1K B4 K: 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Getting Started:

1. Enroll your child at the Children's Desk of the Greensburg /Decatur County Public Library and receive your 1000 Books Before Kindergarten journal and the pages to record your first 100 books.
2. Fill up your book bag with some good books.
3. Read the books to your child.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 often!
5. When you have read 100 books to your child, bring the journal (and your child) back to the library. We will give your child a sticker and give you the pages for the next 100 titles.
6. Tell all your friends about the program and encourage them to sign up!
7. When your child reaches 500 books, he/she will receive a free paperback book.
8. At 1000 books, your child will receive a canvas book bag and get his/her picture taken for our Wall of Fame! Congratulations!

Suggestions from your favorite librarians!

1. Have fun! Reading together is a special time! Make it a part of your daily routine.
2. Take every chance you have to read with your children. It's also fun to tell stories, say nursery rhymes, and sing songs.
3. It is completely normal for your children to have a favorite book they want to hear over and over. But try to sneak in some new books, so they can hear as much new vocabulary and as many new concepts as possible.
4. Children learn best when they are in a good mood. Read with your child when it is likely to be the most fun for both of you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can sign up for this program?

Any child from birth until kindergarten can sign up. It will take from a few months to a few years, depending on how many books you read at a time.

Why is it important to read to very young children?

Developing literacy skills begins at birth and continues throughout the toddler and pre-school years. The best way to ensure a child has the skills necessary to learn to read is having someone read aloud to them.

Can I really expect to read 1000 books to my child before kindergarten?

If you read only one bedtime story every night for three years you will have read 1095!

If you read 10 books each week for two years, you will have read 1040. Double that rate to read 1000 books in one year.

If you read just 3 books every day for a year, you will have read 1095 books.

Do we have to read books from Greensburg/Decatur County Public Library?

No, you can read books from anywhere - your home, preschool, Grandma's house, waiting rooms, or other libraries.

My child wants me to read the same book over and over. Can I count that book more than once?

Yes, write down the title every time you read the book.

I have more than one child I am reading to. Can I count the same title for each child?

Yes, and if one of your older children reads to their sibling you can count that also.

Can I count books that are read at Story Time?

Yes, just ask your story time teacher for the titles.