Big Book Summer Challenge 2023 Is Here!

Book By Book

Welcome to Big Book Summer 2023!

The idea is simple: Use the ease of summer to tackle a Big Book (400+ pages) or two or … however many you want! You set your own goals. You can hear more about how it started and some great Big Book suggestions in my video, Big Book Summer Challenge 2023.

And if it is the start of winter where you live, then it’s your Big Book Winter Challenge! Everyone is welcome to participate.

The Details:
Hey, it’s summer, so we’ll keep this low-key and easy!

• Anything 400 pages or more qualifies as a big book.
• The challenge runs from Memorial Day weekend (starting May 25 this year) through Labor Day (September 4 this year).
• Choose one or two or however many big books you want as your goal. Wait, did you get that?  You only need to read 1 book with 400+ pages this summer to participate! (though you are welcome to read more, if you want).
• Sign up on the first links list below if you have a blog or YouTube channel, to leave your link so others can find you. 
• No blog? No problem! Just sign up in the comments below or in the Goodreads group in the Sign-Up discussion thread if you don’t have a blog or YouTube channel.
• If you have a blog or YouTube channel, write a post or record a video to kick things off: you can list the exact big books you plan to read or just announce your intent to participate, but be sure to include the Big Book Summer Challenge pic above, with a link back to this blog page. It’s fine to kick-off your Big Book Summer as part of another post or video.
• Write a post or record a video to wrap up at the end, listing the big books you read during the summer.
• You can write progress posts or record progress videos if you want to and/or reviews of the big books you’ve read … but you don’t have to! There is a separate links list (the second one) below for big book reviews, progress updates, and wrap-up posts/videos.

That’s it!  Go check out your shelves and your TBR list for chunksters and sign up below!

What kind of books “count”? All kinds! Middle-grade, YA, graphic novels, classics, all genres, all types–as long as they are at least 400 pages. Yes, e-books and audio books count, too! Just check online for the number of pages in the print edition. See my list of Big Books on BookShop for some great ideas, based on what I have read in previous Big Book Summers and throughout the year. And this year’s kick-off video also includes some suggestions.

And if you DO have a blog or YouTube channel, you are still welcome to join the group on Goodreads for the 2023 Big Book Summer Challenge, where we can talk about Big Books and our progress on the challenge. It’s a fun book conversation all summer long!

Check out my own list of books to read for the challenge this summer and my Big Book Summer Kick-Off Video for more on what I plan to read this summer. 

And you can pick up some fun Big Book Summer products! Check out my Zazzle shop for Big Book Summer mugs, t-shirts, tote bags, notebooks, car magnets, stickers, and more!

At the end of the summer, there will be a Big Book Giveaway! After Labor Day, I’ll select a name from among the participants–bloggers and booktubers who leave a link below as well as those without a blog/video who sign-up through the Goodreads group or in the Comments below–and will send the winner a BookShop gift certificate.

And help spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media with #BigBookSummer. You can follow me at:

Twitter: @suebookbybook 

Facebook: the Facebook page for this blog 

YouTube: SueJacksonDE

Challenge updates will be posted in all of those places.

Hope you’ll join the Big Book Summer fun!