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Understanding Book Characteristics

Leveling is a complex process involving the examination of text features and the
unique blend of these features in any one book:
One text may be challenging because of certain features, and another
text may be challenging for different features.
A text with simple words and concepts may be made harder or easier
by factors such as length, layout, and print size.
On the other hand, a text that "looks easy" because it has few lines of
text and big print may be quite challenging because of the vocabulary
and the difficulty or number of the concepts included.
The features used to evaluate a books level include print and layout, vocabulary,
sentence complexity, structure, content, language, themes and ideas, and all these
characteristics in combination:
BOOK AND PRINT FEATURES
The physical aspects of the textwhat readers cope with in terms of length, size,
and layout. Book and print features also include tools like the table of contents,
glossary, pronunciation guides, indices, and sidebars.
VOCABULARY
Refers to the meaning of the words and is part of our oral language. The more the
words are accessible to readers in terms of meaning, the easier a text will be. For
individuals, reading and writing vocabularies refer to words that they understand
and can also read or write.
WORDS
Recognizing and solving the printed words in the text. The challenge in a text
partly depends on the number and difficulty of the words that the reader must solve
by recognizing them or decoding them. Having many of the same high frequency
words makes a text more accessible to readers.
Books are leveled not solely on the difficulty of specific vocabulary words, but
rather on how they explain difficult words. For example, Lemony Snicket might
use the following; he was a malicious man, in other words he was very cruel. In
contrast, Harry Potter might describe Professor Snape as malicious while readers
would need to infer what the author meant. This explains why Level A-D books
may use words like rhinoceros or dinosaur, because there is usually a picture
accompanying the word.
SENTENCE COMPLEXITY
Written language is qualitatively different from spoken language. Fiction writers
use dialogue, figurative language, and other kinds of literary structures. Factual
writers use description and technical language. In hybrid texts you may find a wide
range of literary language.
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GENRE
The type of text and refers to a system by which fiction and nonfiction texts are
classified. Each genre has characteristic features.
TEXT STRUCTURE
The way the text is organized and presented. It may be narrative, as in most fiction
and biographical texts. Factual texts are organized categorically or topically and
may have sections with headings. Factual texts use several underlying structural
patterns to provide information to readers: enumeration, chronological sequence,
compare/contrast, cause/effect, and problem/solution. The presence of these
structures, especially in combination, can increase the challenge for readers.
CONTENT
The subject matter of the textthe concepts that are important to understand. In
fiction, content may be related to the setting or to the kinds of problems characters
have. In factual texts, content refers to the topic of focus. Content is considered in
relation to the prior experience of readers.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Drawings, paintings, or photographs that accompany the text and add meaning and
enjoyment. In factual texts, illustrations also include graphics that provide a great
deal of information that readers must integrate with the text. Illustrations are an
integral part of a high quality text. Increasingly, fiction texts include a range of
graphics.
THEMES AND IDEAS
The big ideas that are communicated by the text. A text may have multiple themes
or a main theme and several supporting themes or ideas.
How are books leveled?
A leveled childrens book collection consists of books organized along a gradient
of difficulty, from easiest to read to hardest to read. A level indicates a group of
books that are similar to one another. A cluster of characteristics describes the
level; no text will have every characteristic listed for the level. In the gradient, A
represents the easiest books to read and Z identifies the most challenging
childrens books.
Reading Level Bands
Books at reading levels A to K are relatively easy to differentiate by precise level.
But for books above level K, there is less commonality at each level. Above K,
there is less merit to attempting to say that all books are at a particular level for the
same reasons. That is, there are lots of ways for a book to be hard. One book may
include foreign language words, another, a sea of characters, and in yet another, the
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passage of time may be especially complex. There is no one way for a book to be
hardor easy!
Given this complexity, its helpful to describe some of the main ways in which
books with a band of text difficulty, a clump of several text levels, tend to pose
new challenges for their readers. Lucy Calkins found that kids tend to move fairly
easily between some levels and to get stuck at the transition to other levels,
suggesting that those places where kids are prone to get stuck might involve larger
step-ups. Based on that research, Calkins has described upper-grade text levels as
falling within these bands:
K/L/M
N/O/P/Q
R/S/T
U/V/W
X/Y/Z
Each of these bands of levels has varying common characteristics that students
need to learn in order to read and understand the text successfully. For example,
levels KLM are grouped together because they have a clear and basic story
structure. When a student moves up to the NOPQ range, the characters become
more complicated, there are sub-plots, and more figurative language. At RST, the
setting now plays a more major role, characters become more complex, and there
are numerous point of view switches.
For each band of text difficulty, it is helpful to ask, What is the new work that
readers who are working with books in this band of text difficulty will be apt to
do?
The following pages summarize characteristics of the book bands KLM, NOPQ,
RST, UVW, and XYZ, along with sample questions and prompts to assess
comprehension at each band of reading difficulty.
Also attached is detailed information of each reading level, A-Z, with lists of
sample leveled book titles for each reading level.

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COMPARISON OF READING LEVEL BANDS

K/L/M N/O/P/Q R/S/T U/V/W
Structure
Single storyline spans the entire
book
Characters and problem have a
traditional structure
Short chapters and books
Mysteries have very obvious
clues
Structurally complex
Characters have
multidimensional problems
Subplots
Not always chronological
Iceberg: what shows and what
doesnt; layered meaning;
inference
Evolving setting plays a role
Deeper problems not so
easily resolved/solved
Subplots
Metaphorical themes
Passage of time back story,
non-sequential,
foreshadowing, multiple
plotlines, symbolic setting
Social statements about larger
themes
Characters
Dialogue becomes more
complex
Character traits are explicitly
labeled
Characters tend to be static
(consistent)
Intrinsic motivation
The character wants something
concrete
Have multiple reasons or
motivations for what they do
Ambivalent, conflicted
feelings
Less inference but explained
by a narrator or character
Iceberg: inference
Often, character doesnt know
feelings; complex feelings
Minor characters have a larger
role by the end
Rich, complex internal lives
of characters
More characters
Teenagers harder to relate to
for younger readers
Unreliable narrator
Adult world
Evolving characters
Multiple points of view
Complex characters
Vocabulary/
Syntax
2-3 syllable words
Subject-specific vocabulary (not
words used conversationally)
Use of figures of speech
Word play, cultural references
Academic, multisyllabic
language
Metaphorical
Tricky chapters expect some
lack of clarity
Rich
Metaphorical and figurative
language
Tricky words and characters
Same as R/S/T
Work the
Reader is
Doing
Monitor understanding
Stamina
Use context clues to get the
meaning of subject-specific
words
Determine importance
Identify the central problem
and refine problem over the
course of the text
Synthesize what other
characters say about each
other
Determine meaning from
context (easily misinterpreted)
Inference
Hold on to information
Wait for clarity
Reader knows things before
the character
Wonder why is this
happening?
Reader must live with
uncertainty and unanswered
questions
Deep questions
Decode social/historical
setting
Reader must interpret meaning
and construct opinions
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Overview of Reading Levels A - J

Level A & B
Readers are using meaning and structure to read, not phonological cues.
Guidelines for readers include:
Using the picture as source of information
Need to be working on one to one match
Directionality (read left to right)
Know a handful of sight words
Can continue a pattern after reading the first page

Level C & D
Similar to A & B Levels, but now unknown words need to be something the reader can
figure out graphophonological cues (or using beginning and ending letters).
Guidelines for readers include:
Beginning to decode
Level D books have longer patterns and more sight words

Level E
Guidelines for readers include:
Looking through the word to begin chunking words (ex: p-ark=park)
Build comprehension

Level F-G
Guidelines for readers include:
Building stronger comprehension skills
Figuring out difficult vocabulary

Level H-I
Guidelines for readers include:
Developing inferencing skills. (If kids cant do a little bit of inference, they will
not be able to read J level books).
All print strategies are taught in levels A-J; after J its all comprehension.

