Carnegie Public Library is very proud to announce the newest members of the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Club: Emery and Meredith Amore.

Emery, a preschooler, and Meredith, not yet in preschool, have each read 1,000 books in their young lives and are very well prepared to begin kindergarten once that day arrives. To celebrate the milestone, Carnegie Public Library invited the Amore family for a small reception and Emery and Meredith were each awarded a trophy and a certificate.

It’s important to note that neither of these girls can read in the traditional sense yet. However, they have been read to, they have flipped pages while telling the story, and they have even memorized their favorite books. All these tasks require early literacy skills, including how to hold a book, how to recognize that letters make sounds and words have meanings, and the idea that reading is fun. They will soon be mature enough to learn to read and they will be fully prepared.

In the Amore family, much of the reading was completed by the mother, Marcie, although the father, Anthony, and the grandparents also read to the children. Occasionally the girls listened to audiobooks. Baby brother Elliott has listened to several books himself and has begun his march to 1,000.

Marcie tracked the books they’ve read using the Beanstack app. Many of the books they’ve read were checked out from Carnegie Public Library, while others have been mailed to the house by the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The girls have packed bookshelves at home, so books are always accessible.

Marcie recommends reading 1,000 books not only for early literacy skills, but also because it’s an opportunity to be present with her kids and talk. Books fit nicely into their bedtime routine and can help pass the time on car rides. The two favorite books they’ve read and reread are “Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons” by Eric Litwin and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin, Jr.

The Amore family read and recorded 1,000 books in under two years. When parents and caregivers read regularly with children aged birth to 5, they supplement language and communication skills, build base knowledge on a variety of subjects, and prepare them to learn one day to read. Reading is also a special moment for parents and children to bond, be it at bedtime or part of another routine.

If you are interested in learning more about reading 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, please visit 1000booksbeforekindergarten.org. Families can register to receive fee books by mail at ohioimaginationlibrary.org and can track reading using Beanstack by visiting cplwcho.beanstack.org. If you have questions about the local 1000 books before kindergarten and how to get started, stop in the Children’s Department at Carnegie Public Library.