Early Literacy: 1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Alaska Libraries: make a commitment to kindergarten readiness by encouraging all pre-K children to read 1000 books before kindergarten. It’s a realistic goal. Parents can share two to three picture books in 20 minutes, and if done daily that adds up to 1,000 books in one year. So even if children sign up at age three or four, they can still meet their goal before kindergarten. And for those that finish early, they have set the habit of daily reading in the home. The program is simple: children receive logs to track how many books they read.

Reading at home increases reading readiness. Vocabulary is greatly important for reading readiness, and vocabulary can be developed by sharing books. Sharing books before school begins can contribute to the prevention of reading difficulties in school.

Alaskan libraries can use these materials for their own reading program. Each reading log has sufficient space for you to label or stamp your library's name and address to personalize your logs. Artwork for the program was made by Lee Post. Alaska Northwest Books and the Friends of the Anchorage Public Library are sponsors of the program, and Anchorage Public Library is providing the artwork free of charge to Alaska libraries.

Celebrate your successes! Host an annual party for finishers, or hand out a book prize.

If your families need extra help finding enough books to read to reach their goals, invite them to borrow a reading kit from Ready to Read Alaska. We lend totes and bags of toddler and baby books FREE statewide, with free shipping both ways!