At just 4 years old, Jared from St. Louis has read over 1,000 books. Read on to discover more about this remarkable tale.
Only four years old… and with 1,000 books already ticked off as complete. That’s some impressive going for a book-obsessed youngster.
Many young kids go a little bit book mad when they are very young. This often means reading anything and everything they can get their hands on. However, some kids take things even further.
Jared from St. Louis, Missouri, definitely falls into the latter category. He’s shown such a deep love for books and reading that he’s already read a thousand titles — all before his fifth birthday.
Jared from St. Louis
Jared from St. Louis began reading at a very young age, just like many of us did. It’s just that he rapidly turned his love of books and language into a daily hobby, reading to family members, teachers, and basically anyone else he could find, every opportunity he got.
But after reading Sabrina Sue Loves The City – a well-loved tale by children’s author Priscilla Burris, about a fun-loving chicken who goes on an adventure in the big city – he found he’d hit a real milestone. He’d read 1,000 books.
Depending on how the leap years fall, there are either 1,826 or 1,827 days in five years. This means a five-year-old would need to be basically finishing a book every other day to be able to hit that target. And Jared managed it before he’d even hit his fifth birthday, which means he had at least a few days to spare. A very impressive achievement indeed.
Other High-Achieving Young Readers in St. Louis
It was back in 2023 when Jared hit his amazing milestone at the Rock Road Branch of the St. Louis County Library network. The library team took to social media to share the young man’s incredible work with the world.
The post achieved some serious attention from around the world. Well-wishers were quick to offer their own encouragement and support. In fact, 4.7 thousand people have commented in just two years, and the post has been shared 6,600 times.
But while Jared’s achievement is hugely impressive, it’s not in fact unique. Since 2023, a number of other kids have hit Jared’s milestone. While not all of them have achieved this before turning five, they still deserve some serious plaudits.
It’s all part of the St. Louis County Library’s 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program, which launched back in 2020. Between 2020 and 2024, the SLCL said that 221 hit this incredible target, and that the total number of books read by kids on the program was almost 407,000.
Daliyah Arana – First Librarian of the Library of Congress… for the Day
The story of young Jared brings to mind another tale, from back in 2017. This story concerns young Daliyah Arana, who was only four herself back then. She began reading age of just two years old, and finished her first book before she turned three.
Over the next year, she finished another 999 books and was invited to the Library of Congress by Dr. Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress. On her visit to the library, Daliyah became the honorary First Librarian of the Library of Congress herself, though only for the day. This was a very exciting gift for someone so young… or for anyone, for that matter.
Joining the St Louis 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program
If you’re in the St. Louis area, the STCL team actually makes it very easy for you to sign your child up for the program. You can register online through the SLCL.org website. From here, you can print a reading log in either English or Spanish, and then download the Beanstalk Tracker App.
If you’d prefer to sign up in person, you can visit one of St. Louis County Library’s branches.
Every time you read a book with your child, add it to their reading log. When they tick 100 books off the list, they get a sticker. At the halfway point, they get a free book and a small prize. And once they hit 1,000, they get another free book, a carry bag, and a few other fun prizes.
It’s a great way to encourage reading in kids, and the SLCL team predicts it takes most kids about three years to get through the program.
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John Burns
John has been writing ever since he was small, and is delighted to be able to make his living as a writer now he’s not quite so small. Literature has always been a big part of John’s life, and he loves sharing this passion with readers from all over the world.
