“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
~ Nelson Mandela
Do you love to read?
In January of 2017 a group of us embarked on the inaugural Cauldrons and Cupcakes Reading Challenge. It was a fine year of reading, friendship and sharing of our love of stories and all things book-related. Now, in 2018, with a successful Challenge already completed, it’s time to embark on a new year of reading adventures.
This year the Cauldrons and Cupcakes Team has decided to nominate Pencils of Promise as the charity we’ll be supporting through our Book Reading Challenge. Pencils of Promise build schools in the developing world, train teachers, and support kids and communities to be able to access education. In 2018 more than 1 in every ten children around the world is illiterate and in developing countries that figure is 1 in 3. I’m hoping that our loyal blog community can change that, and help provide opportunities for some of those kids to be able to read, write and learn so that their lives can open out in front of them in more meaningful ways.
Would you like to join us? Let me explain the Challenge to you:
It involves four simple steps:
- Read or otherwise consume a book, short story or journal article each month. You might borrow a book from the library, or buy one. It might be gifted to you, or it might have been waiting for you in some pile beside the bed since who knows when. It could be an e-book or an audio-book. It can be any kind of book, story or article at all. A novel, a romance, crime, children’s or young adult’s, a non-fiction book like a memoir or a cookbook or a travel book. It could be a graphic novel. A comment piece, investigative journalism, or even a textbook.
- Post the name of the book, story or article you are currently reading or listening to here or have finished during the month on the blog or over on our Cauldrons and Cupcakes Facebook or Instagram page. Feel free to suggest any books, stories, articles or audiobooks that you have already read and enjoyed. That way you’ll be adding to a list of resources that we can all dip into and choose from. I love finding new reading recommendations!
- Sign up to become a Team Member of the Cauldrons and Cupcakes Fundraising Team for Pencils of Promise. Here’s the link for you to join.
- Download the Book Tracker. Each month write the name of any book/story/article you have read in the corresponding month. It’s fine to add more than one. Then add a small amount of money to a jar for each book you read or go directly to Pencils of Promise and make a donation there. It doesn’t have to be much. Whatever you can afford will be great. Here’s the Book Tracker for you to download – just click on this link: BOOK-TRACKER-3. There’s a space for you to write down your reading wish list. Then start filling in the Monthly Tracker when you’ve read your first book.
- During the year I will put up a Book Challenge Post on the fourth Saturday of every month so that we can discuss the books and stories we’ve read or listened to, and swap ideas and reviews. I’ll also be asking you to donate the money you set aside from your completed books and stories to Pencils of Promise. When you donate that money is up to you. Just make sure you have registered as a team member first. It will feel great to help someone else to experience the pleasure and comfort that reading brings. The world needs more readers. If you want to team up for this challenge that’s a great idea too!
- During the year we will also be holding a Read-A-Thon so that you can get your family, friends and workmates to sponsor you for the books and stories you read or listen to. It will be a great way for you to indulge in some reading for a good cause, and to raise some extra money towards our goal. Stay tuned for details in a post next week!
Download this: BOOK-TRACKER-3
I’d love you to get your friends involved, so please feel free to share this post far and wide.
All year we will practice kindness to ourselves by reading.
At year’s end, and at various points before that we will pass some of that kindness on to someone else in the form of a donation to help Pencils of Promise deliver more readers and writers to the world.
So, that’s our Reading Challenge for 2018. Want to join us? Go add your name below, join our Fundraising Team and don’t forget to let us know what books have you been reading or listening to this past month.
And now for January…
Let’s start the year off with the books, stories, articles and audiobooks we’ve already enjoyed in January
Go ahead and tell us in the comments below, or pop over to Facebook and join me there.
Happy Reading!
Lots of love, Nicole ❤ xx
I’ve been trying to join the team, but keep getting into an endless loop telling me to log in, then to continue the setup process, which just asks me to log in again.
I have just finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hossini. Set over 30 years in Afghanistan. It touches on and gives some explantions about the various invasions of Afghanistan and the various religious factions. It is also a sory of love and hope. I now want to get hold of The Kite Runner by the same author
I love this idea. I was in a book club for many years and it was good fun, most of the time. But sometimes I just didn’t connect with the book and then felt obliged to keep reading, not much fun! So the idea of reading my own choice, but also hearing what others are doing is really appealing.
Gosh I read constantly from chick lit to non fiction.. this month I have read: light hearted chick lit books,
But my favourite is;
letting go of good by Andrea mathews – its a non fiction self help book about rediscovering your true self. I love this book there lots of other stuff I have learnt in this book about awakening to your true self but the most profound is, you need to sit with your emotions and listen to their messages otherwise they will keep showing up. I was taught to repress /suppress my emotions or to yell/punch out my emotions but they will keep showing up until you listen!
Sounds like a great book Jessica. I will have to check it out 😊🙏
For the first few weeks of January I was on holiday, so I gobbled up books in my spare moments. Here are the ones I’ve already enjoyed this year:
1. The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristopher Jansma – this is a fun, refreshingly creative and beautifully written novel about ambitious authors, the art of storytelling, and what it truly means to be dedicated to your craft. Just loved it!
2. The Remedy for Love by Bill Roorbach – this was the most unusual and engaging love story I’ve read in a long while. With themes of isolation and loneliness, and set in a horrific blizzard, it’s a page-turner that will keep you up reading long after bed-time!
3. Danger Music by Eddie Ayres – this compassionate and observant memoir about teaching music to children in Afghanistan as the author goes through a journey around their own identity and gender was a thought-provoking read which left me marvelling at the human spirit and our capacity to endure, thrive and evolve.
Am really keen to hear all of your recommendations to add to my reading and audiobook list for 2018.
How about you? What have you read or listened to so far this year? What do you recommend and why?
Big love, Nicole the total booknerd xoxo
Last year, ever month I would look at this challenge and say I’d like to do this. I didn’t. I am so glad it is a new year and a new challenge, time
to just do it. Much love to you Nicole and thank you for writing your amazing inspiring blogs and for being real and authentic. 💕
Kathryn, I’m thrilled to have you on board with us. Even if you read just one book it will be a start. One of the things I loved most about last year’s challenge was all of the new books and audiobooks I learned about. It opened all kinds of reading adventures up for me. Welcome to our Team! xx