Choosing "Just Right" Books
One of the more difficult things in supporting and encouraging your child's reading, is knowing the right kinds of books to purchase or borrow that fit with your child's current reading level.
There are many things that can make it difficult or that you need to think about when choosing appropriate books for your child. These can include:
Finding a book that matches or engages your child's ever changing interests;
Finding a book that is at their level (more about this in a minute)
Finding a book that appropriate, in that it fits within the context and values of your family
I wanted to expand on the second point as that can be a tricky area for parents. As we choose books for children, we of course want to allow children to have choice as that gives them ownership. However, we also want to ensure that children are reading books at their appropriate level to build reading skills and growth. A student in Grade 6 reading at a Grade 6 level but choosing books that are more intended for a grade 3 students because they are easier, is not providing enough of a challenge. Children also need to be reading books that are at or even slightly ahead of them to build vocabulary, as well as strength in comprehension and reading fluency. I am not saying that everything has to be chosen to challenge them. I myself like to read some YA materials, not only to keep up to date but also for enjoyment. However, if children are always reading books below their level, they are not building the skills they need as they move up through the grades.
I recently came across a couple of resources that I thought would be great for parents and maybe even teachers as they look at supporting their children as readers. The first is an article from the Royal Gazette Online. The author, Darnell Wynn, states that,
Parents want their children to read well and independently for enjoyment. Research has shown that children who read generously develop more expansive vocabularies and achieve higher levels of reading and writing development. Reading daily at home is beneficial for children to learn new vocabulary and information, increase speed and fluency, improve comprehension, experience different authors’ writing styles and ultimately develop a greater interest and love of reading and writing.
How can parents choose ‘just right’ books for their children to support reading and writing development?
‘Just right’ books means your child:
l Is interested in the book
l Can read and figure out almost all of the words
l Understands what he or she is reading and can tell you about the story
l Can read fairly smoothly
Noted educator and author Regie Routman recommends the five-finger rule in selecting the ‘just right’ book for your child. She suggests as your child reads, have him or her count on one hand any unknown words. If there are five or more different unknown words on a full page, the book is too hard for your child to read alone. However, you could read the book aloud to your child. Older children can read several pages before deciding whether a book is too hard. Ms Routman notes that sometimes a book that may initially seem too hard is ‘just right’ once the child has read enough for meaning to ‘kick’ in.
Ultimately, parents should make reading fun for their children. In addition to selecting ‘just right’ books, parents should never tie their opinion of their child to his reading ability by communicating that through attitudes and behaviours. Parents should not push their child to read at higher levels at the sacrifice of understanding. The best way to make reading fun is through conversation about what is being read.
Options for parents looking for ways to support a child’s reading can include scanning stories ahead for difficult or unusual vocabulary and going over these words in advance. Allow your child to read through a story silently before reading aloud (especially if your child is self-conscious about reading aloud). Alternatively, a parent can first read the story aloud and discuss the story content. Parents can add variety to the reading sessions by taking turns with the reading by sharing lines or pages. Read story beginnings aloud to your child to hook interest then let your child finish the story independently. If a story includes dialogue, assume the role of one of the characters and read using different voices, accents and inflections.
When helping your child to understand and respond to stories, think about ways to get your child involved. For example, if the story takes place in an unfamiliar place, use an atlas to locate the place and share as much as you can to generate interest and knowledge about the location of the story.
After reading the first few pages or chapters, stop and talk about the main character in the story and discuss possible events and endings that might occur. Connect the character to your life.
While the reading is progressing, check in to see how the character’s situation is progressing and how your child is reacting to the developments in the story. Have your child read sections aloud that she finds particularly interesting or confusing. You can give your child sticky notes to mark special pages for further discussion.
After the reading, discuss personal reactions to the story with your child. What was liked or disliked and were there any lessons learned?
There may be an opportunity for a follow-up to the story and this can be done in art form, writing, drama or reading another book by the same author or similar genre. The possibilities are there to explore.
Choosing ‘just right’ books and knowing how to engage with your child as a reader and as a supporter of reading is the best way to instill a love of reading and life-long desire to read. Our children learn to value reading when it is a shared and supportive home activity with adults who actively engage with books.
The Reading Rocket site has another way to think about helping your child choose the appropriate books for their level: How can parents help their children find books that are not "too hard" and not "too easy" but instead are "just right"? Here's some advice.
Choose a book that you think you will enjoy.
Hold up a finger for each word you are not sure of, or do not know.
If there are five or more words you did not know, you should choose an easier book.
Still think it may not be too difficult? Use the five finger rule on two more pages.
Choose a book that is a good fit for you!
Read two or three pages and ask yourself these questions:
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?
If most of your answers were "yes", this will be an easy book to read independently by yourself.
Will this book be too hard for me?
Are there five or more words on a page that I don't know, or am unsure of?
Is this book confusing and hard to understand by myself?
When I read it aloud, does it sound choppy and slow?
If most of your answers were "yes," 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.
Tips on reading with your child
When they can't read the word, say…
Can you think of the word or movement that helps you remember that vowel sound?
What is the first and last sound? What word would make sense?
Does it have a pattern that you have seen in other words? (ex-an, ack)
You said_______. Does that make sense?
What word would make sense that would start with these sounds?
Put your finger under the word as you say it.
When they want to read a book that is too hard, say…
This is a book you will enjoy more if you save it until you are older — or later in the year.
[Be honest!] When people read books that are too hard for them, they often skip important parts. You will have more fun with this book if you wait until you can read it easily.
I hope that that gives some good guides to helping you with choosing good books. Your child's teacher or your local community librarian can also give you some good suggestions on books to share with your child. They have had many years of guiding students to good books and are excellent resources.