Level J
Each chapter is generally a self-contained story,
Two characters together: Mr. Putter and Tabby, Henry and Mudge, Frog and Toad
Short stories within a chapter or a few chapters
Simple beginning, middle and end
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K/L/M Reading Band
(Nate the Great to The Paint Brush Kid)
What Kind of Work Is Called For in the Band KLM?
STRUCTURE
When readers move into books that are within this band of text difficulty, they are apt to find that
instead of reading episodic chapter books such as one finds in the earliest chapter books, where
each chapter is essentially a self-contained story involving the same characters, they are now
reading books in which a single story line spans the entire book. This means that readers are
required to carry a lot of content across a broader swatch of text, so synthesis and determining
importance are important skills. Readers profit from understanding how stories tend to go
because when reading fiction at these levels, most of it fits in a straightforward fashion into the
traditional story structure of a character who has traits and motivations, and who runs into
problems and ends up somehow resolving those problems.
The good news is that books at this level tend to provide youngsters with a lot of support. Both
the books and the chapters are short. The title of the book (and sometimes the chapters) and the
blurb on the back cover help readers grasp the main through line in the story.
CHARACTERS
There is a lot of dialogue in these books, often between several main characters. It is not always
tagged and is sometimes interrupted, as in this example: Im going, Mark said, getting up to
walk out. I wont ever come back.
The characters in these books have a few dominant characteristics, and these are explicitly
labeled, repeatedly. Horrible Harry ishorrible.
The characters tend to be relatively static. They change their feelings over the course of the
story, but their traits are fairly consistent throughout the book, and often these are related to the
main problem. In Horrible Harry and the Ant Invasion, Harry likes creepy things, so when the
teacher asks, Would you like to be the ant monitor? things coalesce around this character trait.
In these stories, the character often wants something concreteto take care of creepy creatures,
to win the prize, to get the shoes that popular kids wear.
In the books at the high end of this level, it fairly often happens that the character ends up getting
not the concrete thing he or she wanted but rather the deeper motivation that made the character
want the concrete object in the first place. The boy does not get the shoes that the popular kids
all wear, but he does get a friend and a chance to feel popular.
VOCABULARY AND SYNTAX
Readers of books in the KLM band of difficulty will find themselves required to tackle an
increasing number of two- and three-syllable words. Readers of books in this band of text
difficulty will find that more and more words in their books are not words they use
conversationallyand many of these will be subject specific. A story about soccer will include
opponent, cleat, and positions, for example.
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K/L/M Reading Band
(Nate the Great to The Paint Brush Kid)

STRUCTURE - Traditional story structure character runs into problems and
solves them
- Single storyline spans the entire book; requires readers to carry
a lot of content across a broader swath of text
- Short chapters and books
- Story may be connected to a theme
- Mysteries have very obvious clues

CHARACTERS - Usually only one main character
- Characters have a few dominant traits that are explicitly
labeled and repeated
- Characters feelings change but traits are fairly static and
consistent
- More complex dialogue not always tagged and sometimes
interrupted
- Characters often want something concrete
- Character encounters a problem and solves the problem
- Minimal inference

VOCABULARY/ - Text more difficult; more two- and three-syllable words
SYNTAX - Subject-specific vocabulary (not words used conversationally)

WORK THE - Staminasequential chapters that build upon one another
READER - Monitoring understanding
IS DOING - Accumulating and synthesizing information
- Determining importance
- Using context clues to get the meaning of subject-specific
words
- M readers often stuck in level M b/c it is a jump to level N

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K/L/M Reading Band
(Nate the Great to The Paint Brush Kid)

Conferring Questions for KLM Readers

Who is the main character?
What are they like?
What does the character want?
What is the problem? The setting?
Who are the other characters?
How is the character feeling?
How could you relate to this in your own life? How different?
How do you feel about the character/story?
What in the text makes you think that?

9 2012 billedison
K/L/M Reading Band
(Nate the Great to The Paint Brush Kid)

Comprehension Prompts for KLM Readers


Prediction

I think __________________ will happen because, earlier ___________________.
I was right. (or How surprising!) Now I think ___________________.

In this book, the big problem (question) is ___________________. I think
___________________.


Developing Theories About Characters
Teachers say the part in italics, then give kids fill in the blank prompts.

Think about a character in your book.
____________ is _______________ because ____________________.

Think about what you know about your character so far.
Shes/hes (doing/saying). This shows me shes/hes _________________.

In this book, the main characters feelings change.
First, Shes/hes __________ because __________. Then later, shes/hes
___________ because ____________.

