TAHOE CITY, Calif. — Katie Bauer Huntoon made a typical visit to the Granite Bay branch of the Placer County Library right before the holidays. 

Her son and daughter each carried a stack of children’s books – from their chest to their chin – and pushed them over the clerk’s counter into the return bin. Then, Huntoon made a familiar trip to the literary fiction section of the library. She paused.  

“I fall into the same habits for the books I choose. Almost always fiction,” she said. “It’s a good time for a New Year’s Resolution to change it up.” 

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In January and February, the Placer County Library is launching a Book Bingo Challenge for adults and young adults (age 17 and up) to help readers get out of their reading routines and into exploration of new genres. 

“The goal is to encourage adults to try something new or shake up their reading habits in the New Year,” said Felicia Black, Placer’s systemwide programming librarian. 

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The Bingo challenge offers players a Bingo card with 25 squares, with the middle square being the traditional “free space.” Game squares include prompts. For example, try a fantasy book, checkout a cookbook and try a recipe, and read a “fast food fiction” book – which is “quick, easy and maybe even spicy.” 

There are also some other challenges involved: write a book review and follow the library on social media, as examples. Those that submit a review may be featured on the library’s social media accounts.  

Players can pick-up a physical Bingo card in their local library or play the game on the Beanstack app (placer.beanstack.org). Players can earn digital badges as they go and cross off five squares in a row to earn the Bingo Badge. 

“I’m excited about it. It’s a way to bring consistency to reading and it makes a game of it, so it’s fun,’ said Huntoon, who is also a member of Friends of the Granite Bay Library. “It’s perfect for a New Year’s resolution.”  

For more information on the Placer County Library click here. Images of the Bingo card and the game’s logo can be downloaded here.