1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

You can register anytime you wish to start by using Beanstack online or via the Beanstack app

You can also pick up a paper log from the Youth Services desk if you want!

Track every and all books being read to or by your child! Books read at school centers, libraries, or home all count. You can read the same book 1000 times and it still counts. Kids love to hear read the same book over and over. 

Log into Beanstack to log your books each day. There are incentives along your way to 1,000 books, provided by the library. 

Or

Fill out the paper log and return it to the South Sioux City Public Library Youth Services desk at milestones like 50 books, 100 books and up! 

Does it sound hard? Not really if you think about it. If you read just 1 book a night, you will have read about 365 books in a year. That is 730 books in two years and 1,095 books in three years. If you consider that most children start kindergarten at around 5 years of age, you have more time than you think (so get started).

• Have fun! Use different voices, motions, facial expressions, and props to bring the story to life. Make reading fun and enjoyable.
• Snuggle up! Hold your child in your lap or next to you. Include a favorite blanket, stuffed animal, or other comfort items. Using the blanket create a reading fort. Maybe you can read to the favorite toy.
• Talk about it! Point out things in the pictures. Ask your child questions about the pictures and story. Share stories about yourself.
• Stay flexible! It’s ok to skip pages, read back to front, just look at the pictures, or not finish a book. You can also read aloud while your child plays with other toys.
• Be prepared! Keep books close at hand – throughout your home, in the diaper bag, in the car – for sharing anytime. A few minutes throughout the day add up to a big benefit for your child.
• Repeat favorites! Children love to hear their favorite stories over and over again. Repetition helps them gain important literacy skills.