Monday 1 March 2021

Chapter Book Challenge 2021!!! #ChaBooCha

Welcome to the 2021 Chapter Book Challenge! For those of you who are new to the ChaBooCha, I will explain the details of the writing challenge.


The Chapter Book Challenge, otherwise known as ChaBooCha, first ran in 2012. It runs every year in the month of March. The challenge is to write one completed first draft of an early reader, chapter book, middle grade book or YA novel in the month of March, starting on the 1st of March and finishing on the 31st of March.

During the month of March, there are helpful blog posts from published authors, agents and publishers to help members hone their craft, and there are prizes available throughout the challenge.


ChaBooCha has a very relaxed atmosphere where members help each other to achieve writing goals. You can sign up on the website using the sign-up form, and you can also join the Facebook page for updates and information. There is a Twitter page at and members interact with one another throughout the year in the Facebook group.

It is completely free to join the Chapter Book Challenge. 

Normally, prizes are announced at the end of the month once the challenge is ending, but this year, I have decided to announce and send out prizes throughout the month. In the last few years, my procrastination has gotten worse and I have a terrible memory, so many prizes were sent out excessively late. It will be easier for me to get prizes out in a more timely manner if I do them during the challenge itself. Prizes for the first week of the challenge will be announced on the 7th and sent out immediately upon getting the addresses to send them to. Likewise, the same will be done for the weeks ending on the 14th, 21st and 28th.

ChaBooCha's mascot: Nabu the badger


You also might be wondering about our logo. The Chapter Book Challenge logo is all about our mascot Nabu the Badger. Nabu loves to read, and he is really looking forward to all of the new chapter books, middle grade books and YA books that are going to be written and published as a result of this year's ChaBooCha. Nabu was named after the Babylonian patron god of scribes, wisdom and literature. Nabu became our "mascot" back in 2014, just two years into the Challenge.


ChaBooCha Regional Ambassadors

The Chapter Book Challenge has been growing year on year and, there are some things I cannot do because of the restrictions of my location, such as meet-ups. As a solution, in places where there are more than just one member, ChaBooCha has Regional Ambassadors. 

ChaBooCha regional ambassadors are the people who coordinate Chapter Book Challenge events within their region. In order to become a regional ambassador, there first needs to be more members in your region than just you, and your main duties are to arrange write-ins and meet-ups with other members within your region and also to spread the word about the challenge within your region.

Promotional materials, when they are in the budget, get sent out to our Regional Ambassadors, and printable files will be sent as well. A special RA badge will be created for RAs to use on their blogs and websites, if they so choose. Regional Ambassadors will receive a ChaBooCha RA badge to wear in their first year of joining as an RA and in their second year as an RA, they will receive a ChaBooCha keychain. As things move along, there may be more perks added for RAs. 

If you think this is a role you might like to take on within your region, send me an e-mail. (There is only one RA per region, but they may choose a co-RA.)


Teapot Tales anthologies


To help fund the challenge, from prizes to advertising to RA gifts, we have created a series of anthologies with stories all written and donated by members of the challenge. There are currently four Teapot Tales anthologies available for purchase. Proceeds from sales of the anthologies go towards funding the Chapter Book Challenge. The anthologies can be found on Amazon. There were also two themed anthologies written and contributed to by past members which also help fund ChaBooCha: Ghostly Echoes (Halloween-themed) and Jingle Bells (winter holiday-themed).

Teapot Tales: Volume 1

Teapot Tales: Volume 2

Teapot Tales: Volume 3

Ghostly Echoes

Jingle Bells

Chapter Book Challenge 2020 badge

Due to a computer problem on my laptop that I has my photopaint software, I am late in creating the badge for this year's challenge. I hope I can have it ready for posting tomorrow, so come have a look back then.

16 comments:

  1. Thank you, Becky, for your monumental efforts with making the Chapter Book Challenge a great writing motivation. I look forward to a great month of writing.

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  2. Thanks, Becky! Looking forward to another wonderful CHABOOCHA!

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  3. How is it March again?!? WoW! Looking forward to all the great info this month. Thanks Becky!! :)

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  4. Wonderful. I got started yesterday :)

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  5. Am looking forward to ChaBooCha and working on another chapter book

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  6. Looking forward to this, have an idea now I need to get writing.

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  7. Looking forward to this, have an idea now I need to get writing.

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  8. Looking forward to this!!

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  9. I was worried no one else was going to show up, but yesterday I worked on my ChaBooCha project anyway. So glad to be in good company!

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  10. Looking forward to your challenge - I definitely need the push to write this month.

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  11. I am trying to join the Facebook group but know one will let me join. I haven’t received any emails for the chapter book challenge either. I tried to join a month ago.

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    1. Sorry. That's my fault. I rarely spend time on Facebook anymore except for the month of the challenge. Everybody has been accepted to the group now.

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  12. Thanks, Becky! Nice to see everyone coming together once again.

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  13. Thank you! I'm looking forward to getting started (a little late) :(

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  14. I'm trying once again to enter comments...this time using a different browser...and crossing fingers!

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