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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The Book Mine Set is a literary blog that's quickly building into a dynamic online community of readers, teachers, librarians and publishers across Canada.

Designed by Yellowknife educator John Mutford, the blog pivots around an annual challenge that encourages everyone to read 13 Canadian books between July, 2008 and Canada Day, 2009.

Mutford, originally from Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador, first launched The Canadian Book Challenge, Eh? in 2007 during his sixth year in Iqaluit.

Three months into this second edition of the challenge, readers from all provinces and territories have already logged about 300 Canadian books to the site.

It's a challenge and not a contest, so the atmosphere on the site remains collaborative and supportive throughout.

Mutford or a guest posts a short story review each week for Short Story Mondays. Online discussions pour down the screen after each post. Mutford's congenial wit and fresh insights inspire conversations that are always interesting, open and inviting.

Mutford and the other bloggers provide encouragement and friendly feedback for anyone looking for a place to begin.

Mutford suggests a few strategies for selecting your 13 books to read. There's The White Stripes way (pick a book from each province and territory), The Awards Show (pick prize-winning books) or the New Canadians (pick books by Canadian authors born in other countries).

However, readers are free to select the 13 Canadian books however they wish.

There's more than eight months left to get involved in the challenge and anyone is able to join in.

The blog can be found at www.bookmineset.blogspot.com.