{2026 Reading} My 5×5 Categories & January’s Books
The 5×5 reading challenge was started by Mystie Winckler, part of the Schole Sisters. She said whenever she wanted to learn about something, her dad would tell her to get five books on that topic and read them. This reading challenge was the outflow of that practice. You choose five categories and read five books in that category. I’ve tried this in previous years, and not completed it, but I’m ready to try again this year. My categories this year are pretty much all categories that I currently already own at least five books in.
- Classic Novels (I’m choosing some smaller sized ones and two BIG ones!)
- Books about Reading (I was surprised that I have over five books in this category!)
- Biographies (I love reading about other Christians and how they lived out their faith.)
- Tech and Being Human (I only have one book in this category, but a list of four more I’ll buy or borrow.)
- Recommended by Susan Allibone (Susan was a voracious reader and recommended a few books over and over and cited one as her favorite, which might also fit in my biography category.)
I have a rough plan of which five books I will read in each category, but they may change.
My January Books:
For January I’m reading Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (Classic Novels Category)
Schole Everyday (Books About Reading Category)
Lion of God, a biography of John G. Mitchell (Biographies Category)
I am reading each book, underlining as I go, then I will re-read my underlines and add notes to my 2026 Notebook. I’m almost through with Schole Everyday, and am looking forward to adding the notes!
I enjoyed learning about the 5×5 challenge. I sort of do something similar, but I’ve never mapped out when to read each book. It’s an interesting thought I might think more about. I challenge myself to read 4 biographies a year, 4 classics, 6 non-fiction books and 80 fiction. This probably doesn’t seem that challenging to you, but I really have to push myself to read non-fiction. I read them so much slower than fiction. My non-fiction books are generally books about spiritual disciplines, leadership (servant leadership), or something related to discipleship movements (all relevant for my line of “work”.) I’m really wondering which classics you plan to read this year. I haven’t chosen mine quite yet (except for Heidi) or my biographies. I’m curious to learn more about the biography you listed here. Thanks for sharing your list. I always find these interesting!
I love the 5×5 challenge! And my plan that I lay out in January has yet to match what I actually read in that year, and this is my 6th year to give it a go. I know which ones I have to start in January, but otherwise I’ve never planned the “when”. But there is something value to deciding I’m going to read this at this time or such.