500 Books Before 5
Read. Record. Reward. Repeat.
500 Books Before 5 is a free reading challenge for children aged 0-5 years. Whether your child is a newborn, toddler or preschooler, it’s never too early or too late to start your reading journey.
Sharing books with your child is one of the best ways to support their learning and development. Reading together helps children build language skills, discover new ideas and develop a lifelong love of reading. Just a few minutes spent sharing a story can make a lasting difference while creating special memories along the way.
Reading together also supports school readiness and helps create positive reading habits that can last a lifetime.
How The Program Works
Become a Library Member
If your child isn’t already a member of Western Downs Libraries, sign them up for a free library card to access thousands of books and resources.
Join the Challenge
Register for 500 Books Before 5 and receive your free library bag and reading booklet
Read Together
Share books wherever and whenever it suits your family. Read at home, before bed, at Storytime, on holidays or on the go. Every book counts.
Log Your Books
Write the title of each book in your reading booklet. Every book counts, including favourite stories read more than once.
Celebrate Milestones
For every 100 books read, visit any Western Downs Libraries branch and show your booklet to receive a milestone reward.
Reach 500 Books
Keep reading until you reach 500 books and become a 500 Books Before 5 Champion! 🏆
Favourite books can be counted multiple times, because we know children love hearing beloved stories over and over again. Every book shared helps build language, imagination, and a lifelong love of reading. Books read by parents, grandparents, carers, siblings, and other family members all count towards the challenge, so everyone can join in and help your child reach
their 500-book milestone.
500 Books Is Easier Than You Think!
2 books a week from birth to age 5 = 520 books
4 books a week from age 2 to age 5 = 624 books
5 books a week from age 3 to age 5 = 520 books
10 books a week from age 4 to age 5 = 520 books
It’s never too early or too late to start!
FAQs
Any child aged 0-5 years can participate.
Every book counts, including library books, books from home, Storytime books, audiobooks books, books read by family members and favourite books read again and again.
500 Books Is Easier Than You Think!
2 books a week from birth to age 5 = 520 books
4 books a week from age 2 to age 5 = 624 books
5 books a week from age 3 to age 5 = 520 books
10 books a week from age 4 to age 5 = 520 books
It’s never too early or too late to start!
Yes. Participation is completely free.
Visit any Western Downs Libraries branch with your booklet after every 50 books to receive a milestone reward.
No. To make the program fair and easy for families and library staff to track, books can only be recorded from the date your child officially joins 500 Books Before 5. Books read before registration cannot be counted towards the challenge.
This helps ensure all participants are working towards the same goal from their start date and makes milestone rewards easier to manage and verify.
The program ends when you have logged 500 books, or your child turns 5. You can join the program at any time before your child is 5.