1000 books before kindergarten is an early literacy program encouraging a love of reading, literacy, and family bonding. Reading together helps to build language skills and vocabulary. Prepare your child to enter the world of kindergarten by reading at least 1 book (or more!) per day.

Register for 1000 books before kindergarten through Beanstack today!

Print out these paper trackers for each 100 books you read!

• Start young, children can start learning reading concepts as babies.
• Choose something engaging. Talk about the shapes and colors. Ask questions about the story or the pictures.
• Make it FUN. Read aloud with expressions!
• Keep reading short and simple. As your child grows, so can the stories.
• Let your toddlers pick their stories. Are they in excited about something particular? Read books about those subjects. Let your child pick their own books from the library about hose interests.
• Develop a daily reading routine. Make reading time something they’ll look forward to. Read at their preferred time, like in the mornings, after dinner, or at bedtime.
• Its never a bad thing to read the same book each day – that counts!

How can I sign up?

Any child that is not yet in kindergarten can sign up for this program. Register through Beanstack online or come to any library branch to have your child signed-up. For more help on signing-up for Beanstack, visit our Beanstack page for more information and current reading challenges.

After you’ve signed-up, be sure to visit your library to pick up your Welcome Pack!

Can the same book count more than once?

Yes! If you can your child enjoying reading the same book over and over, each time you read it counts separately. So, if you and your child read the same book 3 times, that counts on 3 books towards the 1000 book total.

Do books read to my child by someone else count?

Yes! Any book read to your child by anyone else, including at library storytimes, daycare, older sibling, etc., count.

What incentives are there for this program?

Aside from instilling a lifelong love of reading and school preparedness, there are prizes for every 100 books your child reads, including stickers, finger puppets, bubbles, puzzles, and more! Your child will earn a special prize once they’ve completed reading 1000 books!

I have more than one child, can I read to both and count the same book?

Yes, if you have more than one child not in kindergarten and read the same story to them you can count it.

Do only physical books count?

No, eBooks and Audiobooks can count.