Open Books Challenge 2026: With a Character who Works at Your Job or at Your Dream Job

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 category "With a character who works at your job or your dream job."

Happy Reading!

Updated December 31, 2025
RPL Staff
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
The collected regrets of Clover
Brammer, Mikki
Paper Book
USA Today Bestseller * Best Book of 2023 by NPR "This weird, lovely and sweetly satisfying novel [is] engaging and accessible...Clover's emergence from a shuttered life is moving enough to elicit tears, and Brammer's take on death and grieving is profound...
The farmer's son : calving season on a family farm
Connell, John
Paper Book
For fans of James Herriot, a poignant memoir--and #1 Irish bestseller--about a wayward son's return home to his family's farm, and how he found a new beginning in an age-old world Farming has been in John Connell's family for generations, but he never intended to follow in...
Well traveled
DeLuca, Jen
Paper Book
Lulu Malone lives to work, and everything seems to be going right until the day she realises it's all wrong. Lulu's cousin Mitch introduced her to the world of Renaissance Faires, she leaps into the welcoming environment. The only drawback? Dex MacLean: a guitarist with a killer smile, the Casanova...
Baseball cop : the dark side of America's national pastime
Dominguez, Eddie
Paper Book
Exposing trafficking, theft, fraud, and gambling in the major leagues, a founding member of the MLB's Department of Investigations reveals a news-breaking true story of power and corruption. In the wake of 2005's sometimes contentious, sometimes comical congressional hearings on...
Smoke gets in your eyes : & other lessons from the crematory /
Doughty, Caitlin
Paper Book
Most people want to avoid thinking about death, but Caitlin Doughty--a twenty-something with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre--took a job at a crematory, turning morbid curiosity into her life's work. Thrown into a profession of gallows humor and vivid characters (both...
One for the money.
Evanovich, Janet.
Paper Book
Trenton native Stephanie Plum is out of work, out of money, and her car's in repo-hell.So how does a hardly working girl turn to when the going gets tough? Meet cousin Vinnie, bail bondsman. Stephanie figures it's nice work if you can get it -- shagging bail jumpers for $10,000 a pop. So she joins...
Gorillas in the mist /
Fossey, Dian
Paper Book
Be ready when the luck happens : a memoir
Garten, Ina
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * In her long-awaited memoir, Ina Garten--aka the Barefoot Contessa, author of thirteen bestselling cookbooks, beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation, and cultural icon--shares her personal story with readers hungry for a seat at her table....
Olga dies dreaming
Gonzalez, Xochitl
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK · WINNER OF THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY PRIZE * INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARD FINALIST A blazing talent debuts with the tale of a status-driven wedding planner grappling with her social...
Night shift /
Hartland, Jessie
Paper Book
Late at night, when the owls are out, some people are awake--and doing all sorts of interesting things! They are on the night shift. Open this book, and you will discover the nighttime world of people who go to work when you are sleeping: Street sweeper ...
Great big beautiful life
Henry, Emily
Paper Book
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK ∙ AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ∙ Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping novel from Emily Henry. As...
All creatures great and small.
Herriot, James
Paper Book
Wine girl : the obstacles, humiliations, and triumphs of America's youngest sommelier
James, Victoria (Sommelier)
Paper Book
An affecting memoir from the country's youngest sommelier, tracing her path through the glamorous but famously toxic restaurant world  At just twenty-one, the age when most people are starting to drink (well, legally at least), Victoria James became the...
For the record
Jennings, Regina
Paper Book
Jennings Offers Another Delightful Blend of History and Romance Betsy Huckabee might be a small-town girl, but she has big-city dreams. Writing for her uncle's newspaper will never lead to independence, and the bigger newspapers don't seem interested in the Hart County news. Trying a...
Kiki's delivery service. [online electronic book]
Kadono, Eiko.
Ebook
Read the modern classic about a young witch and her clever cat that started it all! Nostalgic fans of the Hayao Miyazaki film, Kiki's Delivery Service and newcomers alike will love this exciting new translation of the beloved fantasy story. "A gentle story of magic-tinged...
