200 prompts

TBR Prompt Generator

Reading prompts that settle what to read next, by cover, title, length, shelf history, genre and month.

All 200

A fantasy novelTie? Choose the one with the map.

Next step Plot a fantasy of your own Log this book in your journal

All 200 prompts

Cover 34

A book that has lost its dust jacket Bare cloth boards count, and so do books that never had a jacket. Tie? The more worn one.
A book with a black cover Mostly black, not just black lettering. Tie? Pick the shorter book.
A book with a blue cover Any blue counts, navy to turquoise. Two candidates? Take the one you have owned longer.
A book with a green cover Sage, bottle or lime. If several qualify, take the one nearest the bottom of the stack.
A book with a map inside or on the cover Check the first few pages. Tie? The map with more place names wins.
A book with a pink cover Any shade. If it is a genre you usually skip, that is the point of the prompt.
A book with a purple cover Lilac to aubergine. None? Take the cover closest to purple and move on.
A book with a red cover Spine or front, either counts. No red on the pile? Dark pink or orange will do.
A book with a white or cream cover Pale covers hide on a shelf. Scan for the gaps between brighter spines.

Show all 200 prompts (191 more)

Cover, continued

A book with a yellow cover Mustard and gold count. Yellow is scarce on most piles, so the first one you spot wins.
A book with an orange cover Old paperbacks are a good place to look. Tie? Take the older edition.
A cover illustrated rather than photographed Paint, ink, collage or digital drawing. Tie? Pick the artist you would hire.
A cover showing weather Snow, storm, fog or hard sunshine. Tie? Match it to the sky outside today.
A cover that is only lettering No picture at all, just type. Tie? Pick the bolder typeface.
A cover with a bird on it Any bird, however small. None? Feathers or wings will do.
A cover with a door, window or gate Any way in or out. Tie? Choose the one standing open.
A cover with a face on it Painted, photographed or drawn. Half a face still counts.
A cover with a house or building on it Castles, tower blocks and sheds all count. Tie? Take the one you would rather live in.
A cover with a photograph on it Any photo, black and white included. Tie? Take the older photograph.
A cover with a sticker or a prize badge Printed badges count as well as peel-off ones. Tie? The shinier badge wins.
A cover with a tree, leaf or flower Any plant life counts, patterns included. Tie? Pick the one with more green.
A cover with a vehicle on it Boats, trains, bicycles and spaceships. Tie? The slower vehicle wins.
A cover with an animal on it Fish and insects count. A dragon counts if you are feeling generous.
A cover with food or drink on it A teacup counts. Read it somewhere you can have a snack.
A cover with gold or silver foil Tilt the pile under a lamp and take the first one that shines.
A cover with more than three colours Count them honestly. Tie? The busier cover wins.
A cover with no people on it Silhouettes count as people. Tie? Choose the plainer cover.
A cover with only two colours Black and white count as colours here. Tie? Pick the one with the shorter title.
A cover with the moon or stars Night skies of any kind. None? Take the darkest cover you own.
A cover with water on it Sea, river, rain or a single glass. Tie? The wetter cover wins.
A cover you would hang on a wall Judge it as a poster, not as a book. One winner only.
A spine you can read from across the room Stand at the door and take the first title you can make out.
The cover that made you buy the book If you cannot remember why you bought it, the cover probably did it.
The ugliest cover on your pile Be honest, nobody is listening. The book inside has done nothing wrong.

