Open Books Challenge 2026: Purple Cover or Purple in the Title or Subject

The Open Books Reading Challenge is a year-long reading challenge for people interested in pushing the boundaries of their reading. For full details of the program, please check-out our page at: https://www.rplmn.org/books-more/discover-more/open-books-reading-challenge

These are some ideas that fit the 2026 category "Purple cover or purple in the title or subject, to mark the 10th anniversary of Prince's death."

Happy Reading!

Updated December 31, 2025
RPL Staff
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Purple hibiscus : a novel
Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi
Ebook
"One of the most vital and original novelists of her generation." --Larissa MacFarquhar, The New Yorker From the bestselling author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a...
The only purple house in town
Aguirre, Ann
Ebook
The singular life of Aria Patel
Ahmed, Samira (Fiction writer)
Paper Book
For fans of You've Reached Sam and See You Yesterday, this captivating and mind-bending second-chance romance explores what it means to love--even across the multiverse. Aria Patel likes stability, certainty, predictability. It's why she's so...
Djinn patrol on the purple line : a novel
Anappara, Deepa
Ebook
Discover the "extraordinary" (The Washington Post) debut novel that "announces the arrival of a literary supernova" (The New York Times Book Review),"a drama of childhood that is as wild as it is intimate" (Chigozie Obioma).   WINNER OF THE...
One step forward
Atkins, Marcie Flinchum
Paper Book
One Step Forward is a compelling debut YA historical fiction novel in verse about Matilda Young--the youngest American suffragist imprisoned for picketing the White House to demand women's right to vote. Raised in a politically divided family, Matilda wondered if she...
The world needs more purple people
Bell, Kristen
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestseller! Actress, producer, and parent Kristen Bell (The Good Place, Veronica Mars, Frozen) and creative director and parent Benjamin Hart have a new challenge for you and your kids- become a purple person by embracing what makes YOU special while...
Perkin's perfect purple : how a boy created color with chemistry
Brown, Tami Lewis
Paper Book
The fascinating true story of groundbreaking chemist William Perkin, who used the scientific method to invent a new way for creating the color purple. Many years ago, the color purple was available only to a privileged few. Making purple was tricky. The dye...
Purple cane road
Burke, James Lee
Paper Book
Dave Robicheaux has spent his life confronting the age-old adage that the sins of the father pass onto the son. But what has his mother's legacy left him? Dead to him since youth, Mae Guillory has been shuttered away in the deep recesses of Dave's mind. He's lived with the fact that he would never...
We are villains
Callender, Kacen
Paper Book
From bestselling and award-winning author Kacen Callendar comes a thrilling, dark academia YA about murder, blackmail, and the one person determined to discover the truth, no matter the cost What happened to Arianna Reynolds? Ari's...
Wish upon a K-star
Cho, Kat
Sunrise on the reaping
Collins, Suzanne
Paper Book
The unforgettable fifth book in the Hunger Games series: Haymitch's story. Feature film scheduled for November 2026. #1 USA Today Bestseller * #1 New York Times Bestseller * #1 Indie Bestseller * #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller * A New York Times Editors'...
Nightshade
Connelly, Michael
Paper Book
AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Introducing Detective Stilwell: a cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina Island.   Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Stilwell...
The one hundred years of Lenni and Margot : a novel
Cronin, Marianne
Paper Book
"A beautiful debut, funny, tender, and animated by a willingness to confront life's obstacles and find a way to survive. . . . It celebrates friendship, finds meaning in difficulty and lets the reader explore dark places while always allowing for the possibility of light. Lenni and Margot are...
Every weapon I had : a Vietnam vet's long road to the Medal of Honor
Davis, Paris Darius
Paper Book
The story of a Green Beret commander's heroism during the Vietnam War, and the long fight to recognize his bravery. When Col. Paris Davis was selected to lead one of the Green Beret A-teams organizing resistance to Communist incursions into South Vietnam, his commanding officer...
