Welcome to the 2026 Category Challenge!

For those who are new to the group, or who'd like to refresh their memories, here are some more details about the Category Challenge. I've taken most of this language from the 2023 welcome thread created by @rabbitprincess.

What are the categories?

Anything you want them to be! Each member’s challenge is going to be different.

You can set as many categories as you like, in whatever genres you like. You can set a minimum number of books to read in each category, or you can fill them up as the whim takes you. You can structure your reading year around a theme, or just go with the flow.

You can focus on prize winners, certain geographical areas, topics of particular interest to you, series you want to finish, authors with an extensive backlist ... the possibilities are endless.

What if I set up my challenge and then get tired of my categories later in the year?

If your challenge ends up not working for you for any reason, at any point during the year, change it up! There is no Category Challenge police. We’re here to read and have fun.

It's a zoo in here! What are these CATs and KITs and DOGs?

The CATs (short for Categories And Themes) are the "official" year-long challenges voted on by the members, which focus on a specific topic or theme each month. Feel free to propose a CAT for 2026 below! Once the final CATs are chosen, I will list them here.

CATs for 2026
DecadeCAT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375381
ArtsCAT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375377
HomeCAT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375465
NonfictionCAT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375467

The KITs are similar in structure to CATs, but they are informal challenges run by whichever member is willing to do so. Once the final KITs are established, I'll list them here.

KITs for 2026
AlphaKIT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375103
Colored CoverKIT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375150
CultureKIT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375228
MysteryKIT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375111
RandomKIT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375112
ScaredyKIT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375104
SFFKIT - https://www.librarything.com/topic/375093

BingoDOG

The BingoDOG (so named because it is not a CAT or a KIT) is a bingo card put together by the group members. One member will gather suggestions for squares and weed out duplicate suggestions, and the finalists will be put on a bingo card. For several years, our bingo cards have been constructed by the wonderful @LShelby.

BingoDOG - https://www.librarything.com/topic/374676

Do I have to be a member of this group to join the group challenges?

Not at all, though you're certainly welcome to join the group! But if you have a home base in another group and just want to swing by for one of our group challenges or group reads, you're most welcome to join us.

When do we get started?

The challenge "officially" starts January 1, 2026, but you can start earlier or later!

Proposed CATs

Love/Romance CAT - could be based on monthly troupes, for example, grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, or unplanned pregnancy. Alternatively, we could do genre eg paranormal, historical or mystery. Or mix it up with both... Or must contain an animal or travel...

ArtsCAT - Monthly themes might include various types of art (music, theater, painting, sculpture, dance, fiber arts...), artist biographies, books about the making of a specific piece, books about museums...

News/EventCAT - We could focus months around a type of news--science, sports, politics, etc.--or even around a particular major event such as a particular war/conflict or discovery. Can be fiction or nonfiction. OR make the monthly themes the sections of the newspaper -- front page, sports, entertainment, local news, etc. -- which allows for more historical approaches.

HomeCAT/DomestiCAT - each month would be an at-home activity - reading, gardening, cooking, eating, etc. Or different types of homes, like buildings (cottage to castle), living arrangements (hermitages to communes) or other aspects that makes a home (meals, holidays). Or maybe rooms - kitchens one month, gardens another and bathrooms (a difficult one) a third.

DecadeCAT - Let each host pick a decade: 1930's, 1970's, etc. and read could be set in that decade or written in that decade.

KiddyCAT - children's literature

AstroCAT - Astronomy Cat. We could read about any of the planets, space exploration, astronauts, space missions, famous astronomer's lives (fiction or NF), comets, the moon, stars, astrology, history of the universe, lunar/solar eclipses (or a book set in one), astronomy in fiction, space picture books, myths/folklore in space, etc. All categories could be either fiction or non-fiction.

WildCAT - All things adventurous, dangerous, and edgy. Some possibilities:
- Books about wildlife
- Books about exploration/frontiers/survival stories
- Books about war
- Books with explicit sex and/or violence
- Books outside of your comfort zone as a reader
- Post-apocalyptic settings
- nature (this could include both plants and animals in the wild)

HistoryCAT - the topics can be people, events, time periods, etc. (Examples: Wars, Victorian era, Prehistory/Archaeology, Tudors, Space...)

BiographyCAT (or BioCAT) - We could read biographies of people in different fields of endeavor, different geographical regions, autobiography/memoir, etc.

NonfictionCAT - could include months for History, Biography, Nature, Astronomy (or more broadly, Science), War, Wildlife, News, and more.

ScienceCAT - Individual disciplines of science could be included here, but people can read fiction, too: Astronomy, Computer Science, Chemistry, Biology, etc.