Characters make choices in stories. Think about the choices your character has
made.
She/he could have ___________ but instead she/he ____________. This
makes me think that shes/hes _______________.
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N/O/P/Q Reading Band
(The Chocolate Touch and A to Z Mysteries to Fudge-a-Mania)
What Kind of Work Is Called For in the Band NOPQ?
STRUCTURE
Before now, the narratives that children tended to read fell neatly into a traditional story structure
in which a single main character has a big motivation. He or she wants something and gets
stymied, but like The Little Engine That Could, the character tries, tries, tries, and eventually
makes it over the top of the story mountain.
Once readers are working with texts in the N-Q band of text difficulty, however, the texts will be
structurally more complex. The narrative frame is still present, but the character encounters not
just one concrete problem but instead a blend of pressures, or a multidimensional problem. In
Amber Brown is not a Crayon, the big problem is that Ambers best friend Justin is moving
away, but because Justin puts the best face on this, Amber feels that he doesnt share her agony
over the impending separation, and consequently they get into relationship problems. Then, too,
there are smaller problems that come along the path. Will they be able to convince the family
that is considering buying Justins home that it is not at all the house they want? When reading
texts in this band of text difficulty, a fair amount of abstraction is required for readers to extract
the one overarching story line that provides the bearing walls for stories.
This means, of course, that the work readers were doing earlier in synthesis and determining
importance is all the more necessary now, and the question What seems to be the central
problem in this story? is both important and challenging. Readers should expect that thought is
required to respond to that question, and often the answer has several parts to it. Problems will
start to be multidimensional, and between the characters motivation and the storys resolution,
there will be a few subplots.
When working with readers in this band of text difficulty, then, it is helpful to show them that
readers work to keep focused on the central story line. It helps if readers understand that the
question What does this text seem to be mostly about? will produce an answer that evolves
over time. As they read more deeply into a book, and as more information is provided to them,
readers should expect theyll refine their sense of the overarching problem (the one that holds the
whole story together). A reader might read about a point of contention between two important
characters and think this will be central to the story and then be shown that actually that one
conflict was only a small part of the main story line. The important thing is that the reader be
willing to let go of his or her first expectation to fashion one that is more grounded in the text as
it actually unrolls.
CHARACTERS
One way to help readers who are working in this band of text difficulty synthesize the text is to
help them think about why characters do what they do, ascribing more than one cause to an
effect, using phrases such as Another reason is or Another part of this is and Another
part is. To talk about cause and effect, readers need to link earlier parts of a book to later
parts, uncovering the through lines.
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N/O/P/Q Reading Band
(The Chocolate Touch and A to Z Mysteries to Fudge-a-Mania)
What Kind of Work Is Called For in the Band NOPQ?
CHARACTER (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)
Its not only the story line in these books that is more complicated. The main character will tend
to be complicated as well. The character is often conflicted. Amber wants to be a little kid and
wants to be a teenager at the same time. She is part thirteen and part nine. She both likes her
mothers boyfriend and she resents the way he has replaced her father. She both adores her pal
Justin and is furious at him for moving away. Feelings tend to be ambivalent and often at least
some of the trouble in the story is internal, related to these ambivalent feelings. Usually,
however, readers do not need to deduce these characteristics. The characters are complex, but
readers are told about this complexity. It usually will not be subtle. Someonethe character or
the narratorwill come right out and tell the reader the traits of the main characters. Readers
will only need to pay attention to these descriptors and then carry them so that when the
character later acts accordingly, the reader is able to think, Yep, there she goes, acting.
VOCABULARY AND SYNTAX
Earlier, it was suggested that readers who are working in the KLM band of text difficulty need to
be prepared to work with tricky words, because they will begin encountering many more
multisyllabic words, and this trend will continue. There are two things to note as readers move
into level NOPQ books.
First, readers will encounter many words that live in the world of written language and are rarely
part of a childs spoken language. A teacher may not, at first, think of unique as a tricky word
after all, it is not a term such as ambivalent or morosebut it is helpful for teachers to realize
that reading is now taking children into a world of academic language, and there are far more
unfamiliar or vaguely familiar words in that world than a teacher might realize.
But the main point is that at this level of text difficulty, readers encounter not just tricky words,
but tricky phrases and tricky passages. Usually these are tricky because they include a play on
language, perhaps a pun or a metaphor or another figure of speech. The title of the book Amber
Brown is not a Crayon is a perfect example. The reader who knows there is a character named
Amber, surname Brown, and who has never had one of those boxes of 300 crayons, including
one bearing the title Amber Brown, might well miss the entire point of that books title. Another
example is Forever Amber Brown. Readers know that the mothers boyfriend and Amber both
like to bowl. At one point, Amber is discussing whether her parents might be reunited, and she
says that the chances are about as great as that of her scoring 300 in bowling. There are a few
challenges in these tricky parts of books. One is that often some world knowledge is required to
grasp the point: Readers need to know that Amber Brown is the name of a crayon and that 300 is
a perfect score in bowling. The other problem, though, is that passages such as these could lead
readers astray. A reader might misread Ambers comment about her parents getting back
together and somehow get the idea that the characters are now going bowling. As the language
in the texts becomes more complex, it is almost inevitable that readers will misinterpret in ways
that could lead them astray; the important think is that readers need to be able to self-correct
erroneous interpretations if, as they read on, they are not borne out.
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N/O/P/Q Reading Band
(The Chocolate Touch and A to Z Mysteries to Fudge-a-Mania)

STRUCTURE - Narratives more complex; not always chronological
- Characters encounter not one problem but a blend of pressures
or a multidimensional problem
- Central problem evolves over timereaders need to refine
their sense of the main problem
- Subplots; problems within problems
- Problems may be resolved but not solved

CHARACTERS - Main character is more complicated and is often
ambivalent/conflicted
- Characters have multiple reasons or motivations for what they
do
- Characters change over time
- More inferenceBUT readers do not need to deduce main
character traitsthese are explained by narrator or character
(readers need to pay attention to these descriptors)

VOCABULARY/ - Many more multisyllabic words
SYNTAX - Far more unfamiliar or vaguely familiar words
- Academic language (vs. spoken language)
- Play on language, pun or metaphor or another figure of speech

WORK THE - Identifying the central problem and refining problem over the
READER course of the text
IS DOING - Think about why characters do what they do
- Synthesizing what other characters say about each other
- Determining meaning from context (easily misinterpreted)
- Self-correct erroneous interpretations as they read on

13 2012 billedison
N/O/P/Q Reading Band
(The Chocolate Touch and A to Z Mysteries to Fudge-a-Mania)

Conferring Questions for NOPQ Readers

What actions tell you about your characters? What do you know about your
character?
What are some things your character says/does/feels that reveals who they are?
Based on this, what do you think your character wants/needs/desires?
Character changes: How is your character feeling now? What makes you say
that? How is that different than yesterdays reading?
Events: What events have changed your character?
Your opinion: How are you feeling about your character now? What has
happened to make you say that?
Figurative language: Show me some figurative language and tell me about it.

14 2012 billedison
N/O/P/Q Reading Band
(The Chocolate Touch and A to Z Mysteries to Fudge-a-Mania)

Comprehension Prompts for NOPQ Readers

Prediction

The main character mostly wants ___________________. In the end, it could turn
out that she/he gets ___________________.

I think that later in this book, it might happen like this ___________________.
Then again, it might not go that way. It might instead ___________________.

This whole story is mainly about how ___________________ has some problems
(a problem, some pressures). They are ___________________. Things get worse
and worse because ___________________. I think in the end
___________________. I think this because I know stuff about the character. For
example, I know ___________________.


Developing Theories About Characters
Teachers say the part in italics, then give kids fill in the blank prompts.

Characters dont always act the same across a book.
Sometimes my character is _________________. For example,
__________________. But other times, she/he __________________. For
example, _______________. This makes me think________________ .

Characters will change as the story progresses. As you read, be on the lookout for
how they are changing.
In the beginning, my character was ___________________ but as the story
continues, I think my character could be changing. By the end, she/he
___________________.

