Selecting Books for Your Child: Finding 'Just Right' Books (2024)

FAQs

Selecting Books for Your Child: Finding 'Just Right' Books? ›

Look for books that have simple drawings of familiar things, actions, and events. Language. Children begin to key into content and can relate pictures to their world. While they still enjoy picture books, try some books with simple stories that have one line of text per page.

Look for books that have simple drawings of familiar things, actions, and events. Language. Children begin to key into content and can relate pictures to their world. While they still enjoy picture books, try some books with simple stories that have one line of text per page.

The number of fingers they're holding up by the end of the page tells them if the book is the right level: 0-1 fingers: It's too easy. 2-3 fingers: It's just right. 4-5 fingers: It's too hard for independent reading (best read aloud with a buddy).

A just-right book is at an instructional level that a child can decode and comprehend. The book should be challenging enough that they will stretch themselves and learn new vocabulary. They should be able to use different reading strategies rather than only decoding words.

The Five Finger Rule

They need to choose a book, open to any page. For each word they don't know, put up a finger. If they get to 5 or more words then the book is too hard. We are ideally looking for 1-2 words that they don't know so the book challenges them somewhat.

Why it's important. Children who have positive reading experiences tend to develop larger vocabularies, become better readers and perform better in school. Selecting books that are just right for a child is important so that they aren't reading books that are too easy, too hard, or that they have no interest in.

Teachers call this a “just right” book, or a book that is at the child's instructional level. Let me explain what that means. A just right book at a child's instructional level is a book that stretches the child just a bit — not so much as to make him frustrated but enough to continue his growth as a reader.

According to the five-finger rule (above), books that get 1-3 fingers raised are appropriate for your child, while books that receive 4-5 raised fingers may be too challenging – parents may choose to switch to an easier book for your child to read.

There are many reasons that “Just Right” books are important. One of the reasons is confidence and another is fluency. That look that your student gives you when they read that first sentence for the first time is confidence. If a student feels like the book is too difficult, then they will give up.

What is the Goldilocks rule for choosing books? ›

Use the Goldilocks rule. Read the first two pages. Every time you come to a work that you can't define, put one finger up. If you get to five fingers before the end of the first page, STOP!

The factors to consider when selecting books and reading materials include pedagogic purpose, universal criteria, content specific criteria, and authenticity. The factors to consider when selecting books and reading materials are the number of function and lexical words in the texts.

Set and use criteria with content, bias, accuracy, currency, and relevance in mind. Select books that are well-made, printed on good quality paper with bindings that will withstand little hands. Select stock to meet pupils' needs, interests and abilities, and encourage reading for pleasure.