KITs
AlphaKIT
RandomKIT
MysteryKIT
ScaredyKIT
NatureKIT - return of the NatureCAT
CultureKIT - a variation of the 2025 Culture CAT. Categories more like 'close to home', a culture that originates near you (or perhaps the culture of a neighbour or community like Chinatown near you) which you are not already part of, or 'a religion/religious minority you are not part of', or 'a disability you do not have'
ColorKIT
CoverKIT
Color/Cover combo? - Each month has a color and a cover object, and people can choose one or both.
SFFKIT

***

Please feel free to propose CATs and KITs below! I will list all the suggestions here, along with a brief description. If you suggest a CAT/KIT, please tell us a little bit about what you have in mind -- the better an idea is fleshed out, the more likely it is to receive support during voting. If you have thoughts on a CAT/KIT that someone else has suggested, share them below as well!

Around the beginning of November, we'll vote on what we want our CATs to be. Generally the top three become CATs, and any other ideas with strong support become KITs. If there's a tie, we have generally gone with four CATs.

Please share your ideas below -- looking forward to a fun and creative menagerie of CATs and KITs!

This is fantastic, Christina! I have been thinking on my 2026 Challenge and can now get to work. Looking forward to finding out about all the side challenges as well. I already know that I would like to participate in the AlphaKit and some of the other Kits as well.

Looking forward to the conversation and voting! I'll probably root around for older ones that we've used before as suggestions.

Thanks for setting up our new category challenge for next year. I know it takes a lot of work.

Thanks for getting us started, Christina! Can people make suggestions for Bingo squares as well or is that a separate thread?

Thanks for getting up going, Christina. I've been hoping we'd be starting soon. I've already been thinking about next year.

One of my suggestions (CoverCAT) was selected this year. Time to put my thinking cap back on. Thanks for starting the thread.
Of course, I always participate in RandomKIT, MysteryKIT, and ScaredyKIT. So throwing them in the loop,

Thank you Christina for getting us started. I can’t remember was there a thread somewhere with a list of the various CATs we’ve had over the years?

>9 lsh63: Here’s a wiki page with links to the KIT & CAT wikis over the years:

https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/List_of_Category_Challenge_wikis

Thanks Christina!

>10 Charon07: That's very useful. Thank you.

Thank you Christina! As no one mentioned it already I thought I was the only person already thinking of next year. I love the KITs and look forward to the CATs and Bingo choices.

I would really love to do NatureCAT and CultureCAT this year if enough are up for it.

We didn't have as much participation in CultureCAT as I had hoped — I think part of the problem was people are often trying to read books already on their TBRs or bookshelves, and often they couldn't locate one that fit a given category.

Perhaps, if there's interest, we could change CultureCAT up a bit. I'm thinking categories more like 'close to home', a culture that originates near you (or perhaps the culture of a neighbour or community like Chinatown near you) which you are not already part of, or 'a religion/religious minority you are not part of', or 'a disability you do not have'. I think people will have an easier time finding reads to fit categories like this.

I really enjoyed doing the category challenges this year, even if I didn't get to complete them all. I would love to have more opportunities to find non-fiction fits in CATs and KITs.

Here is one.

Love/Romance Cat. Because I think that right now we all could do with a bit more love in the world.
It could be based on monthly troupes, for example, grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, or unplanned pregnancy. Alternatively, we could do genre eg paranormal, historical or mystery. Or mix it up with both... Or must contain an animal or travel... Or...
These are off the top of my head...

In the immortal words of John and Paul : " All you need is love."" Love is all you need."

Thanks, Christina. My planning can start now!

>6 purpleiris: Bingo planning will be a separate thread...I'll get that set up soon!

>10 Charon07: Thanks so much for finding that list! I think it will be super helpful for inspiration.

I'll add all the CATs/KITs mentioned so far to >2 christina_reads: above.

The BingoDOG planning thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/374676

Thank you. I am looking forward to new challenges.

I'd like to propose an ArtsCat. Monthly themes might include various types of art (music, theater, painting, sculpture, dance, fiber arts...), artist biographies, books about the making of a specific piece, books about museums...

Can I get someone to take over the Alphakit? I keep ending up in hospital (like now) so don't want to worry about disappointing all of you.

>13 GraceCollection:, I like the idea of a differently focused CultureCat a lot. I was one of the ones who voted for it, but the categories ended up being much more specific than I'd expected, or in some cases so general that my reading list is already heavy on them(!), so I ended up mostly focused on the NatureCat. I think organizing the culturecat to be a little wider in scope for folks' tbrs would make a big difference.

Meanwhile, I know we're all sick of the darkness of the news, but for lack of another way of saying it, I'd like to propose a News/EventCat. We could focus months around a type of news--science, sports, politics, etc.--or even around a particular major event such as a particular war/conflict or discovery. I think there'd be a lot of room for folks to read both nonfiction and fiction, so we could have focused months while still having it be pretty easy on established TBRs.

Thanks for setting this up! I’m already thinking of my categories.