Writers dont always tell us about our characters personality/feelings. Other
times, the author shows us through our characters actions and words.
For example, it says ___________________. Then there are places in the story
where it doesnt say this, but it shows this. For example, __________________.
15 2012 billedison
R/S/T Reading Band
(Because of Winn-Dixie to The Tiger Rising and Bridge to Terabithia)
What Kind of Work Is Called For in the Band RST?
STRUCTURE
In general, there is a trend towards stories becoming layered with meaning. It is as if the
characters and the events, too, are like icebergswith the part that shows, that is labeled and
discussed, being only part of whats really going on. The problem may seem to be the
relationship between these two characters, but really, deep down, the problem is a bigger sense
of loneliness or homelessness. The problems are big enough and layered enough that they are
not all solved. In fact, the story line is less about a character who encounters a problem and rises
to the challenge, solving the problem, and more about characters who encounter problems and
work to respond to these problems, changing and learning in the process.
It is especially notable that in this band of text difficulty, readers need to follow not only the
evolving plot line but also the evolving setting. The setting becomes a force in the story,
influencing characters and the plot, just as, say, an antagonist might. In historical fiction, for
example, readers need to construct a timeline of the historical events as well as of the
protagonists events, and more than that, to see the two timelines intersect. But in most well
written novels within this band, the setting evolves across the story and plays a role in the story.
There is an evolution to Terabithia and to Winn-Dixie, for example. Settings change because
characters relate to them differently across the story. Readers are expected to cumulate a
growing understanding of the setting, just as we cumulate a growing understanding of main
characters.
As more elements emerge as important in these more complex texts, it becomes important for
readers to hold more parts of the book in mind. In particular, there are subplots and minor
characters in books in this band of text difficulty that might seem to be inconsequential, but in
the end, fit into a synthesized whole. Readers, then, are expected to keep some of these in mind
as they read, predicting, for example, that the sister who was mentioned in passing at the start of
the book may return to play a role at the end of the book.
CHARACTERS
In the preceding band of text difficulty, the main character was often ambivalent, and the
problem often had several parts (as in Amber being upset with Justin for moving away and also
for not being crushed that he was moving away). The trend towards complexity increases in this
band of text difficulty, and increasingly the characters are characterized by complex internal,
emotional lives. Jesse, in Bridge to Terabithia, is full of anxiety, self-esteem issue, and self-
doubt. Rob, in the Tiger Rising, is equally conflicted. One difference is that whereas in the level
NOPQ texts, the characters or the narrator often comes straight out and labels the characters
emotional life, now readers are left to infer what the character is feeling. In fact, often readers
realize things about the character that the character does not know himself or herself.
16 2012 billedison
R/S/T Reading Band
(Because of Winn-Dixie to The Tiger Rising and Bridge to Terabithia)
What Kind of Work Is Called For in the Band RST?
VOCABULARY AND SYNTAX
Whereas the previous level contained tricky sentencesusually figurative languagebooks in
this band of text difficulty often contain tricky chapters. A teacher might say to these readers,
Before, if you came to a tricky chapter and were totally confused, you might think the book was
too hard for you. Now, at this level, you need to expect that sometimes book are hard on
purpose, and you are not supposed to entirely get what is going on. You can say, Huh? and
read on, expecting things will become clearer at the end.
17 2012 billedison
R/S/T Reading Band
(Because of Winn-Dixie to The Tiger Rising and Bridge to Terabithia)

STRUCTURE - Stories are layered with meaning
- Story broken up into multiple subplots that do not always tie
together into one storyline
- Story begins to involve social issues, e.g., drought, war,
poverty, abuse
- Problems are so big/deep/layered that not all are easily
resolved or solved
- Setting is a force in the story, influencing characters and plot
- Setting is related to the problemeffects and mirrors
characters feelings
- Reader must accumulate an understanding of setting and
characters

CHARACTERS - Characters have rich, complex internal emotional lives
readers are left to infer characters feelings
- Lots of character change throughout the course of the story
- Reader realizes/infers things about the character that the
character does not know about himself or herself
- Characters work to respond to problems, changing and
learning in the process
- Minor characters move the plot forward; often have larger role
by the end
- Minor characters have sideshow lives

VOCABULARY/ - Tricky chapters expect some lack of clarity until the end
SYNTAX - Symbolism

WORK THE - Inference
READER - Hold onto multiple pieces of seemingly disconnected
IS DOING information; wait for clarity
- Reader knows things before the character
- Wonder why is this happening?

18 2012 billedison
R/S/T Reading Band
(Because of Winn-Dixie to The Tiger Rising and Bridge to Terabithia)

Conferring Questions for RST Readers

What is the setting? How is this setting related to/important to the plot or
characters?
What do you know about your characters internal life? What clues is the
author giving to support these ideas?
What are the characters intent/motivations?
Has your mental movie become blurry in this book? Have the pieces come
together? How/when did this happen?
Ask about characters actions then, based on what you know, what do you think
he/she is doing?
Have the characters changed based on the setting? And, has the setting changed
based on the characters?

19 2012 billedison
R/S/T Reading Band
(Because of Winn-Dixie to The Tiger Rising and Bridge to Terabithia)

Comprehension Prompts for RST Readers

Prediction

Before, in books, there was often a main problem and a main solution. Now, the problem has
many parts. For example, in this books, its not just that ____________________ but
about_____________________ and on top of that,
______________________________________.

Often the solution doesnt really solve things, but it does help characters understand or see
things. For example, ____________________________________.

When reading a story, many experienced readers have a feeling of, Ive read stories like this one
before, and this helps the reader speculate how the story will unfold. What other stories have
you read that are a bit like this one, and how do those stories help you predict?


Developing Theories About Characters
Teachers say the part in italics, then give kids fill in the blank prompts.

In books of this type authors dont always tell us everything we need to know. Instead, they leave
hints that we, as readers, need to pay attention to.
Even though the book doesnt come right out and shay this, I think __________________ is
___________________. There are hints that show this. For example, ___________________.
Another example is___________________.

At first I thought ___________________ was ___________________ but as I get to know
him/her more, Im coming to think that deep down, shes/hes really ___________________.

Sometimes the main character acts/talks one way but really is feeling a whole other way. For
example, one time the character acted/said ___________________, but actually she/he was
___________________.

One way the author helps us know a character is by giving that character objects or ways of
acting and talking that are meant to represent something about the character.

I think its perhaps significant that the author gave this character ___________________. To me,
this might show ___________________.

The main character has different sides to him/her. When shes/hes __________________,
shes/hes ___________________. Then when shes/hes ___________________, shes/hes
___________________.