Shark lady : the true story of how Eugenie Clark became the ocean's most fearless scientist
Keating, Jess
Paper Book
One of New York Times' Twelve Books for Feminist Boys and Girls! This is the story of a woman who dared to dive, defy, discover, and inspire. This is the story of Shark Lady. One of the best science picture books for children, Shark Lady is a must for both teachers and parents alike!
Euphoria.
King, Lily
Paper Book
English anthropologist Andrew Bankson has been alone in the field for several years studying the Kiona river tribe in the Territory of New Guinea. Haunted by the memory of his brothers' deaths and increasingly frustrated and isolated by his research, Bankson is on the verge of suicide when a...
Never suck a dead man's hand : curious adventures of a CSI
Kollmann, Dana.
Paper Book
With plenty of insider insight - and without pulling any punches - Dana Kollmann introduces the real science and the actual process of crime scene investigation as she recounts her life as a CSI in fascinating and gritty detail. Whether explaining rigor mortis or insect infestation rates, speeding...
Goldie Vance. Volume one
Larson, Hope
Paper Book
Sixteen-year-old Marigold 'Goldie Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place. Her mom, who divorced her dad years ago, works as a live mermaid at a club downtown. Goldie has an insatiable curiosity, which explains her dream to one day become the hotel's in-house detective....
I want to be a teacher
Liebman, Daniel.
Paper Book
The I Want to Be... series gives young children a realistic insight into the working day of adults. Easy-to-read captions and color photographs of women and men from different cultures help children understand what's involved in each occupation. Young readers learn to respect the...
For the record : a novel
Lord, Emma
Paper Book
An electrifying rom com of rivalry and redemption, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Daisy Jones and the Six, from New York Times bestselling author Emma Lord. Once the most notorious rivals in the music scene, pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rockstar...
Arsenic and adobo
Manansala, Mia P.
Paper Book
In the small town of Shady Palms, Illinois, Lila Macapagal and her relatives run Tita Rosie's Kitchen, serve delicious Flipino dishes, and solve crimes on the side.
The nanny diaries
McLaughlin, Emma.
Paper Book
Wanted: One young woman to take care of four-year-old boy. Must be cheerful, enthusiastic and selfless-bordering on masochistic Must relish sixteen-hour shifts with a deliberately nap-deprived pre-schooler Must love getting thrown up on, literally and figuratively, by...
Madame Tussaud : a novel of the French revolution
Moran, Michelle.
Paper Book
The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to...
Convenience store woman
Murata, Sayaka
Paper Book
The English-language debut of an exciting young voice in international fiction, selling 660,000 copies in Japan alone, Convenience Store Woman is a bewitching portrayal of contemporary Japan through the eyes of a single woman who fits in to the rigidity of its work culture only too well...
On rotation : a novel
Obuobi, Shirlene
Paper Book
AS SEEN ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA! ONE OF TEEN VOGUE'S 25 BOOKS BY BLACK AUTHORS THEY CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS YEAR ONE OF BETCHES' "22 BOOKS YOU NEED TO READ THIS YEAR" "As a fan of Grey's Anatomy (and Chicago Med!), I couldn't put down On Rotation, and you won't be able to,...
Keeping you safe : a book about police officers
Owen, Ann
Paper Book
An introduction to the important job of police officers. Through fun illustrations and easy-to-read text, this nonfiction picture book describes what a police officer is, how their police car works, and the heroic things they do to keep people safe. This read-aloud will give young citizen a glimpse...
Under lock & skeleton key
Pandian, Gigi
Paper Book
"Wildly entertaining." --The New York Times Book Review A Lefty Nominee for Best Mystery Novel Known for her wonderfully addictive characters, multiple award-winning author Gigi Pandian introduces her newest heroine in this heartfelt series debut. Under Lock...
Below stairs : the bestselling memoirs of a 1920s kitchen maid /
Powell, Margaret, 1907-1984.
Paper Book
Arriving at the great houses of 1920s London, fifteen-year-old Margaret's life in service was about to begin... As a kitchen maid - the lowest of the low - she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and even...
