Congratulations to Cooper Mellick who just finished the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program at the Newton Public Library. Cooper received a Dr. Seuss bag full of items to help him get ready for kindergarten. Cooper will have a great head start for school with 1,000 books read to him before he begins kindergarten. The Newton Public Library 1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a program designed to encourage reading every day. Studies show that being read to daily at home is the single biggest predictor of later success in school. If you read one book a day to your child, it takes approximately three years to finish the program. Stop by the library anytime to register your child for this free program or register at newtongov.org/892/1000-Books-Before-Kindergarten.