1000 Books Before School

1000 Books Before School is a free early literacy program to help build children's literacy skills for a great start to school.

It's as simple as it sounds and it's achievable: read three books a day and finish in less than a year, read one book a day and finish in less than three years.

Online Registration

Download the Beanstack app onto your phone, create an account, register your children, and log the books read to them. Or use the Beanstack website.

Paper Registration

Bring your library card into Stanton Library and collect your 1-100 books tally sheet. Library membership is free and we recommend getting a library card for all young readers.

How it Works

When you reach 100 books, come into the library and show the 'I've read 100 books' badge earned in your app or your completed tally sheet to receive your 1000 Books Before School bag. For every further 100 books read after this, again show the 'badge' earned in the app, or next completed tally sheet, and you will receive a milestone patch for your bag.

ALL books count towards the 1000 books total.

They can be physical library books, eBooks online, audiobooks they have listened to, books read to them at child care or during library storytimes, books they read themselves, or books you read to them.

1000 Books Before School is at the heart of how libraries provide children's services and promote early literacy. The library is a recognised pathway to life-long learning and prosperity in the communities we serve. It's the core of our services to provide opportunities for children to enjoy reading.

Modelled on similar programs from the State Library of Victoria and Paramatta Library, the 1000 Books Before School program is proudly supported by the following councils: Hornsby, Lane Cove, Ku-ring-gai, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches and Ryde.