1000 Books B4K

Record Sheets to print off — and/or — Reader Zone App to record electronically (program code 6fc98)

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

On behalf of the 1000 Books Foundation, We invite you to participate in the FREE program which encourages you to read  1000 books with your child before they start kindergarten.

The concept is simple. The rewards? Priceless! Read a book, any book (yes, you can repeat books), to your newborn, infant, or toddler. The goal? To read 1000 books before your little one starts kindergarten.

Does this seem difficult or impossible to achieve?

It’s not really if you think about it. If you read only one book a night, you will have read 365 books in one year. That’s 730 books in two years and 1095 in three. Most children start kindergarten at the age of 5, so you have more time than you think.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a self-paced program that has no end date except your child starting school. You decide how often and how long you read. The key is perseverance! Celebrate milestones with us at the library as you make progress. Above all, read and enjoy with your child.

1. Start logging the books you read with your child on the log sheet, or use the free Reader Zone App (program code 6fc98) on your smartphone. You can log any book read to your child. This includes books read by siblings, teachers, and daycare providers, as well as re-reads of favorite stories.

• At every 100 book milestone, bring your log into the library. We will celebrate your child’s success, and they will receive a prize and a log sheet for the next 100 books. We will also take their picture for our social media pages (with your permission).

• When your child reaches 1000 books, she or he will receive a certificate of achievement, a trophy, and a final prize.

This project was partially funded by Doris Gill memorial funds. In addition, this program is sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and funded in part with state funds allocated through the Nebraska Legislature.