1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is an education initiative with three main goals: to promote early childhood literacy, to prepare young children for kindergarten and to facilitate family bonding through reading.
Parents and caregivers may register any child between the ages of 0–6. Any book may be counted and books may be repeated. Repetition is even encouraged as it increases both comprehension and confidence in young children. Keep track on your paper log or in Beanstack. Prizes can be selected by filling out this form or by stopping by the Children's Desk on the 2nd floor.
All children who have not entered kindergarten or the equivalent are eligible to register. Participants are not required to be Normal Public Library cardholders or residents of Normal. Participants are welcome to register for this program even if they are completing other area 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten programs.
January 2, 2022– January 3, 2023
Every month read a book on that month's theme, log it in Beanstack, and earn a themed sticker (pick up at the front desk or via our Curb-It service) and an entry into that month's drawing for a gift card to a local business! Participate nine months out of the year and you are eligible for entry into the grand prize drawing!
Readers are also encouraged to sign up for a monthly newsletter with suggestions for that month's theme. Select the Year-Round Adult Reading Challenge on our NextReads sign up page to get the newsletter or view the current issue.
For readers 18 and older.
Sponsored by the Normal Public Library Foundation.
January—Read a book inspired by a fairy tale or folklore
February—Read a book by a contemporary Black author
March—Read a book that has won or been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction
April—Read a book of poetry
May—Read a book about nature/the environment
June—Read a book by a transgender author
July—Read a romance novel about characters from a different cultural background than your own
August—Read a book in translation
September—Read a book that teaches you something new
October—Read a graphic novel
November—Read a book by a Native American author
December—Read a book about a person from a different religious background than your own
Watch for our next reading challenge on this page and on Beanstack. You can keep logging your reading in Beanstack anytime, whether we are offering a challenge or not!
Watch for more information about this challenge on this page and on Beanstack. You can keep logging your reading in Beanstack anytime, whether we are offering a challenge or not!