Title and author 34

A book in translation The translator's name is on the title page. Read their note if there is one.
A book published under a pen name If you are not sure, the author note usually admits it.
A book written by two or more people Co-authors, or an anthology with an editor. Tie? More names wins.
A one-word title Subtitles do not count against it. Tie? The shorter word wins.
A title of six words or more Count every word, including 'the' and 'of'. Tie? The longest title wins.
A title taken from a poem, song or saying Check the epigraph or the first page for the source. Tie? Pick the older source.
A title that does not start with 'The' or 'A' Run a finger along the shelf with your eyes shut and take the first one that qualifies.
A title that gives nothing away If you cannot guess the genre from the title alone, it qualifies.
A title that is a question A question mark settles it. None? Take a title that starts with how, why or what.
A title that starts with 'The' Too many candidates? Take the one whose second word comes first in the alphabet.
A title that starts with the first letter of your name Ignore 'The' and 'A'. None? Use the first letter of your surname.
A title with 'house', 'home' or 'room' in it Hotel, cottage, library and tower count. Tie? Pick the smaller building.
A title with 'night', 'dark' or 'shadow' in it Close cousins count: midnight, dusk, gloom. Read it after sunset.
A title with a body part in it Heart, bone, hand, eye. Tie? Work from the head down and take the highest.
A title with a colour in it Any colour word, 'golden' and 'scarlet' included. Tie? Read the darker colour first.
A title with a job in it Baker, spy, professor, king. Tie? The job you would be worse at wins.
A title with a number in it Digits or spelled out. Tie? Take the higher number.
A title with a person's name in it First name, surname or both. Tie? Pick the name you like saying aloud.
A title with a place name in it Real or invented. Tie? Pick the place further from where you are sitting.
A title with a season or month in it Summer, October, midwinter. Bonus point if it matches the calendar today.
A title with alliteration Two words starting with the same sound. Tie? More matching words wins.
A title with an animal in it Wolves, crows, bees, anything alive. Tie? The smaller creature wins.
A title with food or drink in it Tea, salt, honey, bread. Tie? Pick what you would rather eat now.
A title with weather in it Rain, storm, snow, wind, sun. Tie? Pick the weather you like least.
A title you cannot pronounce with confidence Look it up after you finish, not before.
An author from a country you have never visited The author note says where they were born or live. Tie? Pick the furthest away.
An author from your own town, county or state Stretch to the region if you must. Local interest shelves are made for this.
An author who shares your first name Near matches count: Kate for Katherine, Sam for Samuel. None? Try a middle name.
An author whose name sits at the end of the alphabet Start at Z and work back until you hit a book you own and have not read.
An author whose surname starts with your initial Either of your initials will do. Tie? Go by first name too.
An author you have never read before Tie? Pick the one a real person recommended to you, rather than a list.
An author you have read at least three times A safe pair of hands. Pick their book you have owned longest.
An author's first published book Check the 'also by' page. No list of other books? It may well be the debut.
An author's most recent book Most recent that you own, not most recent in the shops. Tie? Pick the hardback.

Length and format 33

A book between 300 and 400 pages The middle of the road. Tie? Take the one closest to 350.
A book over 500 pages Split it into daily chunks: pages divided by the days left in the month.
A book told in letters, diaries or messages Flick through and look for dates at the top of pages.
A book under 200 pages Check the last numbered page. Tie? Pick the one you could finish in a weekend.
A book with a family tree or a cast list Bookmark that page. You will want it again by chapter five.
A book with a ribbon marker or sprayed edges A fancy edition you have been saving. Reading it does not ruin it.
A book with an index Usually non-fiction. Look up one word in the index before you start and see where it lands.
A book with chapter titles instead of numbers Read the contents page aloud. The list that sounds most like a poem wins.
A book with footnotes or endnotes Decide before you start whether you will read them all. Either answer is fine.
A book with illustrations Line drawings at chapter heads count. Tie? More pictures wins.
A book with more than one narrator Chapter headings often give the names. Tie? More voices wins.
A book with no chapters at all Rare, so check a few. None? Pick the book with the fewest chapter breaks.
A book with short chapters Flick through: if most chapters are under ten pages, it counts.
A book written in the first person Check page one for 'I'. Tie? Pick the narrator you trust least.
A book you could finish in one sitting Novellas, plays, picture books, slim essays. Set aside the afternoon.
A graphic novel or comic collection Manga counts. None at home? A library card solves it.
A hardback Tie? Pick the heaviest one and read it at a table.
A library book It has a due date and your own books do not. That settles most ties.
A novella Roughly 100 to 200 pages of fiction. Tie? Pick the one with the larger type.
A paperback small enough for a coat pocket Try the pocket. If it fits, it goes out with you this week.
A play or a screenplay Read the cast list first. Doing the voices is optional.
A poetry collection One poem at breakfast, one at bedtime. Any slim volume counts.
A second-hand book Look for a pencilled price inside the cover. Tie? The one with a stranger's name in it.
A short story collection Read it in order or hop about, both count. One story a night works well.
A standalone book No sequels, no prequels, no shared world. Check the back cover to be sure.
An audiobook Nothing queued? Borrow one through your library and pick the shortest.
An ebook you forgot you had Sort your device by oldest first and take the first unread title.
An essay collection One essay a day. Skip any that lose you after three pages, guilt free.
The first book in a series Only start if you are happy to stop after one. Tie? The shortest series wins.
The last book in a series Tie? Pick the series you started earliest.
The longest book on your pile Give it the whole month if it needs it. Count pages read, not books finished.
The next book in a series you have stalled on Read a summary of the last one first. Nobody remembers everything.
The shortest book on your pile Go by page count, not thickness. Tie? Smaller type loses.

