Jules Verne Reading Challenge: A Guided Reading Challenge for Classic Adventure Lovers

Hi Bookish Besties, If you’ve been wanting to read some of Jules Verne books but keep putting it off, I want you to try something different this time. Not faster, not more productive, but more intentional. Because here’s the truth: You don’t need to read everything, you just need the right starting point and a rhythm that actually works. This isn’t just a list. It’s a reading challenge + guided readalong designed to help you finally experience these stories in a way that sticks.

What This Jules Verne Readalong Is (And Why It Works)

There are two ways people usually approach classic authors: they try to read everything, and burn out. Or they never start at all. This readalong is the middle path. We’re focusing on four of the most engaging and accessible books by Jules Verne, giving each one space to breathe so you can actually enjoy the experience. Inside this challenge, you’ll get:

• A clear reading order that builds momentum
• A dedicated guide for each book
• Reflection prompts and reading notes
• A built-in rhythm so you don’t feel overwhelmed

This is for readers who want to: read more classics without pressure, understand what makes these stories timeless, and build a reading life that feels calm-not chaotic. If you want to read the best Jules Verne books, check out my Jules Verne Best Novels & Where to Start Reading.

The Month-by-Month Reading Schedule (Start Anytime)

• Around the World in Eighty Days
• Journey to the Center of the Earth
• Five Weeks in a Balloon
• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

The Jules Verne Reading Challenge Order (Start Here)

This isn’t a strict publication order it’s the best order for a great reading experience.

Around the World in Eighty Days

This is where you begin because it’s instantly engaging. The story follows Phileas Fogg as he attempts to circle the globe in just eighty days, and the pacing alone makes it hard to put down. It’s light, clever, and full of movement, which is exactly what you want when starting a classic author. This book builds your confidence and reminds you that reading classics can feel exciting instead of intimidating.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Once you’re settled into Verne’s style, this book opens up a deeper sense of imagination. The journey beneath the Earth feels strange, immersive, and full of discovery. Reading it second works beautifully because you’re no longer adjusting, you’re fully experiencing. It leans into curiosity and wonder in a way that keeps you turning pages while also slowing you down just enough to notice the details.

Five Weeks in a Balloon

This is where the experience softens and expands. Floating across Africa in a balloon, the story becomes more observational and reflective. It’s less about urgency and more about exploration, which makes it perfect to read third. By this point, you’re not just reading for plot, you’re appreciating the journey itself, and this book really leans into that feeling.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

This is the one you build toward. Darker, more layered, and emotionally complex, this story introduces Captain Nemo and a journey beneath the ocean that feels both beautiful and isolating. Ending here gives the entire reading challenge more depth. It’s not just adventure anymore: it’s reflection, ideas, and meaning. And by this point, you’re ready for it.

How the Readalong Works

Here’s the structure for the readalong, and it’s intentionally simple: we read one book per month, and you can follow along live, or start whenever you’re ready and move at your own pace. Each book in the readalong includes:

1. A spoiler-free guide before you start
2. What to expect going in
3. What to pay attention to as you read
4. A spoiler section for after you finish

There’s no pressure to keep up. The goal is simple: read slowly enough that the experience actually stays with you.

Join the Jules Verne Readalong (Get the Emails)

If you want a more guided experience, this is where it really comes together.
When you join the readalong, you’ll get emails that walk you through each book without overwhelming you. Each month, you’ll receive:

• A kickoff email to help you start the book
• A wrap-up email to reflect on what you read

That’s it. No daily emails. No pressure. Just enough to keep you grounded and connected to the experience.

Why This Reading Challenge Works So Well

Most challenges and lists focus on completion, this one focuses on experience. By following this structure: you build momentum instead of losing it, you actually remember what you read, you start to enjoy classics instead of forcing them, and that’s the difference.

Why Jules Verne Still Feels So Relevant

Even now, these books don’t feel outdated, they feel visionary. Verne was writing about:

• Exploration before it was accessible
• Technology before it existed
• Curiosity as a way of life

But what stays with me most is this: His stories capture the feeling of wanting to understand the world, and the courage to go after that curiosity. And that’s something we’re all still chasing.

Start the Reading Challenge

If you’re ready to begin, start here: Around the World in Eighty Days. Then let the rest unfold naturally.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t about finishing four books. It’s about creating a reading experience you actually enjoy, and want to come back to. So if you’ve been waiting for the right way to start Jules Verne books in order, this is it. Tell me, are you joining the readalong? I’d love to know which book you’re starting with.