>13 GraceCollection: I think you might be correct about CultureCAT. I do think using broader categories would help, as you've suggested. I would participate, again. But we don't usually do the same CAT two years in a row, so we could skip it next year (and propose it for 2027) or do it as a KIT.

I would also definitely do NatureKIT, again, as well.

>20 majkia: I would love to help with AlphaKIT, but of course, I also ended up with surgeries and not being able to be online off and on this year, as well! I hope it doesn't continue, but...

Maybe if there are a couple of us, we can split it or if one is unable to post the challenge for a month, the other can quickly fill in?

>21 whitewavedarling: I love the News/EventCAT idea, but I think I've also voted for NewsCAT (or similar in previous years, as well!). :-)

>16 christina_reads: Yay! Thank you!

>24 LibraryCin: I'll be your alternate, if you are unavailable, Cindy.

I suggest a HomeCAT - each month would be an at-home activity - reading, gardening, cooking, eating, etc.

>27 VivienneR: Thank you!!

>20 majkia: Curious - where do you usually get the pictures you get of the letters for each thread? :-)

>2 christina_reads: I think, in the past, we haven't repeated the same CAT two years in a row (CultureCAT).

Did we want to not worry about that and include it in the vote, anyway?

I think CATs which are popular enough to be worth repeating generally end up as KITs in future generations.

But if we are going to repeat, can I suggest repeating ColourCAT and/or CoverCAT? I like them because it is easy to see whether I have something suitable or not rather than scrabble about trying to remember what criteria a book I impulsively put on my TBR 3 or 4 years ago might fulfil.

>23 LibraryCin: But we don't usually do the same CAT two years in a row

I did not know this! Thanks for sharing. I am definitely up for participating in both as KITs, then.

>27 VivienneR: and >29 LibraryCin:. Thank. You!
For the letters I do a Google search for 'fancy letters A> or illuminated letter B.

I am not sure I personally read enough romance to be able to commit to that CAT, but it sounds like a LOVEly idea... See what I did there?

I'm a little wary about news... As you mention, it's a little dark. However, I would love to hear a little more about what exactly you're envisioning. Is it like each month gets a different section of a newspaper, like for January the category might be 'Sports', 'Science' for May, etc.? Or picking actual events from the news as categories, like 'Scientists make a breakthrough in detecting & treating cancer — so September is reading about cancer or cancer research' and 'Major earthquake in San Fransisco — June is earthquake and/or San Fransisco month'?

I am a big fan of the idea of ArtsCAT. I was actually thinking for my new years resolution to come up with an art to focus on each month of next year, not for reading but for practicing... events like Inktober and NaNoWriMo have already designated October and November for drawing and novel writing, respectively, and I was thinking about finding a month to dedicate to photography, needle arts, baking... I would love to also expand my reading this way!

HomeCAT sounds intriguing, and I'd like to know more about it... If you take eating as an example, would that be like 'March is a book that features a character eating', or 'For March find a cover that features someone eating' or 'March is for books that are primarily centered around eating like The Omnivore's Dilemma' or 'March is Eating, so whatever that means to you will fit in the category'?

>28 lowelibrary: I like the HomeCAT one. Very versatile and cozy.

If it is too difficult to find 12 activities, it could also be different types of homes, like buildings (cottage to castle), living arrangements (hermitages to communes) or other aspects that makes a home (meals, holidays), or maybe rooms - kitchens one month, gardens another and bathrooms (a difficult one) a third. It would take a bit of creativity, but I think you could find 12 rooms.

>30 LibraryCin: >31 Robertgreaves: >32 GraceCollection: Thank you all -- that's a good point about not repeating the CATs from the previous year. If no one objects, I'll move the Nature and Culture suggestions to the proposed KIT list. Robert, do you want me to add Color and Cover to the proposed KITs as well?

>36 christina_reads: I don’t see any difference whether something’s a KIT or CAT. FWIW, the RandomCAT was a CAT for 9 years running before settling in its current status as a perennial KIT.

I love the idea of the ArtsCAT. And the NatureCAT, which gives me impetus to read more nonfiction.

Thanks Christina for herding the kittens for another year! :)

>37 Charon07: I think the fact that RandomCAT was so perennial that that was where the 'no same CAT 2 years in a row' thing came from, to give new ideas more of a chance. I don't see any difference between CAT and KIT either, but I seem to remember a lot of resistance to that one in particular becoming a KIT (which is probably why it was a CAT for so long!).

>38 Jackie_K: Just like Franklin D. Roosevelt inspired term limits for the U.S. presidency. I haven’t been around long enough, but I figured the tradition had its beginnings in some controversy like that!

I agree with Robert on the Color or Cover KIT return. They have been good for me this year because they are usually easy to find something that fits on my TBR. I don't have a lot of time to do searches so a simple KIT keeps me involved.

