Reading Hall of Fame

While the Library applauds families who already read a lot to their children, 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten makes a special effort to reach families who do not know about the importance of reading to children from a young age.

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Rockingham Library.

You can support this program and others like it by donating to the Friends of the Library.
Donate to the Friends of the Library at the Library or online through Paypal:

Giving young children the tools to become successful readers.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a Library program that encourages all Rockingham families and caregivers to read 1000 books with their young children before they enter kindergarten.

Studies have shown that families who start reading aloud to their children at birth help to strengthen their language skills and build their vocabulary – two important tools for beginning to learn to read when they enter kindergarten.

Click here to download the program overview

Click here to download a reading log

How 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten works:

1. Register at the Rockingham Free Public Library to receive your reading log.
2. For every book that you read together (repeat books count, too) color a star or cover it with a reading sticker.
3. After reading 100 books, come back to the Library for a special certificate. After reading 200 books, bring your log back to the Library and win a free book to help build your own book collection.
4. Each time you fill a reading log, come back to the Library to get a new one.
5. When you reach 1000 books, your child will receive a special certificate, a free book, and be added to the Rockingham Library’s “Reading Hall of Fame”

Older siblings reading to children participating in 1000 Books Before Kindergarten are Reading Superheroes and receive prizes. They just have to write their names next to a star every time they read a book to a younger child. 50 books earns a small prize!