Did you resolve to read more in 2025? Consider joining the Pekin Public Library’s New Chapter book group, or participate in the 2025 Reading Challenge! Joining a book group offers several benefits that can enhance your reading experience and personal development, such as diverse perspectives, social interaction, expanded reading choices, improved discussion skills, and incentives or prizes!

Our New Chapter book group meets the first Monday of each month and discusses a variety of fiction genres. Two discussions are held – one in the afternoon and one in the evening – and members can attend whichever is more convenient. Pekin resident Sue Crowell enjoys New Chapter “because it encourages me to read outside my favorite genres and writers…and I like hearing what others think about particular books.” 

This January, the group will read and discuss, “The Little Liar,” by Mitch Albom. New members can drop by the library’s front desk at any time to pick up a copy of the current month’s selection. Book group member Donna Reinking enjoys the friends she has met at the library who share her passion for reading, saying, “Friends with the group have made great book and author suggestions (outside of the monthly club selections), so I have an even larger wish list of reading material!”  

The 2025 Reading Challenge is perfect for more introverted readers or those with a busy schedule. Our reading log has a prompt to help participants pick out a book for the month on various selected topics. When you complete that challenge, participants return their log to the library’s front desk for a prize. Every reader who completes 8 out of the 12 prompts over the year receives a special prize in December! Examples of prompts you can look forward to include: reading a book set in the future, reading a book with a one-word title, or reading a whodunnit mystery. 

If you are concerned it could be hard for you to find a book to read that fits the prompt, we provide a list of suggestions, and we have some books available at the lobby desk for a quick checkout. The January reading prompt is “a book with a library or bookshop.” An excellent pick for this prompt is “The Underground Library” by Jennifer Ryan. Stop by the library to check out a copy at the front desk! 

Challenge yourself in 2025 by joining a book group for a perfect combination of educational, social, and motivational benefits to enhance your reading journey. A complete list of book groups and events can be found on the library’s online event calendar at pekinpubliclibrary.org.