Because of the particular method of its destruction it is extremely well preserved and offers a unique look at life in the ancient Roman Empire.
a. A book featuring an ancient civilization
b. A book with red on the cover
c. A book set in a city

2. Vacation Time
Fun fact: 60% of the Earth's lakes are located in Canada. Something to think about next time you're by a lake.
a. A book you've been meaning to read
b. A book by a favorite author
c. A book set somewhere you would like to visit

3. Let's Play a Game
Fun fact: In Chile the Clue character Mr. Green is named Chef Lettuce.
a. A book with multiple points of view
b. A book by an author whose initials appear in SCRABBLE
c. A book in a series

4. Back to School Sales
Fun fact: in 2023 the average American household spent $890 on back to school shopping, according to an online survey. Ok, that one's not actually that fun.
a. A book borrowed from the library
b. A nonfiction book
c. A book with a character in an educational setting

I'm excited to get started and complete at least 1 month, starting with June!

June Plan

1. b. A book written under a pen name
The Seafarers by Nevil Shute

2. b. A book with more than 400 pages
Pessoa: A Biography by Richard Zenith

3. a. Author's initials can be found in BLOCKBUSTER FILM
The Story of the Lost Child or The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante

4. b. A translated book
The Violent Land by Jorge Amado or The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes

July Plan

1c A book with a black main character
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

2a. A book published in the 1960s
The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon (1966)

3.a Book with a cover of a nature scene without people
The Old Man Who Read Love Stories by Luis Sepúlveda or
The Plain in Flames by Juan Rulfo or
3c. A book with an element of survival
Violeta by Isabel Allende

4.c. An author's first book
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

August Plan

1.
2.b. A book by a favorite author
Elena Ferrante
3.a. A book with multiple POVs
4.

I’m still working on finishing my first book, The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh, for June! It fits several prompts but I plan to use it for June since I will likely only complete 1 month, at this rate.

Finished June with 4 completely different books than I planned to read. Of course, no surprise here. That may be all I attempt to do for the summer challenge.