20 2012 billedison
U/V/W Reading Band
(Loser to Walk Two Moons)
What Kind of Work Is Called For in the Band UVW?
STRUCTURE
Books in this band of text difficulty exacerbate most of the challenges described in band RST. A
few elements of story are apt to become especially complex at this level, and one is the passage
of time. These stories still tend usually to unfold somewhat chronologically, often in a relatively
straightforward structure, yet there is often some big event that occurred before the novel begins,
and we have to read on to learn about that event and to find the meaning of it. Backstory, then,
becomes increasingly prevalent, and a reader can be two-thirds of the way through a book and
still be learning more about the backstory. Usually the backstory is not a flashback, in which the
character actually relives the event, full of action, but instead involves a character telling or
discovering background information.
Sometimes these texts have multiple plotlines. Readers will be apt to discover this first when
they are reading along and find that as a new chapter begins, there is a new narrator, or a
character has been left behind. Usually when this happens readers are not utterly mystified. Its
usually easy to see the connection between the different fragments of the story. In The Thief
Lord, by Cornelia Funke, for example, one chapter tells the story of two boys who are runaways
in Venice. In the next chapter, however, we are following the detective who is pursuing the
boys.
The characters and setting at this level start becoming more symbolic of bigger themes. It pays
off for readers to pause and to think whether the setting could be a symbol for a theme or an
issue in the lives of the characters and to think about changes in the setting (especially times
when the setting becomes oppressive), such as perhaps foreshadowing developments that are not
exclusive to the setting along. For example, when readers find in Walk Two Moons that Sal
says, The hot air pressed against my face and the air was like a hot heavy blanket draped on my
neck and back, the heat has become a metaphor for the weight of Sals journey and also a
warning signal that previews the snakebite in that chapter.
CHARACTERS
Not surprisingly, the characters continue to become more complex and nuanced, but something
else begins to happen at this level. Increasingly, the characters are teenagers.
If the reader herself is not yet a teenager, she can sometimes have a hard time empathizing with
the characters. When the main character in Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements wakes up one
morning and finds that he has turned invisible, that invisibility becomes a metaphor for the
feeling teenagers often have in adolescence that their parents dont see them for who they truly
are. Readers who see this as simply a story about a boy who wakes up invisible miss a huge part
of the story.
21 2012 billedison
U/V/W Reading Band
(Loser to Walk Two Moons)
What Kind of Work Is Called For in the Band UVW?
CHARACTER (CONTINUED)
Also, at these levels, the point of view starts to become even more multidimensional. It starts out
to be not just interesting but necessary to consider the perspectives of characters other than the
protagonist. This is where the unreliable narrator can come into play as well. It is not so much
that the narrator cant be trusted, but that the narrators point of view is incomplete. He or she is
often figuring out the past and the present of the story as it unfolds, along with the reader, and
there are apt to be many times when the reader feels as if he or she sees more of the big picture
than the character whose point of view is presented. Often books at this level require readers to
hold onto large casts of characters. Some of the characters who turn out to be hugely important
might be adults, so the reader must bring more of an understanding of the complexities of the
adult world.
Increasingly, the story is a story and also a statement about the world and life. Very often, the
story makes a statement about major social issues such as oppression, injustice, and social
norms.
22 2012 billedison
U/V/W Reading Band
(Loser to Walk Two Moons)

STRUCTURE - Story elements are more complex: passage of time, back
story, non-sequential, foreshadowing
- Multiple plot linesbut connections between fragments
usually easy to see
- Story still unfolds somewhat chronologically back story is
generally revealed at beginning of story
- Setting or issues in the characters lives are symbolic of larger
themes
- Story is also a statement about the world and life; often makes
a statement about a major social issue (e.g., oppression,
injustice, social norms)

CHARACTERS - More characters; reader must hold onto a cast of complex
characters
- Characters are usually teenagers harder to relate to for
younger readers
- Narrator is unreliable, as his/her point of view is incomplete
- Characters are unreliable or we learn new things about them,
and they change radically
- Adult characters may be hugely important, so readers must
bring an understanding of the adult world
- Multiple points of view are presentedreader must consider
perspectives other than the protagonists

VOCABULARY/ - Metaphorical and figurative language
SYNTAX - Tricky words and characters
- Symbolism is presentmay be mentioned only once (easy to
miss, reader must pay close attention)

WORK THE - Reader must live with uncertainty and unanswered questions
READER - Deep questions
IS DOING - Decode social/historical setting
- Reader must interpret meaning and construct opinions
23 2012 billedison
U/V/W Reading Band
(Loser to Walk Two Moons)

Conferring Questions for UVW Readers

Tell me about your character and how she/he is changing. Show me where in
the story that is happening.
Explain the characters world. Is this important to the story? Why/why not?
Historical fictionwhat are you learning about WWII, slavery, etc.?
Cold read of next page in novel for running record and comprehension.
How is this book affecting you (synthesis and themes)?
Discussion of sequencing of time
Whats confusing?
Describe a striking relationship or a moment where an interaction occurs
between characters?
What is the Authors purpose? Why is the author telling the story in this way?
How is the book challenging you? What are the complications so far?

24 2012 billedison
U/V/W Reading Band
(Loser to Walk Two Moons)

Comprehension Prompts for UVW Readers

Prediction

Often in stories, the reader is given one piece of the whole, then another, anotherand when the
story ends, the pieces come together. What pieces of the story are you holding, and when you
think how the story will end, which pieces do you think might fit together? How might they fit?

When reading, we often have a sense that the author is trying to convey an idea or to teach a
lesson. The author has some big meaning that is unfolding across the story. What big meaning do
you sense is being conveyed in this story, and how does that sense of meaning help you predict
what will happen in the upcoming sections of the book?


Developing Theories About Characters
Teachers say the part in italics, then give kids fill in the blank prompts.

Sometimes the author writes a story to address an issue or convey an idea. The author creates
characters wholl carry (or represent) part of the idea.

In this book, the author uses ___________________ to convey ___________________.

The author uses ___________________ to convey ___________________.

I think this because ___________________.

On the other hand, it could be other than this. It could be that the author uses
___________________ to convey___________________.

In a complex book, the author sometimes adds seemingly inconsequential people, traveling on
what seems for a time to be a side track from the main storyline. But in the end, some of these
people turn out to be essential to the storys resolution.

In this story, its possible that ___________________ will turn out to ___________________.
Perhaps it might go like ___________________.

In complex books, readers need to read, realizing that some of what a character says is actually
not trustworthythat some of what a character says is meant to reveal that characters
perspectives and readers are supposed to know, all along, that this is just one, biased
perspectivethat there are other ways to see things.

