1,000 books sounds like a lot of reading! But if you read only one book per day, you’ll read 1,000 books in less than 3 years! It’s even easier when you realize:

• Repetition counts! If you read the same book over and over, each reading counts as a book.
• Any reader counts! Each time your child hears a book, it counts, whether the book is read by a family member, our Youth Librarian, a teacher at school, or a babysitter.

We’ve kept the process very simple:

• Keep track of the books you and your child read together using the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Reading Log (repeat readings count!).
• Each time you and your child read 100 books together, stop by the Library for a sticker, a bead for their brag tag, a new reading log, and a milestone photo!
• After reading 1000 books, your child will receive a free book, a gold star bead for their brag tag, and a commemorative bookplate to put in their favorite book in our collection!

That’s it! We’re providing a reading log for your convenience, but you may use any method you choose to track your child’s reading progress.

Reading aloud matters!

Research shows that reading aloud is the single most important thing you can do to help a child prepare for reading and learning in school.

• Cognitive Development. Reading to young children helps develop their ability to think and understand, forming the building blocks for remembering, problem-solving, and decision-making.
• Language Skills. Reading to young children stimulates the part of the brain that allows them to understand the meaning of language and it builds vocabulary. The vocabulary of books is far richer than the vocabulary of TV, movies, or even daily life.
• Preparation for School. The number of words a child knows when entering kindergarten is a key predictor of their future success in school. Studies have shown that the more words a child knows, the more words they will learn. The stronger a child’s language skills when entering kindergarten, the more prepared they will be to learn to read.
• Concentration and Discipline. Regular reading time increases a child’s ability to focus and lengthens their attention span.
• Imagination and Creativity. Young children are naturally imaginative and creative. When you read aloud to a child, it helps them use their imaginations to explore people, places, times, and events beyond their own experiences.
• Caregiver/Child Bonding. Regular reading time strengthens the bonds of trust, comfort, and intimacy between caregiver and child.