The 2026 Black Girls With Bookmarks Reading Challenge is built around how we discover books, not just how many we finish. Across 26 prompts, you’ll move through four reading modes: Curation. Wordplay. In the Stacks. Set the Scene.
Some prompts ask you to trust a recommendation. Some invite you to play with language. Some pull directly from your own shelves. Others ask you to step fully into a story’s world. Complete 13 prompts to finish. Complete all 26 to complete the challenge.
Bonus prompts are optional. Read widely. Read intentionally. Read alongside us.
2026 BGWB Reading Challenge
Helpful Resources
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Helpful Resources 〰️
Printable Prompt List
Prefer pen and paper?
Print the full 2026 prompt list and keep it in your planner, reading journal, or tucked inside your current book.
Join the Challenge on Storygraph
If you already use StoryGraph, you can join the challenge there and log your reads digitally.
Prompts will still need to be submitted via form
Submit an Entry
Finished a prompt? Record it here!
Each submission updates your official total and helps us track completions throughout the year.
BGWB Backlist
This is your reminder that great reads don’t expire. Browse our archive of past Black Girls With Bookmarks selections.
Any archived book that fulfills a 2026 prompt earns you a bonus point.
FAQs
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The challenge runs Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2026. Any books read prior to the prompt release are eligible for submissions, as long as it wasn’t previously submitted for the 2025 challenge.
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Download the printable list of prompts here. If you’re a Storygraph user, you can also view the prompts inside the platform.
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To submit the books you’ve read for the challenge, use the prompt submission form. Please only submit once per prompt.
You can also share your progress on social with the hashtag #bgwb2025readingchallenge
Sharing on social does not count as a prompt submission.
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Each book counts for 1 point; books by Black authors count as +1 bonus point; books from the BGWB reading archive are an additional +1 bonus point. Bonus points are only for the first instance of the book (i.e. if you use the book for more than one prompt, you only get bonus points once).
Submit your entry
Tell us which prompt you’ve completed and the book that fulfilled it. Please submit once per prompt. If a book fulfills multiple prompts, you may choose the one that fits best.
If your book is from a past BGWB selection or written by a black author, be sure to note that — bonus points apply.