Bert, the bowerbird : the small bird with a big heart
Donaldson, Julia
Paper Book
From the author of The Gruffalo comes the enchanting tale of a lovable bird seeking connection. Bert the bowerbird is looking for love. He has made the most perfect bower, complete with a pretty purple flower, and he is hoping it will help him meet the bird...
Purple crayons : the art of drawing a life
Ellenhorn, Ross
Ebook
In this joyous and inventive rereading of the beloved children's book Harold and the Purple Crayon, the author of How We Change (And Ten Reasons Why We Don't) celebrates our inherent "sacred originality" and establishes a new framework for self-reliance. In 1955,...
The beautiful maddening
Ernshaw, Shea
Paper Book
"" helvetica="">For the first printing only! This hardcover features a white cloth case with gold foil embellishments while the special edition supply lasts. From #1 New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw comes an "electric romance that weaves...
Etta Invincible
Eschmann, Reese
Paper Book
In this touching debut middle grade novel, a girl with hearing loss and a boy adjusting to life in a new country connect through their love of comics and get entangled in their own fantastical adventure. Twelve-year-old Etta Johnson has Loud Days where she can hear just fine and...
The scorpion queen
Fears, Mina
Paper Book
Printing with sprayed edges for a limited time! Uprooted meets Children of Blood and Bone in this dark fantasy inspired by a Malian fairy tale about a princess whose suitors are challenged to gruesome trials. Deep within the imperial palace...
Samantha Spinner and the perplexing pants
Ginns, Russell
Audiobook
Take another super-big globe-trotting, plaid pants spotting adventure with Samantha Spinner and her brother, Nipper, in the fourth book in this hilarious, puzzle-packed series! Perfect for fans of Mr. Lemoncello's Library and the Secret series, and classics like Holes and The...
Riders of the purple sage
Grey, Zane
Ebook
Initially published in 1912 and the first of Zane Grey's many bestsellers, this stirring tale of adventure in the high country established the prototype for western novels of the twentieth century. The plot's focus is a proud young heroine who's determined to defend her Utah ranch. She stands...
Fly like a girl : one woman's dramatic fight in Afghanistan and on the home front
Hegar, Mary Jennings
Paper Book
A Young Readers Edition of a compelling story of courage and triumph, this is the inspiring true story of Major Mary Jennings Hegar--a brave and determined woman who gave her all for her country, her sense of justice, and for women everywhere. On July 29, 2009, Air National Guard...
Act your age, Eve Brown
Hibbert, Talia
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In Talia Hibbert's newest rom-com, the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard--literally. Featured on Parade, PopSugar, Marie Claire, Oprah Mag, Bustle, Shondaland, CNN.com,...
King of pride
Huang, Ana
Under the fading sky
Kadohata, Cynthia
Paper Book
A teen boy thinks his vaping habit is harmless until it becomes a crippling addiction of nightmarish dimensions in this "vivid" (School Library Journal) young adult novel from Newbery and National Book Award winner Cynthia Kadohata. So, stuff has, like, a beginning and an...
Braiding sweetgrass for young adults : indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teachings of plants
Kimmerer, Robin Wall
Audiobook
The purple swamp hen and other stories
Lively, Penelope
Paper Book
A glimmering collection of new short fiction from the Booker Prize winner. "Lively writes with an astringent blend of sympathy and detachment, emotional wisdom and satiric wit." --Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times In such acclaimed novels as The...
Secrets of the purple pearl
McKinnon, Kate
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! From Saturday Night Live legend Kate McKinnon comes the highly anticipated second book in her #1 New York Times bestselling series about mad science, three peculiar sisters, and the mysterious Millicent Quibb!<...
Major monster mess
Miedoso, Andres
Paper Book
It's Desmond and Andres versus creepy monster lunch ladies in the sixth book of the Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol series! Usually the cafeteria is where good food goes to meet its maker, but at Kersville Elementary, lunchtime is a little different. For starters, the food is delicious...
From here : a memoir
Mufleh, Luma
Paper Book