For example, in this book, when ___________________ said ___________________, I didnt
entirely trust her/him. I sensed this could mostly reveal that she/he ___________________.
25 2012 billedison
X/Y/Z Reading Band
(Homecoming to Monster)
What Kind of Work Is Called For in the Band XYZ?
STRUCTURE
Books in this band of text difficulty are notably more complex. First, many of them employ a
postmodern structure in which multiple genres are included and multiple voices are heard.
Perspectives overlap but also conflict. Whole chapters, not just short passages, jump back in
time. The texts take risks with form and genre, usually using this complex structure to convey
ideas, often including the idea that our lives and the world defy any attempt to be pinned down or
pigeonholed and the idea that it is not easy to really communicate, to really understand one
another. For example, in these texts the narrator is often unreliable. That is, he or she will
proclaim things that the reader is expected to realize are not as the person has stated. The
unreliability of the narrator mirrors the theme that it is impossible for anyone to be all knowing,
even when talking about oneself. Readers who are working with texts at this band, then, need to
be willing to engage in figuring things-out work while reading.
The expectations on readers go way beyond that. For example, readers of texts at this level are
expected to have and to draw upon a lot of knowledge about the world and other books. In this
band of text difficulty, many references are left unexplained. In fantasy books at this level, th
ready needs to bring a whole wealth of knowledge, often carried over from reading mythology,
fables, and other fantasy texts, to understand the authors references. It is as if there is an
assumption that readers who are working with texts at this band of difficulty are reading other
texts related to this one and aware of other sources of information. While reading one book,
readers are invited into the canon of literature. These literary references are not essential to
understanding the characters and the themes but greatly enhance that reading experience if they
are recognized and understood. For example, the epigraph to Criss Cross, by Lynne Rae Perkins,
is a quote from Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream, and there are references to that
play throughout. A reader not familiar with the play can still read Criss Cross thoughtfully, but
one who knows A Midsummer Nights Dream will benefit from that plays treatment of the
difficulties and transience of love when considering the characters in Criss Cross and their
struggles with identity and relationships. Also in Criss Cross, there are references to Einsteins
theory of relativity. One of the characters is struggling to make sense of it. If the reader has no
specific knowledge of this complex theory, this is not going to interrupt the story. However, if
there is no understanding of the basic concept of atomic sciencethat the universe is constructed
of microscopic atomsthe reader will not be able to appreciate one of the more significant
threads in the book.
Readers at this level are assumed to be the kinds of readers who like challenging books and dont
want things spelled out for them so simply. In fact, it seems like many books at this level are set
up in such a way that they are like puzzles. Even dialogue, which was the aspect of narratives at
the lower bands that readers found easiest to follow, can become tricky as characters begin to
speak in the vernacular and to use vocabulary from another time and place.
26 2012 billedison
X/Y/Z Reading Band
(Homecoming to Monster)

STRUCTURE Similar to UVW band, plus
- Readers at this level like challenging books and dont want
things spelled out for them
- Story may employ post-modern structuremultiple genres,
multiple voices
- Perspectives overlap but also conflict
- Whole chapters jump back in time
- Texts take risks with form/genreusing this complex structure
to convey idea
- Confusing to piece story together
- Tragedy and sadness is often in story
- Strong, broad themessocial awareness, human condition
- Reader must draw upon a lot of knowledge about the world
and other books (many references are left unexplained)
- Topics may go well beyond young readers
experience/knowledge of history

CHARACTERS Similar to UVW band, plus
- Unreliable narrator will proclaim things that the reader is
expected to realize are not as the person stated
- Cannot trust initial thoughts of character
- Harder to tell who is good and who is evil

VOCABULARY/ - Dialogue can become trickycharacters speak in the
SYNTAX vernacular and use vocabulary from another time and place
- Literary references not necessary to understanding the
characters/themes but greatly enhance the reading experience

WORK THE -
READER -
IS DOING -

27 2012 billedison
X/Y/Z Reading Band
(Homecoming to Monster)

Conferring Questions for XYZ Readers
TBD


28 2012 billedison








Individual Reading Level Characteristics
(A-Z)


Includes Lists of Sample Leveled Book Titles

29 2012 billedison
Level A
Level A books are simple books with one line of one to six words per page, easy-
to-see print, and ample space between words. Children can focus on print and
gradually increase their control over words. Most Level A books focus on topics
familiar to children.
One line of text per page
Large spaces between words
Sentence structure is similar to students language
Repeated pattern
Includes basic sight words
Punctuation includes periods, question marks, and exclamation marks
Pictures are highly supportive
Topics are familiar to children
Focus on a single idea


Level A titles Include:

Butterfly Gibbs
Fruit Salad Mitchell
Let's Go! York
My Mom Greer
The Rabbit House McBeath
Sea Animals Thomas
The Store McBeath
The Three Frogs Rothman
Time for Bed Master
Up! Craft
Boxes Davidson
Helping Johns
Hop, Skip, and Jump Cherrington
Little Animals Reed
My House Peters
My Dog Fluffy Cherrington
Playing Davidson
Run, Rabbit! Landman
The Storm Davidson
Time Davidson
School Day! Cervantes
We Play Together Blevins
I See Bugs! Blevins
On a Boat Novek
1, 2, 3, in the Box Tarlow
Elephants Like To Cherrington
Numbers All Around Berger
Flowers Have Colors Cherrington
We Read Blevins
We Write Blevins
Big and Little Berger & Chanko
Games Berger & Moreton
I Can, We Can Curry
In the Woods Gibson
Kittens Curry
Let's Go! Mann
My Color Mann
School Pinnell
We Can! Pinnell
What Bears Like Cherrington

30 2012 billedison
Level B
Level B books focus on a simple story line or single idea, with direct
correspondence between text and pictures; 1 or 2 lines of print per page, with a
variety of punctuation; many Level B books feature repeating patterns in the text.
Two lines of text (return sweep)
Large spaces between words; Sentences increase in length
Sentence structure is similar to students language
Repeated words or pattern
Includes more basic sight words
Includes some word endings (e.g., s, ed, ing)
Punctuation includes periods, question marks, exclamation marks, &
some commas
Simple dialogue
Pictures are highly supportive
Topics are familiar to children
Focus on a single idea
Setting is present, but seldom a plot

Level B titles include:

Building Blocks Ives
Buster and Ziggy Clark
Color It Blue Reed
Hats Shapiro
My Cat Thomas
Party Time Craft
Polar Bears Carroll
Puppy Paints Jenkins
School Fun Baker
Where Is Bob? Winter
The Ants Go Home Johns
Fishing Reed
Getting There Johns
Home Run! Peters
Let's Play Peters
Look at Us Johns
My Feet Reed
Night Shift Ryan
Off to the City Davidson
Zebras Don't Brush Their Teeth! Evans
We Live Here Salzman
Can You See the Rabbit? Berger
Can We Go? Cherrington
I See Flags Blevins
How to Make a Wind Sock Tarlow
Who Hid? Leber
Look-and-Find Shapes Blevins
Whose Bones? Fernandez
From Sheep to Sweater Tarlow
What's the Weather Cali
Kites Ling
Baby Animals Learn Chanko
Two Can Do It Canizares & Chessen
We Are Painting Alexander
We Like to Play! Tarlow
Water Canizares & Chanko
What Am I? Frizado
Goldilocks Tarlow
Hop In! Small-Gamby
Carrots Saunders-Smith

31 2012 billedison
Level C
Level C books explore familiar topics in a variety of ways to offer new viewpoints
to the reader; simple sentences may have introductory clauses set off by
punctuation; text may be patterned but is not as predictable as in Levels A and B.
Increased number of words and lines of text; Large spaces between words
Sentences increase in length and may include some embedded clauses
Sentence structure is similar to students language
Some books have repeated words or pattern
Most books are about eight pages; Pictures are highly supportive
Includes more basic sight words and some compound words
Includes word endings (e.g., s, ed, ing)
Opportunities for decoding simple words
Punctuation includes periods, question marks, exclamation marks, and
commas
Dialogue is frequently included
Topics are familiar to children, esp. experiential books [events of
everyday life]; Characters and story plots are straightforward

