Children at NBPL

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

The concept is simple: read to your newborn, infant, toddler or preschooler. The rewards are priceless!

The goal is to read 1,000 books (yes, you can repeat books!) before your child starts kindergarten. Research has shown that children who are read to often are more ready to learn to read once they enter kindergarten.

Does it sound hard? It's not! It adds up faster than you think. Include books read at home, grandma's house, the doctor's office, or storytime.

Sign up any time at the Children's Desk at the main library or at the Westside Community Center. You will receive a book bag, a welcome sheet with instructions, a reading log and a progress card.

Every time you bring in a completed log, your child will receive a sticker with the next log. At 500 books, your child will receive a small stuffed animal. At 1000 books, your child will receive a new book and a certificate of completion. The library will also display your child's picture on a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten display in the Children's Room.

The program is a wonderful way to share books with your child and create some memories together so sign up today!

Learn more about 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten.

Print motivation is a critical early literacy skill. It's an interest in and enjoyment of books and reading!

Books that keep your child engaged and encourage them to be an active participant can help develop print motivation. Try one of these interactive books today and have some fun! Check out our full Books for Movement & Play book list.

Enjoy one of the wordless books below and explore with your child. Ask them what they think is happening in the story and what they think will happen next. This helps develop your child's narrative skills, which is a great way to help them be ready to learn to read! Check out our full Picture Walk book list.

Singing is a great best practice for developing early literacy skills and, it's FUN! Singing helps slow down language, helping kids hear and identify the smaller parts of words. This helps them later on when they're learning to read. Check out our full Books You Can Sing book list.