Shelf, history and chance 34

A book a friend keeps telling you to read Message them when you start. It keeps you going past page 30.
A book from a charity shop or a free shelf Tie? Pick the one that cost least. Free beats everything.
A book signed by the author A printed signature does not count. Tie? Pick the one signed to you by name.
A book someone gave you Tie? Pick the one from the person you will see soonest, so you can talk about it.
A book someone lent you It needs to go home eventually. Tie? The longest loan goes first.
A book that won a prize Look for a line on the back cover. Tie? Pick the prize you know least about.
A book with someone else's notes in the margins Second-hand finds and family copies. Read their notes as you go.
A book you are no longer sure you want Read the first chapter. Keep going or pass it on: both clear a space.
A book you are slightly afraid of Too long, too sad, too clever. Give it 50 pages before you decide.
A book you bought because of the cover alone No reviews, no recommendation, just the look of it. Find out if you were right.
A book you bought on holiday Tie? Pick the trip you would most like to repeat.
A book you got more than five years ago Check for a receipt tucked inside, or guess by where you lived at the time.
A book you got this year Tie? Pick the one from the earliest month, before it becomes a five-year book.
A book you have been saving for the right moment This is the moment. Tie? Pick the one you have been saving longest.
A book you have moved house with Tie? The one that has moved most often wins.
A book you have seen the film or series of Tie? Pick the adaptation you remember least, so the book can still surprise you.
A book you started and put down Start again from page one only if you remember nothing. Otherwise carry on from the bookmark.
A book you were meant to read at school Skipped then, or never set. Tie? Pick the shorter one.
Ask someone else to pick Show them three spines, no explanations. Read what they point at.
The book at the very bottom of the stack Lift carefully. Whatever is underneath has waited longest.
The book at the very top of the stack No tiebreak needed. It is right there.
The book nearest to where you are sitting Unread books only. Cookbooks and manuals do not count unless you want them to.
The book you have owned the longest without reading Be honest about the date. Give it 50 pages; if it still does nothing, let it go.
Let the youngest person in the house choose No children handy? The youngest person you speak to today gets the vote.
The newest book on your pile Read it while you still remember why you wanted it.
Open three books at page 50 and read a paragraph Read the one whose paragraph you wanted to continue. Still tied? Try page 100.
Read the first line of five books Read each opening sentence once and take the one you remember a minute later.
Roll a die and count that many books along Start from the left end of your unread shelf. Landed on a book you have read? Roll again.
Roll two dice and count down the stack Two to twelve from the top. Stack too short? Wrap round and keep counting.
The seventh book from the left Count along your unread shelf. Already read it? Count another seven.
Shut your eyes and point Spin once first. If you hit a book you have read, move to its right-hand neighbour.
The third book from the right on any shelf Pick the shelf first, then count. Already read? Move one to the left.
Toss a coin between your top two Heads for the left, tails for the right. If you feel disappointed, read the other one.
Whatever you would grab on the way to a train Do not think for more than ten seconds. That is the whole method.

