Small Reader, Big Milestone: Gadsden Toddler Mackinzie Grace Stigle Honored for Reading 3,500 Books in a Year

GADSDEN — For many children growing up, the Gadsden Public Library has been a very special place. That is no different for Mackinzie Grace Stigle.

While only two years old, Mackinzie Grace has already reached a remarkable milestone. She was honored Friday with a resolution from the Alabama State Senate, presented by District 10 State Sen. Andrew Jones, recognizing her achievement of reading more than 3,500 children’s books in a single year with the assistance of her family. Many of those books were read in the Children’s Department of the library.

Mackinzie Grace is the daughter of Matthew and Victoria “Tori” Stigle. The family noticed her love of books early, and Tori decided to set a goal. The original goal was set at 4,000 books in a year, until Tori’s mother suggested making the goal more manageable from a time standpoint by adjusting it to 3,000 books.

Mackinzie’s grandmother, known to her as Nana, became instrumental in helping reach the goal. Much of the reading took place at family homes and at the office with Mommy and Nana, but a great deal also took place in the Children’s Department of the library, where Mackinzie became well known among staff and visitors.

Mackinzie began the year at eight months old and finished the year at 20 months old, ultimately reaching 3,500 books in 2025.

Her family described the year as an exciting journey. It was especially rewarding to watch Mackinzie’s vocabulary grow and develop. At such a young age, she is already speaking in full sentences and has demonstrated a remarkable understanding of the world around her.

Early language, communication and literacy were the main goals of the effort. The family said those skills are fundamental to a solid educational foundation, and they wanted to ensure Mackinzie has the best possible start. They emphasized that they believe success starts at home.

Mackinzie has loved expanding her vocabulary to communicate better. Family members said she often began using new words from books within just a few hours of reading them, something that made the experience even more rewarding.

The majority of the reading was done at home or at the office with Mommy and Nana. Along the way, the family built a fun personal collection of books that included titles from Tori’s childhood as well as books shared by Mackinzie’s cousins. They also frequently visited the library to check out additional books. Mackinzie has also enjoyed the books the family receives through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

At just 20 months old, Mackinzie can independently say her alphabet and count from one through 20. She can identify her letters, colors and animals accurately and often speaks in full sentences and phrases.

For 2026, the family hopes to read 4,000 books and begin working on all of her sight words.

The Stigle family credited the staff of the library with helping encourage Mackinzie’s love for reading and for being welcoming and supportive of their goal. They said the library provided a wonderful place to spend time immersed in the many different books available.

Children’s Department Manager Hanna Gray spoke about how special Mackinzie is and about her many talents. Gray said it has been meaningful to have Mackinzie and the Stigle family as part of the library’s extended family and noted how the amount of reading she has done with her mother and grandmother has enhanced her vocabulary.

Gray also credited  her granmother with sharing a similar love for reading, a sentiment echoed by other members of the library staff.

Craig Scott, director of the Gadsden Public Library, praised the staff and said the library has the best children’s department in the state. He predicted Mackinzie could one day become a future librarian and described what Mackinzie and her family accomplished as an amazing accomplishment.

Experts widely consider reading early and often to be critical in early childhood development. Studies show children who are read to frequently at a young age are 77 percent more likely to pretend to read, 60 percent more likely to count to 20 or higher, and 54 percent more likely to write their names compared to those who are not read to regularly.

Research also highlights what is known as the “million-word gap.” Children who are never read to hear an average of 4,662 fewer words per day than those who are read to daily, which can result in a gap of about 1.4 million words by the time they reach kindergarten.

Consistent early reading, even beginning before three months of age, significantly boosts vocabulary, comprehension and long-term literacy development. Studies have also shown that children who are not reading proficiently by the third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.

For the Stigle family, however, the goal was primarily about building a daily habit and nurturing a love for books.

Nana said the goal worked out to about 10 books per day, though the family occasionally took some days off. Once the routine began, Mackinzie would often bring books to them and ask to read.

After about three weeks, she began asking to go into her “cave,” a special reading spot where much of the reading took place. Some days the family read 10 books, while other days were rest days, and some days they read more to make up for missed days.

Nana said such an undertaking requires support from many people and described the experience as a community effort. She echoed the praise of others for the staff and librarians at the library and said they have been very good to the family.

Through the reading, Mackinzie has already learned her ABCs, shapes, colors and many songs.

It was fitting that Mackinzie’s recognition came during the same week as Read Across America. While reading 3,500 books in a year is a lofty goal for even an adult, her story offers inspiration for others to incorporate regular reading into their daily routines.

When asked about her favorite book among the many she has read, Mackinzie is particularly fond of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle. Her love for the book was noticeable during the celebration, as the cake and decorations were themed after the familiar classic.

Another favorite is “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin Jr..

Mackinzie’s love of stories has also inspired a book of her own. Tori created a book inspired by Mackinzie’s travel adventures and had it printed for her daughter, creating a keepsake that will grow with her dreams and future journeys.

During the ceremony, Sen. Jones read the resolution recognizing Mackinzie’s accomplishment before presenting it to the family. He said the recognition was meant to honor Mackinzie Grace and her family while also acknowledging the work of the library staff and the important role the library plays in the community.

Jones and his wife, Summer, also presented Mackinzie with a personal gift — Summer’s favorite childhood book, “The Jolly Postman.” Jones humorously said she had him read the book before bed the night before the presentation.

The Stigle family thanked those who attended the celebration and those who supported them throughout the year. They also thanked the staff of the library and told them they were the best.

Following the presentation, cake and refreshments were shared in Mackinzie’s honor as family members, friends and library staff gathered to celebrate the milestone.

It was a special and inspiring day that demonstrated how big goals can be achieved with strong support, encouragement and love. Opening a book can spark imagination and take readers anywhere in the world, beginning a lifelong journey of discovery.

For Mackinzie Grace Stigle, that journey has already begun — the start of a very little girl on her way to doing very big things.