I'm half hoping I don't like any of the CATs/KITs this time - this year there were too many I really liked, and so I got too caught up in them and my reading didn't feel quite so spontaneous. But I'll still vote and get enthusiastic about them, I'm sure!

>28 lowelibrary: I like HomeCAT and ArtsCat. Seems like something similar to HomeCAT was on the list before but didn’t make the cut. Also ColourCAT and CoverCAT were fun this year. They would be great returns as KITS.

I love the ideas for ArtsCAT and HomeCAT. I think I could mostly use fiction for the monthly challenges in these proposed CATs. A CultureCAT with broader topics would be doable for me.

It's unlikely I would participate in NewsCAT, because keeping up with the daily news is kind of painful these days, and because I don't usually feel attracted to books about current events. If some of the challenges are more historical, I would be more likely to participate in those.

And I'll echo others to say that flexible challenges and categories are better for my reading style.

>34 GraceCollection: and >49 JayneCM:, I was trying to think of some word other than 'news' because I agree the news is super-dark (and I don't want people to feel like they have to be keeping up with current events to participate--that wasn't remotely my thinking!). But like you mentioned, >34 GraceCollection:, I'm thinking about it in ways that could allow a lot of freedom, so if people want to read about current events, they can, but it's by no means necessary. But, for instance, a month on 'politics' could lead to reads on anything from current politics/politicians to a biography of Lincoln or Jefferson, or to a novel where a lawyer is trying to bring down a crooked politician. And, similarly, a month focused on a scientific breakthrough in cancer research could lean to nonfiction or fiction revolving around fighting cancer as either a scientist or an individual, or some other scientific breakthrough entirely. The breakdown of months could be all sections like 'science' or 'politics', all focused more on historical events such as research, discoveries, etc., or a mix of the two.

My thought process in proposing this is essentially that I've really enjoyed reading nonfiction this year, but I get burned out quickly on more focused nonfiction cats that are entirely focused on biography, history, etc., or the different months are so niche that I end up not having anything on my TBR that fits. Having a topic like this would be an easy way to welcome in a wide group of folks with eclectic reading tastes who might want to mix fiction and nonfiction reads into their reading for the cat.

Maybe thinking of a possible NewsCat in terms of a newspaper would remove it a bit from the gloom of present-day news? Make the monthly themes the sections of the newspaper -- front page, sports, entertainment, local news, etc. -- which allows for more historical approaches. Even on the front page, after all, there have been happy news stories over the years, and reading a book about the history of the polio vaccine or a novel about the life of your favorite historical figure would qualify.

>34 GraceCollection:
>44 whitewavedarling: Please, if you choose news, no 21st century politics! I come here to get away from that!

>45 KeithChaffee: I like the idea of basing a NewsCat on sections of a newspaper - seems more flexible that way.

I am going to have to check myself from getting committed to too many Cats/Kits as I need to spend some time on my own categories - but it's so hard to resist.

I agree with others who really enjoyed both the Color and Cover Cats this year - again more flexible. I would have a hard time not to participate in Kits based on them.

I would also agree that CoverCAT and ColourCAT were fantastic and would be great as KITs for the wide scope they give. Just because of the way my brain works, I did ColourCAT this year as the colour being in the title - next year I think I would do it as the cover colour.
HomeCAT and ArtsCAT are two I would definitely love to see next year.

>36 christina_reads: The idea does seem to have attracted quite a bit of support while I was sleeping.

I also like the idea of HomeCAT. I'm also liking that there are a few new ideas, as well. I still want to dig up some older ones that I enjoyed to suggest, as well. I've been so busy this week!

I like the idea of HomeCAT being rooms - or even combining them, like kitchen on the cover, or reading about something you do or find in the kitchen, etc

How about a combined ColourCover KIT - where each month offers 2 choices to pick from - an item on the cover (like this year) or a color(chosen monthly) on the cover.

If these items are picked. I will be happy to start the thread discussions for the year.

Oh, many interesting suggestions already! The ArtsCAT sounds good to me. And I seem to recall that the "sections of a newspaper" idea has been floated before but lost out to more popular themes. Would it offer enough material to fill twelve months?

Thanks for setting it up, Christina!
I love the ScaredyKit group, and I dip in and out of the Mystery, Culture and Travel, doing what I can. HomeCAT sounds good to me as I love books about books.

>53 MissWatson: Would it offer enough material to fill twelve months?

Headlines (historical events), local news (a book set someplace you've lived), international news, sports, weather, arts & entertainment, games & puzzles, comics page (anything funny), weddings, obituaries, business, society page -- that's twelve, and I'm sure there are things I'm missing.

I admit the newspaper slant on the newscat wasn't exactly what I was thinking of. Thinking of it in terms of those sections listed above (no offense, >55 KeithChaffee:), now I'm less interested lol, just because so many of those you mentioned--obituaries, weddings, society, business, etc.--feel sort of pigeon-holey to me.