Genre and mood 33

A book about a family Sagas, siblings, inheritances. Tie? More generations wins.
A book about art, music or film Look up the works it mentions as you go. Tie? Pick the art form you know least.
A book about books, libraries or bookshops A pile favourite. Tie? Pick the one likely to add fewest titles to your pile.
A book about food or cooking Narrative, not only recipes. Tie? Pick the cuisine you cook least.
A book of letters or diaries Dip in by date: start with today's date, whatever the year.
A book of myths, legends or fairy tales One tale a night. Tie? Pick the tradition you know least.
A book outside your usual genre Name your usual genre, then pick the book furthest from it.
A book set before 1900 Written then or written now, both count. Tie? The earlier year wins.
A book set by the sea Islands, harbours, ships. Tie? The colder sea wins.
A book set in a country you have never been to Tie? Pick the one furthest from home on a map.
A book set in the future Near future counts. Tie? Pick the more hopeful one.
A book set in winter Snow on the cover is a clue. Read it under a blanket, whatever the month.
A book set over a single day or night The blurb usually boasts about it. Tie? The shorter span wins.
A book that will probably make you cry Check the quotes on the back for the word 'heartbreaking'. Keep tissues near.
A book with an older main character Sixty or over. The blurb will usually say so. Tie? The older character wins.
A children's book or a middle grade novel Yours, your child's or one you missed. An evening is often enough.
A classic you have never read Older than you by at least fifty years. Tie? The shortest classic wins.
A fantasy novel Tie? Choose the one with the map.
A fast, plotty book Short chapters, cliffhangers. Save it for a week when your attention is thin.
A historical novel Tie? Go for the earliest century.
A history book Tie? Pick the narrowest subject: one year, one town, one ship.
A horror or ghost story Read it in daylight if you need to. Tie? The shorter one wins.
A humorous book Read the first page of each candidate. The one that gets a laugh first wins.
A memoir or a biography Tie? Pick the life least like your own.
A mystery or crime novel Tie? Pick the one set somewhere you have never been.
A romance Tie? Pick the pairing you find hardest to predict from the blurb.
A science fiction novel Tie? Pick the one set furthest in the future.
A science or nature book Tie? Pick the one about something you can see from your window.
A slow, quiet book Little plot, a lot of noticing. Read it in long sittings, not snatched minutes.
A thriller Short chapters are a good sign. Tie? Pick the one with the quieter cover.
A travel book Tie? Pick the place you are least likely to visit.
A young adult novel Tie? Choose the standalone over the series starter.
Your comfort genre Whatever you reach for when tired. Tie? Pick the author you already trust.

