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Reading challenge by genre (free printable)

Twelve genres down the page, each with a line for the book, a date and a star. Edit the genres to suit your class and print one for every reader.

Printed on the sheet. Leave it empty to write by hand.
Colour
My Reading Challenge, page 1My Reading ChallengeNameDateGenreBook and authorFinishedStar1Fantasy2Mystery3Realistic fiction4Historical fiction5Science fiction6Adventure7Humor8Poetry9Biography10Science and nature11Graphic novel12Free choiceChoose a book from each row. Color the star when you finish.Free at teach.peabody.kids

To save a PDF, choose Print, then “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints.

About this sheet

Left alone, many readers return to the same kind of book every time. A genre challenge widens the range without taking away choice: the reader decides which mystery or which biography to read, and the sheet records the attempt. Twelve rows cover a year at one book a month, or a term at a faster pace, and you can edit any row to name a genre you teach, such as Poetry or Myths and legends. The star at the end is for the child to color when the book is done. It makes a quiet class display or a folder page, and works equally well in a library club or a homeschool.

Grades: 2 to 8. Best in: August, September, January, June.

How to use it

  1. Edit the genre list so it matches your library and the kinds of books your class can find.
  2. Print one sheet for each reader and explain the rule: choose one book from each row, in any order, and color the star when you finish.
  3. Check the sheets once a month, and invite a reader to tell the class about the book that surprised them most.

Five ideas for class

  1. Set a class goal that is not a race, such as every reader trying eight genres by winter break, and track the class total on a wall chart.
  2. Pin a short list of good starting books for each genre on the library shelf, so a reader who has never tried a genre has somewhere to begin.
  3. Let a student propose a new genre for the list. A row they wrote themselves is a row they want to fill.
  4. Count a book read aloud by the class toward a row, so every reader starts the sheet with a few stars already earned.
  5. Ask readers to rate the book from one to five stars on the back, and keep a class recommendation list from the sheets.

Related

Questions

Does it work for any grade?

Yes. Younger readers can count picture books and read-alouds, and older readers can add genres such as memoir or dystopian fiction.

What if a book fits two genres?

Let the reader choose. Talking about which genre a book belongs in is a useful conversation, and the sheet is a guide and not a test.

Can a reader skip a genre?

Offer a free choice row for the reader to use when they need it. A challenge with a way out is a challenge more readers finish.

How do I save it as a PDF?

Choose Print, then pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints: the page around it is hidden. You can also save a sheet as a PNG image under the preview.

Can I print it in black and white?

Yes. Switch to Black and white beside the sheet: fills turn white and lines turn black, so it saves ink and photocopies cleanly.

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