Library Challenges West Milford Families To Read 1,000 Books

WEST MILFORD, N.J. — They may not be able to count to 1,000 yet, but chlldren in West Milford -- and their families -- have been challenged by the township library to collectively read that many books together.

Families come together for a reading challenge at the New Milford Township Library during the summer.
Photo Credit: *Facebook*

Joshua Jongsma

10/19/2015 5:00 a.m.

The initiative pushes youngsters and their parents to break four figures before the start of kindergarten.

So far, it's working, Library Director Ricardo Pino said.

Even before the library started promoting the challenge in late September, nearly a dozen people signed up. Pino has since lost count.

The library will host story times once a month to help families reach the 1,000 mark. The events will be interactive, Pino said.

"It's very sensory and hands-on and we give them things that are tied in to whatever they're reading," he told Daily Voice. "If there's hopping in the book, we have them hop."

Founded in Nevada, the nationwide 1,000 Book Challenge aims to promote reading and family bonding.

Pino credited Children's Librarian Theresa McArthur for bringing the program to town.

The prize? Accomplishment.

"Studies have found parents who read to children, in general, have children with better rates of literacy," the library director said. "For us, it's great to try. We're starting at the earliest age we possibly can."

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