But to reiterate, again, I had no intention of suggesting we do something that would immerse us all in current politics. I was just trying to think of a challenge that would allow us breadth for TBRs and for nonfiction/fiction readers both without going into too niche topics. But maybe I'm trying to think of something that would be too general and that's the issue? Anyhow, just an idea.

>56 whitewavedarling: how about historical news pickingolder decades or generations

>52 lowelibrary: I like that idea for a KIT and I would participate. If others agree, then I thank you for setting this up. I would volunteer to host a month.

>56 whitewavedarling: Oh, no offense taken. I was just trying to think of an approach to the idea of a NewsCAT -- an idea that I very much like -- that might get around the (entirely understandable) toxicity of the very word "news" at a moment when the thought of picking up a newspaper or turning on the TV triggers a "what fresh hell awaits us today?" response in so many of us.

I don't think anyone's yet mentioned the perennial SFFKit, which I hope will be continuing. If someone is needed to organize it, I'd be happy to take it on, though I might need to ask for help on some of the specifics. I have no idea, for instance, how to set up a wiki.

>60 KeithChaffee: Yes, by all means keep the SFFKit! It's one of my favorites.

Also, I think if we do HomeCAT we should call it DomesticCAT.

I think I like the idea of HomeCAT but I'm somewhat confused about how it would work. If the topic that month is reading I assume someone needs to read at some point in the book but how do we find books that we know someone reads in? What would nonfiction look like?

>62 susanna.fraser: Oh, yes! I love that!

>41 Jackie_K: I'm in that place, Jackie! Overwhelmed, even though I know I don't have to be.

>63 clue: Two suggestions, 1 fiction, 1 non fiction:

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. If someone has a personal librarian, presumably they have a home library.

The Social Life of Books: Reading Together in the Eighteenth Century Home by Abigail Williams

Oh! Of course that would work. Thanks.

>60 KeithChaffee: Definitely let's keep the SFFKit!

>60 KeithChaffee: I can help with setting up a wiki if you need help.

>61 susanna.fraser: mine as well. It would be wonderful if you would organise it >60 KeithChaffee:.
I’ll be happy to pitch in, but I don’t know about the wiki or any of the other admin stuff.

OK, I believe I've added all the suggestions up to this point at >2 christina_reads: above. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Regarding the NewsCAT suggestions, it seems like there are two main strands: (1) monthly themes based on newsworthy events, contemporary and historical; (2) monthly themes based on sections of the newspaper. I have them both listed under the News/EventCAT...maybe it could be a combo of each? Like, one month's theme is scientific discoveries (strand 1), and the next month's theme is front page (strand 2)? Or perhaps this should be two separate CATs, and the second could be called NewspaperCAT. But that may fragment the votes too much.

NewsCAT was originally whitewavedarling’s idea, and if she’d prefer to return it to her original concept, I won’t be bothered if you lose the newspaper section idea entirely. She wasn’t terribly excited by the idea, after all, and I’d hate to be responsible for muddying up someone else’s proposal in a way they disliked.

Sorry to be delayed about coming back. I think it makes sense to combine the two suggestions into news/event/newspaper or we'd end up with hopelessly fragmented votes. I think KeithChaffee is right about the word 'news' being toxic right now, no matter how many times I try to detach the word from current events lol. Maybe Event/NewspaperCat combo would be best for voting? And then we can figure out exact events/sections/themes when we get to the organizing part. Someone else had mentioned going more in a historical direction, but I feel like we recently did a HistoryCat and that would be something very different...

I would like to suggest a Decade Cat. Let each host pick a decade: 1930's, 1970's, etc. and read could be set in that decade or written in that decade.

>74 Tess_W: I've added this suggestion to the list!

>74 Tess_W: That one is different.

>74 Tess_W: Good idea! No in-depth searching required!

>74 Tess_W: I like it

>74 Tess_W: I like it, too--just the right kind of flexible.

>74 Tess_W: That’s sound very nice, comfy and achievable.

>74 Tess_W: DecadeCat has got my vote, Tess!

>74 Tess_W: I'll chime in here with a vote for DecadeCat. As someone else said that gives us a broad spectrum of choices.

>74 Tess_W: I was going to suggest a DecadeCAT as that is definitely something I would like. But I wasn't sure if it would be too limited as I know in other groups I have been in, some people dislike reading 'old' books and really only read recent releases. They are missing out though, that's for sure!
So great idea to add that it could be set in that decade as well.

>83 JayneCM: I'm sure we can't please everybody all the time! But, by saying the book can be written (published) in that decade OR set in that decade, should really widen the choices.

>74 Tess_W: A Decade CAT sounds good. Nice and broad. To make up the 12 you could have two "decade of your choice" months, perhaps. I'm reading a lot of vintage fiction at the moment and could fill the thirties, forties and fifties many times over.

