How to Choose a Book That's Right for You!

Now that summer is here we have a lot of time to read and relax with a good book. In fact, with 77 days of summer vacation, children would probably be at a disadvantage next fall if they never practiced their reading skills learned this school year. Surely all Mill Street students can find time each day to enjoy reading.

Books can be found at all reading levels. A book can be read to, with, or by a child. Children need to know how to determine which of these ways is the most appropriate for the chosen book. The easiest way to choose a book the child can read by himself is to use the five finger rule. The child chooses any page from the book and reads it. For every word that he cannot read, the child puts up one finger. If by the end of that page the child has all five fingers up, the book is too difficult to read. It would be a better choice to have the book read to him, or with someone.

Another way to choose a book is to follow the guide below.

Ask yourself these questions. If you are answering YES, this book is probably a Too Easy book for you. Have fun reading it!

1. Have you read it lots of times before?
2. Do you understand the story very well?
3. Do you know almost every word?
4. Can you read it smoothly?

Ask yourself these questions. If you are answering YES, this book is probably a Just Right book for you. Go ahead and learn from it!

1. Is this book new to you?
2. Do you understand some of the book?
3. Are there just a few words per page you don't know?
4. When you read are some places smooth and some choppy?
5. Can someone help you with this book? Who?

Ask yourself these questions. If you are answering YES, this book is probably a Too Hard book for you. Spend a little time with it now. Give it another try later (perhaps in a couple of months).

1. Are there more than a few words on a page you don't know?
2. Are you confused about what is happening in most of this book?
3. When you read, does it sound pretty choppy?
4. Is everyone else busy and unable to help you?