• Guided Reading Levels

    Get EPIC has thousands of quality titles for kids including read-to-me, nonfiction and graphic novels.  Our school code is lnd4546.

     

    Scholastic's Book Wizard is one source for helping identify the Guided Reading Level of books you may have at your house, wish to purchase, or best of all, books you borrow from the library.

     

     

    I personally recommend browsing the shelves to find a title or subject of personal interest and reading the back cover or inside of the book jacket to get an idea of what the book is about.  If it sounds horrible, close the book up, put it back, and try a different one.  If the book does sound like it might be 'just right' for you, try using the Five Finger Rule to see if the reading level is comfortable for you.  Also, it is a good idea to borrow a few more than you think you might actually read because what may seem like a good choice at first might turn out not to be so awesome after you read 20 pages or so.  That way, you will have a back up plan and can really enjoy what you read.

     

    When you have made your selection, take the books up to any computer or device with Internet access and go to the Scholastic Book Wizard site to check to see if your book choice is on target with your reading level.  Remember that Book Wizard is just a guide based on sentence structure, vocabulary, paragraphs and many other factors, (and the people that enter the information do not really sit and read every single book), so sometimes the levels may not seem quite right.  It is usually ok to read a book that is 1-2 levels above/below your assigned level.  If you are in doubt, ask a teacher for help.

     

    There are millions of books in print, and in audio and electronic versions.  Eventually, you will find the right one for you.  Enjoy.

     

    You may also want to try Level It , an app for Apple and Android devices, as another source to check Fountas and Pinnell guided reading levels.

     

    Another librarian's method for choosing the just right book.  Watch this presentation.

     

    Novelist K-8

     

    So many choices, so little time.   Novelist K-8, available through EBSCO via JerseyClicks, on the Mountainside Public Library's website is a great tool for reading suggestions.  Follow your favorite author, continue a series, or discover a new genre.  Novelist K-8 also provides read-alike suggestions so you will never run out of good books to read.  Remember to  borrow several titles at once so that in case your first choice is not a hit, you will have a back-up title ready and waiting to be read.  Ask Mrs. Bladzinski for help or a tutorial on how to access and navigate Novelist K-8.

     

    Scholastic Book Fair Trailers