Choosing a just right book is like riding a bike.
- We don't want it to be "too hard," or feel like we're riding our bikes up bumpy hills.
- We don't want them to feel "too easy", like we could ride down a hill with no problem.
- We want "just right", which means a few bumps on a flat area.
You can use the Five Finger Rule.
Read 2-3 pages starting with a fist. For every word you do not know, put up a finger. The hands show what would be easy, just right, or too hard.
0-1 finger up means it's too easy
2-3 fingers means it's JUST RIGHT
4-5 fingers means it's too hard
***Although children should mostly read just right books, it is perfectly okay to try a challenge book or read an easy book. So, please support your child in choosing just right books and having a balanced reading diet!
You can ask yourself questions.
Read 2-3 pages of your book and ask yourself:Will it be an easy, fun book to read?
Do I understand what I am reading?
Do I know almost every word?
When I read it aloud, can I read it smoothly?
Do I think the topic will interest me?
Will this book be too hard for me?Is this book confusing and hard to understand by myself?When I read it aloud, does it sound choppy and slow?
Are there five or more words on a page that I don't know, or am unsure of?
*If most of your answers were "no," this book is too hard. You should wait awhile before you read this book. Give the book another try later, or ask an adult to read the book to you.
*If most of your answers were "yes", this will be an easy book to read independently by yourself.
How and why do we choose books?
Purpose - Why are you reading the book - to learn, to look at, to visualize?
Interest - we choose books if we know we like them, others made by the same person, or if we like the way they look.
Comprehend and Know - this is all about finding a book that is a good fit for you.. If a book too easy or too challenging, then it won't be a good book to read.
***Even if another classmate is reading a certain book, it doesn't mean it is just right for your child. Likewise, if a student is reading a picture book, it does not mean that it is "easy" for them, even if it is easy for your child.