>85 pamelad: Great idea, Pam!

>85 pamelad: >86 Tess_W: Is there any reason we to confine ourselves to a century? How about 1900s to 2010s or 1890s to 2000s? Depending on hosts' interests do we even have to have consecutive decades?

There are plenty of older decades with lots of books to choose from. You wouldn't have trouble with the 1860s or the 1770s, for instance.

>87 Robertgreaves: It was not my idea to restrict our reading to a century. I thought I would leave it to the discretion of the host. You are correct, that there are plenty of books published and or set/in all time periods!

>88 KeithChaffee: I agree!

Alternatively, the host could nominate eg '10s and it would be up to the participants to choose 2010s, 1910s, or 1810s or even further back

>90 Robertgreaves: I like that idea best of all, Robert!

>90 Robertgreaves: Yes, love this idea!

>90 Robertgreaves: I think that's a great idea!

>90 Robertgreaves: I like that idea.

Ok, I know I said I'd go back to see if there were ones from previous years I wanted to suggest again, but now that I'm back at work full-time + I've added in appointments that I've put off for the past 6 months, I have been so busy. (And I'm still trying to (somewhat) limit my online time).

I may not have time to do this.

It sounds like there are lots of good new ideas! But I wanted to mention this in case anyone else wanted to peruse older suggestions that may or may not have made it in previous years to suggest here.

ETA: When do we want to have our suggestions posted (in case I do try to make some time)? Thanks!

>95 LibraryCin: To answer your timing question, I'm thinking I will leave suggestions open till November 8. I'll post periodic reminders between now and then! At that point, I'll set up polls for all the suggested CATs so we can start voting.

>96 christina_reads: Thank you for managing all this, Christina.

>97 pamelad: You are welcome! This is a great community, so it's generally pretty painless. :)

>96 christina_reads: Thanks so much! I'll see if I can find some time to dig around a bit before then.

Hi all, just a reminder that next Saturday, November 8 will be the deadline for suggesting CATs for 2026. Sometime on that day, I'll set up the polls so that we can vote for our favorites. As a reminder, the three ideas with the most votes will become our official 2026 CATs. So if you'd like to suggest an (or another) idea for a CAT, please do so this week!

In case I forget to mention, I will set up the planning threads for RandomKIT and MysteryKIT again for 2026.

And I’ll get the planning thread for SFFKit going sometime this week.

I wasn't on LT for the first few times it happened, but KiddyCAT seemed pretty interesting to me — wondering if there's any interest in reviving that one?

The setup topic for the 2026 SFFKit can be found here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/375093

Please stop by and let us know if you'd like to host a month!

>103 GraceCollection: I loved KiddyCAT as I read quite a lot of middle grade. I would like to see it again.

>103 GraceCollection: I'd be up for the KiddyCAT again!

I see people are setting up the KITs. I'll set up AlphaKIT, soon (that will be easy, as the only planning is randomizing the alphabet). I have also set up the ScaredyKIT in the past, so I'll plan to set up the planning thread for that, as well.

AlphaKIT "planning" is set up here:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/375103

And ScaredyKIT is here:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/375104#unread

Looking at previous suggestions, I like AstroKIT (suggested by Tess W last year). Thought I'd revive it. This is how Tess described it:

"I would like to suggest AstroCat--Astronomy Cat. We could read about any of the planets, space exploration, astronauts, space missions, famous astronomer's lives (fiction or NF), comets, the moon, stars, astrology, history of the universe, lunar/solar eclipses (or a book set in one), astronomy in fiction, space picture books, myths/folklore in space, etc. All categories could be either fiction or non-fiction. I'm sure there are many other sub-categories. These were just off the top of my head."

From a couple of years ago (I also re-mentioned it last year, originally suggested by suzanna.fraser), I still like WildCAT:

"WildCAT - All things adventurous, dangerous, and edgy. Some possibilities:
- Books about wildlife
- Books about exploration/frontiers/survival stories
- Books about war
- Books with explicit sex and/or violence
- Books outside of your comfort zone as a reader
- Post-apocalyptic settings

I would add one more topic suggestion:
- nature (this could include both plants and animals in the wild)"

I always enjoy a HistoryCAT (which we've done a couple of times), where the topics can be people, events, time periods, etc. (Examples: Wars, Victorian era, Prehistory/Archaeology, Tudors, Space... ). There are plenty more topics and I'm just not coming up with much at the moment, beyond the obvious - specific centuries, maybe places?.

I don't remember if we've done this before, but it's been suggested and I also like this one: a BiographyCAT (or BioCAT):
sallylou61 mentioned this last year: "I would like to suggest a BiographyCAT. We could read biographies of people in different fields of endeavor, different geographical regions, etc."

I'll add maybe an Autobiographies/Memoirs month.