In her coming-of-age memoir, refugee advocate Luma Mufleh writes of her tumultuous journey to reconcile her identity as a gay Muslim woman and a proud Arab-turned-American refugee. With no word for "gay" in Arabic, Luma may not have known what to call the feelings she had...
Heir of storms
Murray, Lauryn Hamilton
Paper Book
A #1 Sunday Times Bestseller! This deluxe edition features lush purple sprayed edges, foiled jacket, printed endpapers, and a stunning world map Red Queen meets Shadow and Bone in this captivating romantasy about an outcast...
Gurple and Preen : a broken crayon cosmic adventure
Park, Linda Sue
Paper Book
This wildly imaginative, crayon-inspired picture book shows that with a bit of teamwork and a universe of creativity, anything is possible! Buzz! Zap! CRASH! Gurple and Preen are in a big mess! When they crash-land onto an unfamiliar planet...
Sweet nothings : confessions of a candy lover
Perry, Sarah
Paper Book
A fun, sophisticated illustrated collection of essays that catalogs the simple and not so simple pleasures of the eclectic world of candy from the award-winning author of After the Eclipse. With illustrations by Forsyth Harmon. A taxonomy of sweetness, a rhapsody of artificial flavors, and...
Captain Underpants and the preposterous plight of the Purple Potty People [full color edition] : the eighth epic novel
Pilkey, Dav
Paper Book
THE WAIT IS OVER!!! Dav Pilkey's beloved Captain Underpants returns to face his nemesis--the evil Captain Blunderpants--with the help of two new superheroes, Great-Granny Girdle and Boxer Boy!When we last saw George and Harold, they were about to take their pet pterodactyl Crackers back to the...
Fancy pants
Quigley, Dawn
Paper Book
Filled with lots of glitter, raised pinkies, and humorous misunderstandings, this second book in the Jo Jo Makoons series--written by Dawn Quigley and illustrated by Tara Audibert--is filled with the joy of a young Ojibwe girl discovering her very own special shine from the inside out. ...
Sarah Bernhardt : the divine and dazzling life of the world's first superstar
Reef, Catherine
Paper Book
A tantalizing biography for teens on Sarah Bernhardt, the first international celebrity and one of the greatest actors of all time, who lived a highly unconventional, utterly fascinating life. Illustrated with more than sixty-five photos of Bernhardt on stage, in film, and in real life.  ...
Creepy crayon!
Reynolds, Aaron
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times bestseller! From the team behind the New York Times bestselling Creepy Carrots! and Creepy Pair of Underwear! comes the third in this hilariously spooky series about a young rabbit and his peculiar encounters--featuring a...
Surrendering to Hunt
Ryan, Jennifer
Ebook
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ryan returns to the Wyoming Wilde series as a by-the-book lawman tangles with a stubborn young woman. Perfect for fans of authors like Maisey Yates, Joanne Kennedy and Carolyn Brown as well as Diana Palmer, Linda Lael Miller, and BJ...
My shadow is purple
Stuart, Scott
Ebook
As featured on CNN, MSNBC, New York Post, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post, and more My Dad has a shadow that's blue as a berry, and my Mom's is as pink as a blossoming cherry. There's only those choices, a 2 or a 1. But mine is quite different, it's both and it's...
Bunny will not be quiet!
Tharp, Jason
Paper Book
From the endless imagination of Jason Tharp comes a brand-new, interactive Level 1 Ready-to-Read that's perfect for fans of Mo Willems, Jim Benton, David Milgrim, and for beginning readers who like to giggle! Bunny is being loud. His friend Big keeps asking him to be quiet, but...
Hawkeye
Thompson, Kelly
Ebook
A tale of mirth & magic
Vale, Kristen
A maker of magical jewelry finds her life turned upside down when she ends up on the run with a half-giant in this spicy and cozy fantasy romance--perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes and The Spellshop.  Elikki may not have a family, but she has...
The color purple
Walker, Alice
Paper Book
The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that tells the story of two sisters through their correspondence. With a new Preface by the author.
Music mavens : 15 women of note in the industry
Walker, Ashley
Ebook
Nothing moves us like music.  Music Mavens transports readers around the world (and beyond)--to a jazz performance in Genoa, an instrument lab in London, a Tokyo taiko dojo, a New York City beatbox battle, and even a film scoring session aboard the starship...

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