1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Studies show that reading to young children is one of the best ways to prepare them to read on their own and get them ready to start school. 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a fun program that challenges you and your child to make an official commitment to reading. Though reading 1,000 books may seem daunting at first, once you break it down to books per day, it becomes more manageable. In fact, you could surpass the goal in three years by reading just one book each day, or you could finish in less than one year by reading three books each day!

To begin the program, log in to your Beanstack account. If you do not have an account, follow the link provided and sign up today! Once you sign in and enter your reader, the challenge will pop up for anyone within the 0-5 age range.

If you would like to follow along with a physical tracker, feel free to stop by the Youth Services desk and pick up your booklet. But please note, in order to receive prizes, you will need to have a Beanstack account.

Every time you read (or re-read!) a book, color in or cross out a number in the journal. Remember to come to the library every 250 books (indicated by a star) for a prize.

If you prefer to only use Beanstack, log your books and you will be notified to stop into the library at each prize point.

Q: Do we have to read only library books?

A: No! We encourage you to read any books you’d like! Feel free to count any books you read towards your goal, even eBooks or books that your kids listen to online, like TumbleBooks.

Q: My child has certain books that she likes to read over and over. Can I count the same book more than once?

A: Yes! It’s normal for kids to have favorite books, and actually, that repetition is really good for their brain development. You can count each book every time you read it!

Q: My child is starting kindergarten in just six months. Is it too late for him to start this program?

A: No! Any child who has not yet started kindergarten is eligible for the program. You could finish the program in six months by just reading five or six books each day. Your child will still reap the benefits of the extra time you spend reading.

Q: I have the older booklet, can I still participate?

A: Of course! Please do sign up on Beanstack for an account and update where you are with the old booklet. You’re welcome to also grab a new booklet at the library. We will honor where you are currently on your 1,000 Book Challenge!

Q: Do I have to stop in at every prize point?

A: If you surpass the first two at one time (or even the whole challenge), we will give you all prizes at once. We do recommend stopping in to the library frequently, especially when prizes are involved, but it is not required.

Have a question about this program? Ask a Youth Librarian.