Or, to encompass probably all of the other suggestions I just made, a much broader NonfictionCAT that could include any of those I just suggested above (though most of those suggested above could also include fiction, whereas this wouldn't).

I'll elaborate on possible topics, since we get a link to the suggestions. This could include months for History, Biography, Nature, Astronomy (or more broadly, Science), War, Wildlife, News, and more.

Or, how about a ScienceCAT?

Individual disciplines of science could be included here, but people can read fiction, too: Astronomy, Computer Science, Chemistry, Biology, and there are probably more I'm not thinking of. And/or I'm sure we could narrow the categories slightly, as well.

And that's probably way too many suggestions from me! (Again?) I'll stop now.

>103 GraceCollection: I would be up for KiddyCAT again.

MysteryKit and RandomKit 2026 planning threads are open for volunteers. Don’t hesitate, your volunteer opportunities are available, commit early for best selection.

>113 LibraryCin: Didn't we have a DeweyCAT one year? Would that work as inspiration for the categories for a NonFictionCAT?

Phew! OK, I believe I've added all the CAT suggestions to this point at >2 christina_reads: above. Thanks for all the great ideas! And >118 Robertgreaves: yes, we did have a DeweyCAT, which could be a good way to set up a potential NonfictionCAT -- each month corresponding to a section of the Dewey Decimal system.

I saw some perennial KITS threads being set up already. Do we vote on the KITs or just start them? If we are starting them, I will create the combined Color/CoverKIT

>120 lowelibrary: I think the practice with KITs has been that whoever is interested can start one and then has to wait and see if anybody turns up.

>120 lowelibrary: Please do start it! I am all in.

>120 lowelibrary: I will turn up for this one - loved both of them this year. And I am interested to see how you plan to combine them.

>120 lowelibrary: I'm in too.

>120 lowelibrary: Confirming that we don't vote on the KITs; anyone who wants to start one can do so!

I will get one up this week - a combined cover/color KIT

>126 lowelibrary: Yay! I am hoping that I can really challenge myself and find a colour and the cover item in the same book. We will see!

>126 lowelibrary: Thanks! It will be interesting and challenging.

Hi all, just a reminder that today is the LAST DAY to suggest CAT ideas for 2026! I will be setting up the voting tomorrow, November 8 (EST).

Thanks to all who have suggested CATs; we have a lot of great ideas to choose from! The current list of suggestions is at >2 christina_reads: above.

Thanks for jumping in and organizing all of this Christina!

All right, friends, it's time to vote! Below you will see a poll for each suggested CAT. The questions will be in the format, "Should we have a ____CAT in 2026?" The possible answers are Yes, No, and Undecided. The three CATs with the most Yes votes will be our official 2026 CATs! This means the No and Undecided votes don't really matter, although they do give potentially useful information about how popular the various suggestions are.

I will leave the polls open for one week. Next Saturday, November 15, the voting will be over, and I will announce the winners -- again, these will be the three CATs with the most Yes votes. If two CATs tie for third place, we'll just have four CATs. And don't worry -- if your favorite suggestion doesn't win, you can always make it a KIT!

Please feel free to discuss the CAT suggestions below and argue for your favorites! And please note that you CAN vote for more than one CAT -- click Yes for all the CATs that sound interesting to you or that you'd want to participate in! Brief descriptions of the CATs can be found at >2 christina_reads: above.

My problem is I would be happy with either AstroCAT or ScienceCAT but not both so I have marked them Undecided.

I have created the Colored CoverKIT. We have 4 months still needing hosts - April, June, October and November
https://www.librarything.com/topic/375150#n8994920

>144 Robertgreaves: My suggestion would be to say Yes to both, but then maybe check back later in the week to see how voting is going. I believe it's possible to change your vote after you've submitted it, in case they both look like they're going to be top three.

Would it be alright for me to post a poll as well? I'd like to gauge interest in a modified CultureKIT (details at >13 GraceCollection:). I'm not sure if I really want to host an entire KIT this upcoming year, but if there is interest from people willing to host some months, and the choice is between me hosting the KIT and there being no CultureKIT... Well, I would like to try.

But, I don't want to post a poll if that would be distracting from CAT voting or would otherwise be rude or out-of-place here. Thanks.

>147 GraceCollection: Maybe you should just post a planning thread and see if people are interested. That would save time and effort of a poll. I think that’s how most KITs got started. You don’t have to do a whole lot after the planning phase, your monthly hosts just do their thing. You could also make it a quarterly rather than monthly.

Since the voting is on this thread instead of another thread especially for it, I suggest saying in one of your first messages: Voting begins with message 132.

>146 christina_reads: That makes sense, thank you

>148 LadyoftheLodge: I didn't want to make a whole thread if there wasn't enough interest from hosts, but if that's how it's done, I'll try to get something up today and keep my fingers crossed.

>149 sallylou61: Good suggestion, I've added a sentence in the first post of this thread.

