1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Encourage early literacy by joining this free program to read 1,000 books with your child before they start kindergarten. 

One of the best ways to encourage learning is to spend time sharing books with your child every day. Reading together helps develop important pre-reading skills that provide a solid foundation for learning.

This free program encourages you to read 1,000 books with your young child before they enter school, which experts say helps them learn to read for themselves. Plus, sharing stories together is fun!

How to Participate

It’s easy to participate in the program – just follow the steps below:

• Sign up for your child at the Children’s Desk and you will be given a packet with your reading log. It’s never too early to get them started.
• Read together anywhere and you or your child can mark off one square for each book. You can write the titles of their favorites on the back. Be sure to count every time you read each title, whether it’s just once or every day – repetition is key to learning.
• When you finish 100 books, bring your sheet to the library. Your child will receive a small reward and the next 100 book sheet.
• Repeat steps 1-3.
• When you finish 1,000 books, your child will receive a certificate of completion and a book to keep. They’ll also have a great jump start on school success!

There’s no rush – the program can begin in infancy and ends when your child finishes 1,000 books or they enter Kindergarten, whichever comes first. 1,000 books may seem like a lot, but if you read just three stories a day with your child, you will reach that goal in about a year. More importantly, you’ll have created and shared many special moments along the way.

Thank you to Hudson Preschool Parents, whose generous initial donation enabled us to launch the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program.