Education starts at home. Through work with West Fargo Public Schools, the library found that nearly half of the children who enter Kindergarten in a given year are behind in their early literacy skills - skills that are essential to success in school. 

To help students start off on the right foot, the West Fargo Public Library designed a program to help parents practice these important skills with their children at home before they ever head to school. This program is called 1000 Books Before Kindergarten. 

The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program is exactly what it sounds like! The goal is to read a thousand books with your child before they head to Kindergarten. By reading books to your child, you are helping them practice important early literacy skills, which sets them up for success in school when they are older!  

While a thousand seems like a lot, this is a common literacy goal, and the West Fargo Public Library has tools to help you get started. You don't have to read 1000 different books either. Any book will do! The earlier you start the program with your child, the easier it is to reach 1000 too. Plus, your child will earn fun and skill-boosting prizes along the way! 

How to participate

1. Sign your child up for the program online on Beanstack or at the service desk at the West Fargo Public Library. 
2. Visit the library to pick up your Ready to Read kit, which includes: a free book to start your child's collection, a challenge tracking calendar filled with information for parents and more goodies and info to ensure your child is ready to read and succeed! 
3. Track each book you read with your child on your tracking calendar. (You can keep track online too on Beanstack!)
4. Earn fun and educational prizes along the way. All of our prizes also help support your child's early literacy skills! Pick them up from the West Fargo Public Library when you reach each milestone.