Read Through the Year Reading Challenge
Summer Reading Programs
Winter Reading Programs
1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Challenge yourself to read more this year by participating in our Read Through the Year Reading Challenge for adults. The program runs from January 1st-December 11th.
Set your own goal for how much you want to read when you sign up for the challenge. If you meet your goal (must be at least 10 books to qualify for grand prize), you will be entered in our grand prize drawing. You will earn points for each book you read towards our prize raffle drawing.
You can participate online using Goodreads or stop by the Help Desk to sign up and receive a paper reading log.
To participate online, you will need to sign up for Goodreads if you aren’t already a member. Once you’ve joined, set your reading goal for the year and then join our Read Through the Year group on Goodreads. Find out more about participating in our Read Through the Year Reading Challenge online here.
Tails and Tales Children’s Summer Reading Program
June 7th-July 17th
Ages 2-12
Welcome to the Tails and Tales Children’s Summer Reading Program! Read, complete levels and earn entries for the Grand Prize Drawing. Our goal is for each child to have a fun and meaningful experience with the library this summer. The reading program is designed to encourage children to create a habit of reading each day at their own pace in order to earn prizes. Reading each day is not mandatory but we hope your child will read as many days as possible throughout the program.
Reading logs can be picked up at the library in the children’s department and at the East Branch. Logs must be turned in by Saturday July 31st.
Tails and Tales Teen Summer Reading Program
June 7th-July 31st
For teens in or entering grades 6-12
Set your own goal this summer! Track how many days you read between June 7th and July 31st. Read as much time as you would like each day. Each day you read is worth 10 points toward the prize drawings. You can also complete optional activities. If you complete at least 5 activities during the program, you could win an extra entries or a gift card!
Prizes include a Nintendo Switch Lite, $50 Amazon gift card, $20 Walmart gift card, $20 Broken Grounds gift card and $10 Marathon gift card. Pick up your reading log at the Help Desk or East Branch to get started. Return your log by Saturday July 31st.
Tails & Tales Adult Summer Reading Program
June 7th-July 31st
Adults age 18 and up are invited to participate in the Adult Summer Reading Program! For each book you read, you will earn an entry for our grand prize drawing. Read two books and scratch off the sticker to see what you win (a gift card or an extra entry in the grand prize drawing). You may count attendance at one event for adults towards the number of books read.
We will be giving away two grand prizes, a $100 gift card to Amazon and a $100 gift card to Walmart. Pick up a reading log at the Help Desk or East Branch. Logs must be returned by Saturday July 31st.
Check back next winter for details on our winter reading program!
Program Overview
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a new Library program that encourages all Holmes County families and caregivers to read 1,000 books with their young children before they enter kindergarten. This program is being adopted nationwide to promote reading to newborns, infants, toddlers and preschoolers, and to encourage parent and child bonding through reading. Research has shown that reading to children before their formal education is the most effective way to prepare them to read on their own. Experts tell us that children need to hear a thousand stories read aloud before they begin to read for themselves.*
How to Get Started
- Any child from birth to the day they enter Kindergarten is eligible.
- Sign up for the program by visiting the Children’s Department at the Central Library or the East Branch in Walnut Creek.
- Pick up your child’s keepsake reading log where you will keep track of the books reads by recording it’s title, author and date read.
- For every 100 books read, bring your child’s log to the library to receive a prize.
- For the 200th, 400th, 600th, 800th, and 1,000th book read, your child will receive a book of their very own to keep.
- When your child has finished 1,000 books, bring them to the Library for their final prize and to have their picture taken.
- The Library will host a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten graduation party each year. Check with the Children’s Department for date and details.
What Books Count?
- Books read at Story Time if you attend
- Books may be read more than once and recorded
- Books from home or the library—even other libraries
- Books on CD as long as they listen to the whole story
- A book read by any family member, teacher, etc. as long as they listen to the whole story.
- Books read on an iPad or e-reader
How Long Does It Take to Read 1,000 Books?
- 1 book per day x 3 years = 1,095 books
- 10 books per week x 2 years = 1,040 books
- 3 books per day x 1 year = 1,095 books
Suggestions
- Have fun! Reading together should never be a chore.
- Take every chance you have to read with your children, tell and talk about stories, say nursery rhymes, and sing songs.
- Expose your children to a variety of different types of stories and vocabulary. It is completely normal and expected for children, especially very young children, to have their favorite books that they want to hear over and over again. When you have the opportunity, introduce new stories so that your child has a chance to experience and hear many new words and concepts as possible.
- Children learn best when they are in a good mood, so read with your child when the experience will be the most pleasurable for both of you.
Five Early Literacy Skills
Parents can help even very young children learn the six early literacy skills which reading research has determined children must know before they can learn to read. These essential skills needed for school success are:
- Phonological Awareness-is being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.
- Vocabulary-is knowing the name of things and concepts.
- Print Motivation – is the enjoyment of books and reading.
- Print Awareness – being familiar with printed language and understanding that it is useful.
- Narrative Skills – being able to describe things, to tell what happened, to retell stories.
- Letter Knowledge – knowing that the same letter can look different, that letters have names, and that letters are related to sounds.
Celebrate!
Celebrate your child’s reading success by posting a photo on the Library’s Facebook Page or Twitter account of your child reading or holding their reading log. Use the hashtag #1000books Facebook.com/holmeslibrary Twitter.com/holmes_library