1000 Books Before Kindergarten :: 2000!!

We did it! We made it to our second 1000 unique books before kindergarten!!

It's also fitting that today is #TheBigRead2021, the annual one-day, online event to help kickstart early childhood literacy. If you are at all interested in this program, today is the perfect day to start!

I love that my kiddos love books. I was given the advice that the best way to prep kids for school and learning to read is to read to them. All day, every day, read, read, read. And so that's what we have done. Our Toddler School may have been lacking in many ways; but at the very least, we have read books. Lots and lots of different kinds of books. And in the process, my kids have learned to love books. And I really hope that carries over as they learn to read on their own in the coming months. I really hope they develop and maintain a lifelong love and appreciation of reading. It's something I am learning as an adult!

Way to go, Eli and Maddie!

You can find the books we have already read here:

• 1-100
• 101-200
• 201-300
• 301-400
• 401-500
• 501-600
• 601-700
• 701-800
• 801-900
• 901-1,000
• 1,000-1,100
• 1,100-1,200
• 1,200-1,300
• 1,300-1,400
• 1,400-1,500
• 1,500-1,600
• 1,600-1,700
• 1,700-1,800
• 1,800-1,900

1. Superhero Instruction Manual by Kristy Dempsey
2. Night at the Fair by Donald Crews
3. My Grandpa by Marta Altes
4. The Berenstain Bears Pirate Adventure by Stan & Jan Berenstain
5. Arthur Meets the President by Marc Brown
6. Paw Patrol: Ready Race Rescue! by Nickelodeon Publishing
7. My Little Polar Bear by Claudia Rueda
8. Curious George and the Puppies by H.A. Rey
9. Daniel Visits the Doctor by Becky Friedman
10. Ladybug by Claire Llewellyn
11. M is for Music by Kathleen Krull*
12. Music, Music for Everyone by Vera B. Williams
13. Time for School, Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle*
14. The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing
15. The Berenstain Bears Go to School by Stan Berenstain*
16. Ladybug Girl by Jacky Davis and David Soman
17. Ruthie and the {Not So} Teeny Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin
18. Lana Llama's Little Lamb by Barbara deRubertis*
19. Eli's Lie-O-Meter by Sandra Levins
20. Vincent Van Gogh by Mike Venezia*
21. Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy
22. Bubbles by Kate Chase
23. Pop! by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
24. Blippi: It's Time to Play by Nancy Parent
25. Eat Like a Bear by April Pulley Sayre
26. Hello, World! by Ethan Long*
27. Alphabet Rescue by Audrey Wood*
28. Fancy Nancy: Bubbles, Bubbles, and More Bubbles by Jane O'Connor
29. Five Flying Penguins by Barbara Barbieri McGrath
30. Bedtime for Bear by Brett Helquist
31. The Berenstain Bears Visit the Firehouse by Jan and Stan Berenstain*
32. Dodsworth in Rome by Tim Egan*
33. Marsh Music by Marianne Collins Berkes
34. My "f" Sound Box by Jane Belk Moncure
35. Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer by Laura Wifler*
36. Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller*
37. The Donut Chef by Bob Staake
38. Van Gogh and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt*
39. Frances Frog's Forever Friend by Barbara deRubertis*
40. Dodsworth in London by Tim Egan*
41. The Ultimate Guide to Grandmas and Grandpas! by Sally Lloyd-Jones*
42. Rooster's Off to See the World by Eric Carle
43. Dust Bunny Wants a Friend by Amy Hevron
44. Sloth at the Zoom by Helaine Becker
45. Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea
46. We Love our Dad! by Jan and Stan Berenstain
47. Everybody Has a Teddy by Virginia L. Kroll
48. Three Stories You Can Read to Your Teddy Bear by Sara Swan Miller
49. The Boy Who Thought He Was a Teddy Bear by Jeanne Willis
50. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear by Alice Schertle
51. The Teddy Bear by David McPhail
52. Looking Through a Microscope by Linda Bullock
53. You Can Use a Magnifying Glass by Wiley Blevins
54. I Love You All Year Through by Stephanie Stansbie
55. Paw Patrol: Sea Patrol to the Rescue! by Random House
56. Trucks Go by Steve Light*
57. Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood*
58. Stanley's Train by William Bee*
59. Stanley's School by William Bee*
60. Alphabet Trucks by Samantha R. Vamos*
61. Strega Nona by Tomie DePaola*
62. The Squirrel's Busy Year by Martin Jenkins
63. Sammy Skunk's Super Sniffer by Barbara deRubertis*
64. Sleep Tight Farm by Eugenie Doyle
65. Sea Lions by Kate Riggs
66. Sam by Alice K. Flanagan
67. Storks by Katie Riggs
68. Summer Supper by Rubin Pfeffer
69. Sea Turtles by Kate Riggs
70. Berenstain Bears Gifts of the Spirit: Caring by Mike Berenstain
71. Pete the Cat Parents' Day Surprise by James Dean
72. Hedgehugs by Steve Wilson*
73. Ladybug Girl and the Best Ever Playdate by Jacky Davis
74. Hanna Hippo's Horrible Hiccups by Barbara deRubertis*
75. Hippos Are Huge! by Jonathan London
76. Hush! by Minfong Ho
77. Hip Hop Dog by Chris Raschka
78. Hush Little Baby by J. Brian Pinkney
79. Hummingbirds by Kate Riggs
80. Hats Can Help by Alice K. Flanagan
81. Does a Yak Get a Haircut? by Fred Ehrlich
82. A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett
83. Ship in a Bottle by Andrew Prahin
84. Mighty Magnets by Nardia Higgins
85. Paw Patrol: The Little Read Rescue Box by Nickelodeon Publishing
86. Izzy Impala's Imaginary Illnesses by Barbara deRubertis*
87. Inch and Roly Make a Wish by Melissa Wiley
88. Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
89. Itsy-Bitsy Baby Mouse by Michelle Meadows
90. Chicken, Pig, Cow, and the Class Pet by Ruth Ohi
91. Strega Nona Meets Her Match by Tomie DePaola
92. Hansel and Gretel by James Marshall
93. Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy by Drew Daywalt
94. Tractor Mac Harvest Time by Billy Steers*
95. Ramps and Wedges by Sian Smith
96. Thomas & Friends: The Special Delivery by Random House
97. The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers by Stan and Jan Berenstain
98. The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter by Stan and Jan Berenstain
99. How to Build an Orchestra by Mary Auld*
100. Elbow Grease by John Cena

*Some of our favorites