Basket: 
Debbie Rolls puts a Teesside twist on Stockton-on-Tees Libraries’ Reading Challenge in her latest blog. The challenge is to read something new by choosing from the list of categories. Pick up a challenge card from any Stockton Borough library to join in. All completed cards will be entered into a prize draw at the end of the year.
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Many library users have been trying to complete challenge cards as part of Year of Reading 2026. Some of the categories, reread an old favourite or a book set in a place you would like to visit, are very personal. Others require a visit to your local library to find a book on display or get a recommendation from a librarian, although I have suggested that a librarian might approve of my book about Teesside libraries. However, for many of the categories I have had no problem recommending books with a Tees link.
A book adapted for film
God on the Rocks – Jane Gardam
A book set in another country
The Chemical Detective – Fiona Erskine (partly in Teesside but the plot visits various European countries including Ukraine)
Speaking for Melos – Masimba Musodza (stories set in Middlesbrough and Zimbabwe)
A book you can read in a day
Riverskin – Mike Edwards (children’s book but content and language are interesting to adults)
A biography or autobiography
And Away…the autobiography – Bob Mortimer
The Most Famous Man on Marsh Road – Patrick Durkin (featuring the art of Sean Durkin)
Mo Mowlam the biography – Julia Langdon
A book with a one-word title
Deadline – Steph McGovern
Ironopolis – Glen James Brown
A librarian recommendation
Everyone welcome: Remembering and Celebrating Teesside Public Libraries – Debbie Rolls (with photographs by Jo Booth)
A book set in the past
Murder at Deviation Junction – Andrew Martin
When Saints Die – Carmen Marcus
Invisible – Mark Hadlett
A book with a villain
Twisted Mind, Frenzy – Eva Carmichael
The Tees Valley Killings, The Denes Park killings, Lingfield Point Killings – C J Grayson
A book by a prizewinner
Ironopolis – Glen James Brown
A book set in Northeast England
All the books on this list
A book by a musician or about music
All the very best! The autobiography – Vin Garbutt
A crime or thriller book
John Nicholson Tees crime books (Stockton- on Tees Libraries has 15 different titles)
The Tees Valley Killings, The Denes Park killings, Lingfield Point Killings – C J Grayson
Dan Latus – A death at South Gare
Deadline – Steph McGovern
No More Heroes – A S French
A romance
Secrets – Freya North
A poetry book
Leasungspell, Civil Disobediences or Eftwyrd – Bob Beagrie
A book with LBGTQ+ characters
Deadline – Steph McGovern
Ironopolis – Glen James Brown
A book that makes you laugh
And Away…the autobiography – Bob Mortimer
Rock Zombie – A J Finlayson
Both books have some dark moment but there are also hilarious moments
A debut novel
Deadline – Steph McGovern
Ironopolis – Glen James Brown
When Saints Die – Carmen Marcus
A short story collection
Speaking for Melos – Masimba Musodza
Discoverers: short stories from the Tees Valley
Crossing the Tees Anthologies
A book set on a mode of transport
Murder at Deviation Junction – Andrew Martin
A book with a strong female protagonist
Losing Control, Chemical Detective – Fiona Erskine
Ella and the Elementals – Andrew S French
A book published in 2026
Crossing the Tees: the ninth short story anthology
Highwaymen – Mark Hadlett
Underdogs – Louise Powell (just been published, something with a greyhound racing theme seemed appropriate given the dogs that leap outside Stockton Library)
