The #BBFBookHunt returns October 22 and 23!
Grab a map and some bookmarks–the #BBFBookHunt is back! For 2022, we have spread 25 book bags (some of which contain not one but TWO books) all throughout the city of Boston and Cambridge!
This marks the return of a beloved annual tradition of hiding books written by BBF-featured authors in you and your friends’ backyards. But not in a literal sense, unless you live at a famous landmark, or maybe a spooky cemetery, or even a government building. Don’t worry, we’ll share more clues with you on our Twitter (@bostonbookfest) and Instagram Stories (@bostonbookfest).
This year, we’ve hidden our books in special locations that link to the very stories themselves or to the brilliant authors who wrote them. You’ll get both a taste of the book to see if it strikes your fancy and a hint of where it’s hidden. That means a book bag could be found at just about any kind of statue, historical house, college campus, storefront, or T station. Yep, you read that right!
Here’s how the #BBFBookHunt 2022 will work:
By Friday, October 21, we’ll post a map of important sites found around Boston and its surrounding neighborhoods. Consider this your #BBFBookHunt treasure map. If you don’t want the book bag locations to be spoiled, make sure not to peek at the map and stick to the hints posted on social media.
On Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23, we’ll venture across the city to deliver these free book bags at the sites on the map.
Finally, for those of you who prefer a challenge, we will post location hints on our Twitter (@bostonbookfest) and Instagram Stories (@bostonbookfest) so that you can start guessing where we’ve hidden our #BBFBookHunt books. Head to the spots to find your free copies, and get to explore our vibrant city in the process!
#BBFBookHunt Clues
Can you guess which books we’re hiding and where? Follow Twitter and Instagram Stories on Oct. 22 and 23 to find out!
📚 This eerie thriller takes place at a luxury resort, so we’ve hidden it at one of Boston’s most luxurious hotels, which has stunning views of America’s first public botanical garden.
📚 This eagerly anticipated novel from a rising horror star can be sighted at one of Boston’s spookiest cemeteries, where painter Gilbert Stuart is buried.
📚 This middle grade novel-in-verse discusses anxiety, so we’ve placed it somewhere we hope your anxiety is eased, on this beloved dock at a rather…splendid…park overlooking the Charles River.
📚 This eco-educational book will remind you to bring your reusable bags to this popular shopping destination, the top floor of which offers stellar 360-degree skyline views.
📚 As MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda continues to advocate for equity in Boston legislation, you can find this Wampanoag picture book at the front gates of this key Massachusetts legislative building, also known as the state’s “seat of government.”
📚 This location is very special, and it’s saved for a very special book, our last in the Book Hunt. It’s about “the growth and strength of three unforgettable women as they evolve in a society that refuses to.” Can you guess the spot? If not, it may click when you arrive at the festival…
📚 The author of this memoir-manifesto is also a Professor of African American studies at Harvard University. You can pick up her enlightening book in front of the oldest surviving building of Harvard College.
📚 Do you like robots in your rom-coms? Look no further than the front entrance of the School of Engineering at this STEM-oriented university located along the Charles River.
📚 Nothing says Cambridge-based poet quite like Harvard Square’s iconic poetry bookstore, established in 1927.
📚 The poet of this new collection has some of her work sand-blasted into the second-to-last T stop on the Red Line (outbound). If you discover this artwork, you may just find the book we’ve placed in the station.
📚 This profound novel-in-stories explores US-China relations through the lens of everyday people. We’ve hidden it somewhere that marks the intersection of literature and Chinese-American culture. Bonus hint: This location has ties to the main building that hosts our festival!
📚 This fantasy novel follows a group of daring thespians on a magical journey, so it’s only right to store it at the entrance of this magically ornate theater, reopened in 2004 after disrepair to become one of Boston’s most beloved spots for plays, musicals, ballets, and more.
📚 This foody mystery romance is first come, first served at the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the nation. Get it while its hot!
📚 Find this collection of poems behind the iconic Norman Lear statue at the college where this poet got her graduate degree.
📚 We’ve stashed this poetry collection at a writers’ room located just a two minute walk from Faneuil Hall. Can you guess what that writers’ room might be called? Don’t think too hard…
📚 This YA horror takes place at a scenic academy and can be located at Boston’s best-known arts academy.
📚 The author of this book is a self-proclaimed nerd of all things comics, anime and more. You can grab her book outside this treasured independent comics store on Commonwealth Avenue.
📚 The author of this graphic novel says she is obsessed with eighties pop culture and video games, so we’ve stored her book in front of Boston’s most famous arcade–where you also might indulge in a round or two of bowling.
📚 A Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by the Boston Globe and Literary Hub, this fascinating read explains what your favorite music says about you. A perfect place to discover yourself through music is Boston’s most iconic music venue and restaurant, featuring Southern-inspired dishes and folk art.
📚 This searing memoir dives into the Child Welfare system. We’ve placed it somewhere a child can escape into the joys of learning, at Boston’s most kid-friendly museum.
📚 The author of this time-travel novel is a graduate of the Novel Incubator course at one of Boston’s most revered writing centers. Can you find her book at that writing center’s Seaport location, which opened in 2021?
📚 Did you know Boston has a castle? Well, not technically–it’s an armory, as well as the location of this graphic fantasy novel dealing in knights and crumbling empires.
📚 It’s the last month to check out this carefully curated open market in the South End, open only on Sundays, where you’ll find handmade art, jewelry, home goods, clothes and more. Another thing to find here is this book about the importance of handmade things in a chaotic consumer culture.
📚 The poet of this collection has performed jazz around Boston and very well may have sung at this popular cafe jazz club in the South End.
©Boston Book Festival