For Romie, reading has become part of the routine.

Before bedtime, she likes to sit down with her mother, Tayla, and listen to a book. On long flights to Australia to visit family, she can often be found with a book as well.

Now, that love of reading has earned the Slave Lake youngster a major milestone: 1,000 books before kindergarten.

The Rotary Club of Slave Lake Public Library recently celebrated Romie for completing the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, describing the accomplishment as a remarkable commitment to learning.

Romie has her favourite authors and characters, including the Berenstain Bears, Franklin, Jillian Jiggs, Fancy Nancy and Clifford.

She does not read the words independently yet, but enjoys being read to and has memorized some of her favourite books.

“I like turning the pages, finding new books and listening to Mom read,” Romie said.

Her mother, Tayla, said Romie is largely self-motivated when it comes to reading and does not need much encouragement to pick up a book.

The family has nine bookshelves filled with children’s books at home, and reading has become a regular part of Romie’s bedtime routine.

The 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program is a long-running literacy initiative operated independently of the Rotary Club of Slave Lake Public Library. The local library acts as a facilitator, helping families in the community participate.

The program operates exclusively for charitable, literacy and educational purposes, with the objectives of promoting reading to newborns, infants and toddlers and encouraging parent-child bonding through reading, said Susan Al-Mais, program and outreach coordinator at the library.

Reading has also been associated with early indicators of academic success, Al-Mais said, while parents and caregivers serve as children’s first educators during the critical early years from birth to age 5.

“Strong early literacy skills help children gain the confidence necessary to become strong readers in the future,” Al-Mais said.

Families participating in the program receive tracking sheets for every 100 books. Parents mark off each book they read with their child, and children receive a prize from the library after reaching each 100-book milestone.

The sheets also include literacy tips for parents, including activities such as singing to help children develop memorization skills and suggestions for helping them learn their ABCs.

There are currently about 20 to 30 families participating in the program at any given time, Al-Mais said. Recently, six children completed the program around the same time.

The program is not necessarily about children reading the books themselves.

For young children such as Romie, being read to by a parent is an important part of the experience, Al-Mais said.

She also encourages parents not to feel that reading necessarily has to involve a physical book. Digital devices can be useful educational tools when used appropriately, she said.

Al-Mais pointed to her own son as an example. He used an educational application on an iPad to learn his ABCs and was able to read when he entered kindergarten.

By Grade 2, she said, he was reading at approximately a Grade 4 level.

Al-Mais said the library’s family space is another resource. The space contains children’s books and toys where families can spend time together.

The library also hosts Reading in the Park activities during the summer, giving children another opportunity to enjoy books outside the home.

The weekly Reading in the Park sessions take place every week on Mondays from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
For Romie, however, reading already appears to be something she enjoys for its own sake.

Whether turning the pages of a familiar favourite, discovering a new story or listening to her mother read, she has already developed a habit that can continue well beyond her first day of kindergarten.

William Hetherington
Lakeside Leader