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
Audiobook
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a 2003 O Henry Prize winner, and was shortlisted for the 2002 Caine Prize for African Writing and the 2004 Orange Prize. In Purple Hibiscus, she recounts the story of a young Nigerian girl searching for freedom. Although her father is greatly respected within their...
The only purple house in town
Aguirre, Ann
Paper Book
Iris Collins is the messy one in her family. The "chaos bunny." Her sisters are all wildly successful, while she can't balance her budget for a single month. It's no wonder she's in debt to her roommates. When she unexpectedly inherits a house from her great aunt, her plan to turn it into a B&B...
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
Paper Book
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...
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...
The purple puffy coat
Boelts, Maribeth
Paper Book
Beetle gives Stick Bug an attention-grabbing coat for his birthday--but is that what Stick Bug really wants? A delightful story about friends learning to understand each other. It's almost Stick Bug's birthday, and his fashionable friend Beetle can't wait to give him his present-...
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...
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
Paper Book
A spin-off to the New York Times best-selling Once Upon a K-Prom, a K-pop idol and an up-and-coming K-drama star must fake date in this fresh and funny romcom that Korean pop culture fans will absolutely swoon over! Moon Minseok-or Moonster as this WDB fans know him...
Recommended reading
Coccia, Paul
Paper Book
'Recommended Reading is swoon-worthy in every possible way! Bobby's story is a sheer delight and an ode to book lovers everywhere who believe that the magic of stories reaches beyond the page.' Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author. In this opposites-attract YA rom-com inspired by Emma,...
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...
Happy Father's Day from the Crayons
Daywalt, Drew
Paper Book
For this wonderful mini hardcover celebration of Father's Day, the hilarious Crayons from the #1 New York Times bestselling The Day the Crayons Quit love their dads--and father figures in their lives--so much, they wrote a book about it! Red Crayon loves his dad...
The Smeds and the Smoos
Donaldson, Julia
Paper Book
An out-of-this-world story of friendship from the creators of Room on the Broom and The Gruffalo.The Smeds (who are red) never mix with the Smoos (who are blue), so when Janet and Bill, a young Smed and Smoo, fall in love, their families strongly disapprove. But love conquers...
Purple crayons : the art of drawing a life
Ellenhorn, Ross
Paper Book
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, Crockett...
Every duke has his day
Enoch, Suzanne
Paper Book
Brain meets Beauty in this sparkling, fresh take on the classic Bringing Up Baby - if Jane Austen had written it! A romantic comedy with a dash of chaos featuring the most ill-behaved poodle in Regency London, by New York Times bestseller Suzanne Enoch. Michael...
Prunella
Ferry, Beth
Paper Book
Five starred reviews! From New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry comes a fantastical and unforgettable picture book about an unusual girl whose purple thumb helps her cultivate a truly macabre garden. When Prunella is born with a purple thumb...
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,...
Appetite for change : soulful recipes from a North Minneapolis kitchen
Horovitz, Michelle
Paper Book
The delicious recipes and community spirit that have made Appetite for Change a force for good in North Minneapolis Feed someone a delicious meal, and you've satisfied a moment's hunger. Show someone how to cultivate, cook, and share good food, and you satisfy the hungry soul of a...
King of pride
Huang, Ana
Paper Book
A diverse and steamy, forbidden billionaire romance from New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Ana Huang! She's his opposite in every way...and the greatest temptation he's ever known. Reserved, controlled, and proper to a fault, Kai Young has neither the time nor...
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...
Biology lessons
Kantor, Melissa
Paper Book
Biology Lessons is a heartfelt and profound contemporary young adult novel about the strength and importance of female friendship in a time when bodily autonomy is outlawed, from acclaimed author Melissa Kantor. "This is a book that Judy Blume would approve of." --...
Braiding sweetgrass for young adults : indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teachings of plants
Kimmerer, Robin Wall
Paper Book
I could hand you a braid of sweetgrass as thick and shining as the braid that hung down my grandmother's back. But it is not mine to give, nor yours to take. Wiingaashk belongs to herself. I offer, in her place, a braid of stories meant to heal our relationship with the world. As a...
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!<...
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...
Captain Underpants and the preposterous plight of the purple potty people : the eighth epic novel
Pilkey, Dav
Paper Book
The eighth book in Dav Pilkey's mega-bestselling Captain Underpants series. Now with super-cool foil covers! Shiny! Fun!When we last saw George and Harold, they were about to take their pet pterodactyl Crackers back to the Cretaceous period. But things didn't work out quite as they had hoped....
Salvación
Proudman, Sandra
Paper Book
"A heartfelt, swashbuckling, standout novel." - Kirkus (starred review) In this Latinx YA fantasy inspired by El Zorro, Lola de La Peña becomes the masked heroine Salvación in order to save her family and town from a man who would destroy it for the magic it...
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...
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...
Rainbow boy
Rouanzion, Taylor
Paper Book
A story about a boy with a heart too big for one color alone. A little boy attempts to answer one of grown-ups' all-time favorite questions: "What's your favorite color?" But with so many wonderful colors to choose from, he doesn't know how to answer. He loves his pink sparkly tutu,...
Surrendering to Hunt
Ryan, Jennifer
Paper Book
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,...
The beasts we bury
Taylor, D. L.
Paper Book
"Will appeal to fans of Brigid Kemmerer and Adrienne Young." --BCCB "Full of compelling twists and high-stakes magic . . . a captivating romantic fantasy that had me rooting for the protagonists from the very first page." --Kelly Andrew, New York Times...
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
Paper Book
Remember Hawkeye? No, not that Hawkeye - your favorite Hawkeye, the former Young Avenger, the butt-kicking hero who had to save that other Hawkguy all the time and basically keep his life in some semblance of order. Yup, you know her, it's the dazzling Kate Bishop - making her solo comics debut!...
¡Fiesta! : a festival of colors
Tonatiuh, Duncan
Paper Book
From award-winning and beloved author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes this celebratory bilingual concept picture book. This book of colors features a street fiesta with green avocados, yellow tortillas, purple dance dresses, and brown charro pants. The book includes a double gatefold finale reveal...
Sweaterweather : & other short stories
Varon, Sara
Paper Book
Back before Odd Duck, before Robot Dreams, Sara Varon created Sweaterweather. This endearing, quirky volume is a captivating look into Varon's creative process. It combines short comics stories, essays, and journal entries, and invites the reader into the world of Sara Varon:...
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.
Harold and the purple crayon : a new adventure
West, Alexandra
Paper Book
Harold and the Purple Crayon is coming to the big screen in summer 2023, featuring stars Zachary Levi, Zooey Deschanel, Lil Rel Howery, and Ravi Patel! Join Harold, Porcupine, and Moose as they surf the ocean's waves, get lost in the big city, learn to ride a motorcycle, and discover a...

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