I have also collected the various KIT threads at >1 christina_reads: above.

CultureKIT is up here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/375228 Would love to have some more participants!

All months of Colored CoverKIT have hosts and topics. Stop by and get started on planning your reading.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/375150

Voting for the 2026 CATs has now concluded! Thanks to all who suggested and voted for the CATs this year. Our official 2026 CATs are:

DecadeCAT - 32 Yes votes
ArtsCAT - 21 Yes votes
HomeCAT/DomestiCAT - 18 Yes votes
NonfictionCAT - 18 Yes votes

Note the tie for third place, resulting in four CATs.

Would those who suggested these CATs mind setting up the planning threads?

Again, thanks to all who participated in the CAT-choosing process! I think we have some really interesting options this year and am looking forward to seeing how everything shapes up!

>156 christina_reads: Thank you for working on this. I agree, we have some interesting plans for 2026.

Planning thread is set up for ArtsCAT:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/375377

Well, of course I want to do all of them and then at least three Kits. I never manage to meet the goals each month, but these are great categories. Thanks for all your work >156 christina_reads:

>156 christina_reads: Thanks for organising all this. Looking forward to some great reading in 2026.

>156 christina_reads: Thank you! This will be an interesting reading year.

>159 beebeereads: Same here. I never manage to read all I want, but I have fun picking a book.

So great to see the CATs and KITs all decided! I am really excited for HomeCAT/DomestiCAT since it has been suggested so often but never made it before.

I'm still pondering what my challenge will look like because this year I really got burnt out on all the CATs and KITs and right now I'm finishing the year just reading what I want. Maybe I'll do a few CATs and KITs but not as many as I did in earlier years. I'll see - it will be fun no matter how I decide!

Thank you to everyone who is setting up threads and who decides to host, and of course thanks again to Christina for organizing our group!

I have the wikis set up for 2026 MysteryKIT and 2026 RandomKIT. If anyone needs help setting up wikis for CATs or KITs, let me know. (Tess_W, DecadesCAT wiki is set up, just needs to be edited as your topics and hosts fill up.)

ETA: Wiki links are here.
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2026_MysteryKIT
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2026_RandomKIT

I will (at some point) set up wikis for ScaredyKIT and AlphaKIT. I can also help set up others, if need be.

>162 MissBrangwen: One of the things I've learned about CATs and KITs is that you can participate in the months you can or want to, and not in the months you don't or can't. Sometiimes being 100% committed is too much pressure and our reading should be pleasure.

>28 lowelibrary: - first mention of HomeCAT
>113 LibraryCin: - first mention of Non-fictionCAT

Wiki is up for 2026 SFFKit:

https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2026_SFFKit

I'll set up the ArtsCAT wiki once we've got all the hosts/topics in place.

Thread for HomeCAT planning is open
https://www.librarything.com/topic/375465

>166 pamelad: Oops! Thank you for pointing it out. I actually forgot that was me! LOL!

NonfictionCAT planning is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/375467

CultureKIT is still looking for hosts for June, September, November and December! You are welcome to come up with your own category, or there are unclaimed examples if you can't think of anything. Please come join us! https://www.librarything.com/topic/375228

ArtsCAT now has a full slate of hosts and topics, and it should be a delightful year of reading!

Here's the slate: https://www.librarything.com/topic/375377#9001311

And here's the wiki:
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2026_ArtsCAT

As mid-December fast approaches, we still need just a few more hosts for CultureKIT 2026! Please come check us out, even if you're not sure yet: https://www.librarything.com/topic/375228

As a newbie here, I have a basic question: what is the convention for showing that you have completed a goal? Is there an emoji like a check to put next to a title on a list of ours? Just add it to the appropriate wikis?

Thanks for any guidance!

>174 WanderDMD: There really isn't a universal convention. Some people just post on their own threads, some post in the CAT and KIT threads when they complete a book for those challenges, some use the wiki...feel free to do any or all of those, whatever works for you!

>174 WanderDMD: Here’s an HTML checkmark emoji you can use, if that’s what you’d like to do:

✔️ (code: ✔️)

Me, I just start out with my categories empty in my thread and add titles as I read them. I don’t really mark off any as complete, though in another group, I use strike through (code: <strike>strike through</strike>) to cross things off my list.

>176 Charon07: Thank you very much! I think I'll try that.

>174 WanderDMD: I use the tick as well. I list all my planned reads for the month at the beginning of the month and tock them off as I go.

>178 JayneCM: Thanks! For some reason, I cannot fathom crossing out a book title. For me, that just seems, I don't know, like killing it. LOL I can't explain my odd brain sometimes. The tick seems perfect, though.

>179 WanderDMD: Reminds me of when I read a poem (I was in school in the 1950s) about books. The one line i somewhat remember is "if I should bend your ears back, I am sure you would not like that" so I would never bend a page at the top as a book mark.