Level C titles include:

All Kinds of Pets Price
Is It a Baby Animal? Taylor
Let's Eat Bellings
Mrs. Cat Goes Shopping York
My Costume Wilton
Pig Played Rothman
Ready Freddy Rothman
The Sky Prince
Sleepy Bear Mitchell
Under the Umbrella Craft
The Big Blue Sea Scott
Brave Dave and the Dragons Reed
Hide and Seek Reed
It's Time to Eat! Davidson
Little Blue Fish Evans
Little Duckling Is Lost Nelson
The Oak Street Party Peters
One Frog, One Fly Blaxland
Patterns Berger & Moreton
We Like Summer Blevins
How Will I Get to Grandma's House?
Blevins
My Scrapbook Alexander
On the Farm
What Time Is It? Moriarty
A Kitten Is a Baby Cat Blevins
Signs
Fun With Simple Machines Tarlow
Please, Thank You Alexander
Where Are They? Humphries
From Egg to Robin Canizares & Chessen
Joshua James Likes Trucks Petrie
Bugs! McKissack
Pancakes, Crackers, and Pizza Eberts &
Gisler
Rain Kalan
I See Fish Curry
I Can Run Pinnell
At Work Geist
It's a Party Moreton & Berger
How Many Can Play? Canizares & Chessen
32 2012 billedison
Level D
Books cover familiar topics but introduce new, more abstract ideas; illustrations
support the text but more attention to print is required; text contains more
compound and multisyllable words and a full range of punctuation.
Longer, more complex stories
Some compound sentences conjoined by and
Simple plot but may include several elaborate episodes
Topics are familiar, but may include abstract or unfamiliar ideas
Text layout is easy to follow, but font size may vary
Texts range from ten to twenty pages
Pictures begin to extend meaning of text
New punctuation may be included (i.e., dashes, ellipses)
Larger number of high frequency words/greater variety
Includes more word endings, compound words, and multi-syllable words
More opportunities for decoding words with familiar patterns

Level D titles include:

At the Toy Shop Brereton
The Band Ives
A Day at the Beach Sinclair
Farm Helpers West
Ice Cream Wilton
In the Desert Ives
Little Piglets Rothman
Meet the Big Cats! Stuart
Sand Animals Harris
Who Is Getting Married? McBeath
After School Fun Nelson
A Rainy Day Evans
The Dog Walker Reed
The Little Red Hen Cherrington
The Little Turtle Lindsay
The Noisy Breakfast Blonder
Wake Up, Wake Up! Wildsmith
What Do You See? Shapiro
Where in the World? Nelson
Who Lives Here? Reed
Animals in Art Blevins
Then and Now Berger
Where Does Food Grow? Blevins
Feel Better
Clifford Can Blevins
How Many Ducks? Blevins
The Little Red Hen Tarlow
I Need a Little Help Schulz
Look At These Trees
We Need the Sun
Nests, Nests, Nests Canizares & Reid
Where Do Birds Live? Chessen
Who Am I? Lee
I Know Karate Packard
Footprints In the Snow Benjamin
One Happy Classroom Simon
Paul the Pitcher Sharp
Too Many Balloons Matthias
Rain! Rain! Greene
Ten Cats Have Hats Marzollo

33 2012 billedison
Level E
Stories have more or longer episodes; informational books present more complex
ideas; books are longer than in previous levels, with more pages or more lines of
text on each page; sentences carry over several pages, with more complex
punctuation.
Sentences include more embedded phrases and clauses
More variety in language including some literary language
Topics range beyond the familiar
Genres include realistic fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction (simple informational
books)
Font size may vary; Increased number of words and lines of print
Texts range from ten to twenty pages
Text structure is more complex, often with several simple episodes
More characters, but not very developed
Moderate picture support; Greater variety of high frequency words
Frequent dialogue and full range of punctuation
More multi-syllable words and less common spelling patterns

Level E titles include:

Bell Brereton
Collections Ballinger & Gosset
Eat Your Peas, Louise! Snow
Fish Daniels
Fruit Trees Daniels
I Love Rainy Days! (Noodles) Wilhelm
Let's Play in the Forest While the Wolf Is
Not Around! Rueda
My New School Hall
Ring! Ring! Cherrington
Sammy the Turtle Baker
Flap and Sing: Birds Douglas
Fred's Wish for Fish Landman
Fresh Fall Leaves Franco
I Go with Grandpa Landman
Let's Play Soccer Douglas
Living Things Avery
The Magic Pot Smith
No Snacks, Jack! Reed
Painting Scott
The Yard Sale Cherrington
All Around Our Country Hutchins
Animal Moms and Dads Tarlow
Cat in the Bag Miller
City Life and Country Life Moriarty
Hello, Doctor! Marx
Let's Go to a Fair Foley
Let's Go to a Museum Blevins
On the Job Cherrington
School Long Ago Novek
What Do Artists Use?
The Voyage of Mae Jemison Canizares &
Berger
Clay Art Chanko & Chessen
Up, Up, and Away Canizares & Chanko
Look, I Can Read! Hood
Polar Babies Ring
I Can See Cervantes
Animal Babies Hamsa
A Buzz Is Part of a Bee Lunn
A Box Can Be Many Things Rau
Just Like Me Neasi
34 2012 billedison
Level F
Concepts presented in books at this level are more distant from familiar topics;
larger variety of frequently used words and many more new words; text reflects
patterns of written, rather than oral, language.
Language reflects patterns that are more characteristic of written language than
spoken language
Concepts are more distant from local knowledge or the everyday world
Some texts have abstract ideas which require discussion
Themes emerge
Genres include realistic fiction, human and animal fantasy, simple folktales, and
nonfiction (informational texts)
Text range from ten to thirty pages
Full range of punctuation to enhance meaning
Longer texts may have longer sentences and/or more lines of text per page and
shorter texts may have unusual language patterns or technical words
Greater variety in vocabulary

Level F titles include:

Biscuit Capucilli
A Color of His Own Lionni
A Day with Paramedics Kottke
Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?
Carle
Don't Be Late! Brereton
Little Bird Brereton
My River Halpern
Popcorn Alexander
Small Treasures Gibson
Tina's Taxi Franco
Biscuit Visits the Big City Capucilli
A Bug, a Bear, and a Boy McPhail
The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse
Reed
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Shapiro
Go Home, Daisy Hill
How Lizard Lost His Colors Shapiro
Loose Tooth Schaefer
Meg and the Lost Pencil Case Parasmo
Melt It, Shape It: Glass Nelson
Todd's Teacher Cherrington
I Like Cheese Pickering
Storms Durgin-Bruce
Watch Me Plant a Garden Otten
What Can I Buy? Moriarty
How Does Your Salad Grow Alexander
I'm a Seed Marzollo
Ellen Ochoa Walker
My Goldfish Walker
I Can Play Soccer Eckart
Animal Pals Cherrington
Frog's Lunch Lillegard
Harry's House Medearis
Firehouse Sal Brimner
Pizza Party Maccarone
Soccer Game Maccarone
Amy Loves the Snow Huban
I Am Fire Marzollo
Shine, Sun! Greene
Is This You? Krauss
Cookie's Week Ward