Months and seasons 32

A book published in the month you were born The copyright page sometimes gives the month. If not, the year of your birth will do.
A book published the year you were born Check the copyright page for first publication, not the reprint date.
A book published this year Tie? Pick the one from the earliest month.
A book with the current month in its title Rare. None? Pick a title with any month or any day of the week.
A book you can finish before the month ends Pages left divided by days left. Over 40 a day? Pick a shorter book.
April: a book with rain, a flood or a river in it April showers, in the north at least. Tie? The wetter title wins.
April: a poetry collection to dip into April is National Poetry Month in the United States and Canada. One poem a day does it.
August: a book with a sun or a beach on the cover Tie? Pick the emptier beach.
August: the book you have been putting off all year More than half the year has gone. Give it 50 pages.
Autumn: a book with leaves or woodland on the cover Tie? The redder cover. Autumn starts in September in the north, March in the south.
December: a book set in snow Tie? The deeper snow wins. Southern readers can treat it as air conditioning.
December: the last unread book you bought this year Finish the year level with your own shopping.
February: a love story of any kind Romance, friendship, a dog and its owner. Tie? The least expected kind of love.
February: the shortest book on the pile Shortest month, shortest book. Go by page count.
January: the book you meant to read last year Start the year by clearing the one that nags. Tie? The one you bought first.
July: a book set somewhere hot Deserts, tropics, heatwaves. In a southern winter it will warm you up.
July: a holiday read Whatever you would pack first. Tie? The one you would not mind getting sandy.
June: a book you can read outdoors Light enough to hold up, tough enough for grass. In a southern winter, read it by a window.
June: the middle book of your pile Halfway through the year, halfway down the stack. Even number? Take the upper one.
March: a book with a journey in it March is a verb as well as a month. Tie? The journey on foot wins.
March: a book with green on the cover Spring in the north, and green either way. Tie? More green wins.
May: a book with a flower or a garden on the cover Tie? Pick the flower you can name.
November: a book you can read a chapter of each night Thirty days, so look for about thirty chapters. Close is good enough.
November: an author whose name starts with N First name or surname. None? Take the letter O, then M.
October: a book with an orange or black cover Tie? Pick the one with both.
October: a ghost story or a gothic novel Hallowe'en falls on the 31st. Read the last chapters that week.
September: a book set in a school or college A back-to-school month in many places. Tie? Pick the stricter school.
September: a non-fiction book that teaches you something One subject you could explain to a friend by October.
Spring: a book with new growth on the cover Buds, shoots, lambs, eggs. Spring starts in March in the north, September in the south.
Summer: a paperback you do not mind getting wet Pool, beach, bath or sudden rain. Tie? The more battered copy wins.
Winter: a reread of an old favourite Not from the pile at all. A month off from the pile is allowed.
Winter: the thickest book you own Thickness, not page count, decides this one. Read it in one place, with a drink.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. The April hint was checked against Wikipedia, "National Poetry Month" (held each April in the United States and in Canada), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Poetry_Month, checked 2026-09-18. The definition and date of the word tsundoku given on the page were checked against Wikipedia, "Tsundoku", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundoku, checked 2026-09-18. Licence: own work

How it works

This TBR prompt generator draws one rule for your next book: a blue cover, a one-word title, the book you have owned longest. Each of the 200 prompts has a hint: what counts, a tiebreak, a fallback or reading advice.

Read the full guide

How a prompt picks the book

TBR means to be read: books you own and have not opened. Draw a prompt and pull every book that fits. About half the hints are tiebreaks, such as take the one you have owned longer; the rest say what counts, offer a fallback or reading advice. The list under the button limits the draw to one kind of rule.

A month of reading, or a bingo list

For a month, draw three to five prompts and match a book to each before the 1st. For bingo, draw 9 for a three by three grid or 16 for four by four, then rule the grid yourself.

Draw three and keep the prompt only one book on your pile can answer.
A prompt starts a book; it does not promise a finish. Three hints say give it 50 pages.
Running a buddy read? Draw one prompt, let each reader answer it from their own shelves, then compare.

Questions and answers

Can a reading prompt generator work without a pile at home?

Mostly. A cover, title, length, genre or month prompt only needs a shelf to look along, so a library, a bookshop or an e-reader's catalogue will do. Shelf history prompts, such as the book you have owned longest, need books you own. Swap those.

What if nothing on my pile fits the prompt?

Take the fallback in the hint, where there is one, such as the nearest colour or the next letter along. If that fails, swap the prompt or borrow a book that fits. The spring and autumn hints name the starting month in each hemisphere.

Is there a word for buying books faster than you read them?

Yes: tsundoku, Japanese slang from the Meiji era (1868 to 1912) for buying books and leaving them to stack up unread. It also names the unread books themselves. These prompts will not shrink the pile; they only take the choosing off your hands.