Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District

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Manhattan branch is currently closed

Elwood branch is currently closed

Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District

Read To Grow Programs

Our series of Read to Grow Programs is designed to introduce children to reading, give them opportunities to love reading, and grow into lifelong readers. We invite you to participate in these FREE programs.

Choose a program below to learn more:

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

You are your child’s first and most important teacher.

Through reading aloud, children birth-PreK:

- Bond with their parent.
- Build vocabulary.
- Begin to understand that stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
- Boost their brain development.
- Become curious and imaginative.
- Learn that reading is from left to right, top to bottom.
- Identify reading as a pleasurable activity.

500 Books Before Intermediate School

Books are not just for school.

Through reading materials for fun kids in grades K-3 can:

- Increase their concentration and focus.
- Build vocabulary and language skills.
- Begin to understand story structure and characterization.
- Boost their brain development.
- Become curious and imaginative.
- Prepare for success in school.
- Find characters and situations that they identify with.

50 Books Before Junior High

Books are windows into our world and our imaginations.

Through reading materials they choose, kids in grades 4-5 can:

Expand their background knowledge.
Builds vocabulary and language skills.
Improve cognition.
Gain social awareness, expand worldview, and learn about other points of view.
Build and maintain memory.
Develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Become better writers.
Reduce stress and relax.
Build empathy for those around them.