Killers of a certain age
Raybourn, Deanna
Paper Book
They've spent their lives as assassins in a clandestine international organization, but at 60 years old, four women find they can't just retire - it's kill or be killed in this book by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie...
Carrie Soto is back. [large print]
Reid, Taylor Jenkins
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "An epic adventure about a female athlete perhaps past her prime, brought back to the tennis court for one last grand slam" (Elle), from the author of Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
The invention of Hugo Cabret : a novel in words and pictures
Selznick, Brian.
Paper Book
Don't miss Selznick's other novels in words and pictures, Wonderstruck and The Marvels, which together with The Invention of Hugo Cabret, form an extraordinary thematic trilogy!2008 Caldecott Medal winnerThe groundbreaking debut novel from bookmaking pioneer, Brian Selznick!<...
Romantic comedy : a novel
Sittenfeld, Curtis
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK * A comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions--a "smart, sophisticated, and fun" (Oprah Daily) novel from the author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep....
The Baby-sitters club. 01, Kristy's great idea
Telgemeier, Raina
Paper Book
A graphic novel adapted and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier, the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning author of Smile! Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are best friends and founding members of The Baby-sitters Club. Whatever comes up -- cranky toddlers,...
Pick a colour
Thammavongsa, Souvankham
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * WINNER OF THE 2025 GILLER PRIZE * TIME's 100 Must-Read Books of 2025 * Named a Best Book of 2025 by The Globe and Mail * The New Yorker * CBC * Indigo * Kirkus * Publishers Weekly * Real Simple * The Boston Globe From Giller Prize...
Heads in beds : a reckless memoir of hotels, hustles, and so-called hospitality
Tomsky, Jacob.
Paper Book
In the tradition of Kitchen Confidential and Waiter Rant, a rollicking, eye-opening, fantastically indiscreet memoir of a life spent (and misspent) in the hotel industry. Jacob Tomsky never intended to go into the hotel business. As a new college graduate,...
The swans of Harlem : five Black ballerinas, a legacy of sisterhood, and their reclamation of a groundbreaking history
Valby, Karen
Paper Book
Meet five amazing Black ballerinas from The Dance Theater of Harlem, including some of the founding members. They broke barriers and made history in the world of classical dance, at a time when racism shut out Black dancers from major dance companies. A young adult adaptation of...
Paper girls
Vaughan, Brian K.
Paper Book
Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang's Eisner Award winning series PaperGirls is coming Amazon Prime Video in July 2022! From Brian K. Vaughan,#1 New York Times bestselling writer of SAGA, and Cliff Chiang, legendary artistof WONDER WOMAN, comes the first volume of an all-new...
Breakaway
Weiner, Jennifer
Paper Book
Thirty-four-year-old Abby Stern has made it to a happy place. She's got good friends, her bike, and her bike club in Philadelphia. She's at peace with her plus-size body -- at least, most of the time -- and she's on track to marry her childhood sweetheart. Abby and Mark met at the weight-loss camp...
The devil wears Prada.
Weisberger, Lauren, 1977-
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * THE INSPIRATION FOR THE HIT MOVIE STARRING MERYL STREEP AND ANNE HATHAWAY * DON'T MISS THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2, COMING SOON TO THEATERS! "The degree to which The Devil Wears Prada has penetrated pop culture needs no...
The bookbinder : a novel
Williams, Pip
Paper Book
A young British woman working in a book bindery gets a chance to pursue knowledge and love when World War I upends her life in this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club pick The Dictionary of Lost Words. "Williams spins an...
Call the midwife : a memoir of birth, joy, and hard times
Worth, Jennifer
Paper Book
The highest-rated drama in BBC history, Call the Midwife will delight fans of Downton Abbey Viewers everywhere have fallen in love with this candid look at post-war London. In the 1950s, twenty-two-year-old Jenny Lee leaves her comfortable home to move into a...
Interior Chinatown.
Yu, Charles, 1976-
Paper Book
NOW A HULU ORIGINAL SERIES * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER * "A shattering and darkly comic send-up of racial stereotyping in Hollywood" (Vanity Fair) and a deeply personal novel about race, pop culture, immigration, assimilation, and escaping the roles we...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.