35 2012 billedison
Level G
In books at this level, the language changes on each page, rather than repeating in
patterns; books offer challenges in ideas and vocabulary, with some introduction to
technical language; variety of print styles and text layout require reader's close
attention and flexibility.
Sentences are longer with many embedded clauses
Several high frequency words which increase in difficulty
Large number of decodable words with regular and irregular patterns
Several episodes with a variety of characters
Ideas and vocabulary are more challenging with some specialized vocabulary
Story line is carried by the text
Pictures support and extend meaning
Readers expected to remember information and action over a longer reading
time

Text Examples: Teddy Bear for Sale, Rabbits Party, Say It, Sign It

Level G titles include:

Are We There Yet? Taylor
A City Park Barrow
Clifford Makes the Team Bridwell
Crafts Chessen & Chanko
Lost and Found York
Mousetrap Snowball
The New Car Lee
Our Tree House Brereton
Vegetable Soup Morris
Wake Up, Little Mouse! Thomas
At the Apple Farm Albanese & Smith
The Deep Blue Sea Wood
The Gingerbread Man Cherrington
I Just Forgot Mayer
In Our Yard Reed
Is This a Moose? Armstrong
Justin's New Bike Hill
Rabbit's Party Bunting
The Three Billy Goats Gruff Shapiro
A Very Silly School Cherrington
Find the Wild Animal Foley
Made with Glass Cherrington
Math at the Store Amato
It's a Good Thing There Are Insects Fowler
Tic-Tac-Toe, Three in a Row Stamper
The Secret Code Rau
How Big, How Much Hutchins
From Seed to Pumpkin Kottke
Tracks in the Sand Levin
Make a Leaf Rubbing Ballinger & Gosset
The Great Race McPhail
Teddy Bear for Sale Herman
Dinosaurs Maccarone
Pele: The King of Soccer Canizares &
Berger
Make It Move Canizares & Chessen
Sam the Garbage Hound Simon
Wait, Skates! Johnson
Sometimes Things Change Eastman
Why Can't I Fly? Gelman
The Class Trip Maccarone

36 2012 billedison
Level H
Books are similar in difficulty to level G, but the texts vary more widely in size of
print, length of sentences, and type of language; texts are less repetitious in events
and language structures, with expanded vocabulary.
Language is not repetitious; Full range of high frequency words
Size and placement of print varies widely
Some repeated episodes
Content moves away from familiar experiences
Genres include realistic fiction, fantasy, folktales, and nonfiction (informational
texts)
Characters tend to learn and change
Picture support is used to enhance and extend meaning as well as arouse interest
Story events require interpretation

Text Examples: Follow the Leader, A Clean House For Mole and Mouse, A Kiss
For Little Bear

Level H titles include:

Canada Canizares & Berger
Captain Cat Hoff
I Need a Lunch Box Caines
Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse George
Just Me and My Dad (Little Critter)
Mayer
Larry and Loki Cherrington
Mom's Secret Costain
Now I Know: What's Under the Ocean?
Berger & Berger
The Story of Henny Penny Carson
Too Late Harry! Shapiro
Aunt Maud's Mittens Landman
The Father Who Walked on His Hands
Mahy
Good Morning, Monday Keenan
Hop! Spring! Leap! Bayrock
Little Red Riding Hood Shapiro
Sammy the Seal Hoff
Sione's Talo Nelisi
Trains Albanese
An Unusual Show Blonder
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
Reed
A Day With a Mechanic Winne
School in Colonial America Thomas
George Washington Abraham
A Day With Air Traffic Controllers Winne
The 100th Day Maccarone
Monster Money Maccarone
Colin Powell Hill
I Am Planet Earth Marzollo
The Wheat We Eat Fowler
From Acorn to Oak Tree Kottke
It's Spring Berger & Chanko
Come! Sit! Speak! Simon
A Kiss for Little Bear Minarik
The Very Big Potato Cherrington
Plane Rides Walker
What Will the Weather Be Like Today?
Rogers
When I First Came to This Land Ziefert
Caps, Hats, Socks and Mittens Borden
Danny and the Dinosaurs Go to Camp Hoff
My Pigs Miller
37 2012 billedison
Level I
Longer and more complex stories than in levels G and H, with more highly elaborated
information; multisyllable words arranged in longer sentences and paragraphs that require
complex word solving; illustrations enhance meaning but provide less support for understanding
the meaning of the text.
Multiple episodes are highly elaborated
Most text lengths are about the same as G and H (10 - 30 pages) but have smaller print size
Some longer texts thirty to forty pages; Some chapter-like books
Texts use a great deal of dialogue
Pictures enhance meaning but provide little support for precise word solving
Complex word solving is required with multi-syllable words
Paragraphs and sentences are longer
Readers transition to texts that my call for sustaining interest and meaning over several
reading periods
Most books are narrative fiction and folktales with a plot and solution
Informational books are shorter with more difficult content
Characters and story events require interpretation

Text Examples: The Bunny Hop, The Dinosaur Who Lived in My Backyard

Level I titles include:

The Birthday Party Ives
Dragon Gets By Pilkey
Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch
Rylant
Hi! Fly Guy Arnold
Now I Know: Bears Berger & Berger
Now I Know: Butterflies Berger & Berger
Small Pig Lobel
The Very Busy Spider Carle
Who Wants a Ride? Bernard
Willie's Wonderful Pet Cebulash
Animals at Night Berger
Dolphins and Porpoises Berger
The Fat Cat: A Danish Folktale Kent
Mama Zooms Cowen-Fletcher
Nana's Place Gibson
Shoo, Fly Guy! Arnold
Two Crazy Pigs Nagel
The Wax Man Loya
We're Going On a Nature Hunt Metzger
The Wheels on the Race Car Zane
A House Spider's Life Himmelman
Where Do Puddles Go? Fowler & Robinson
A Flag for All Brimner
Choosing Eyeglasses With Mrs. Koutris
Flanagan
Shadows Otto
How Many Ants Brimner
Looking Through a Telescope Bullock
President's Day Marx
The Apple Pie Tree Hall
Beetles Eckart
A Day with Firefighters Kottke
A Day with a Mail Carrier Kottke
I Am a Rock Marzollo
We Just Moved! Krensky
All Tutus Should Be Pink Brownrigg
The Sun's Family of Planets Fowler
Messy Bessey's Family Reunion McKissack
& McKissack
The Elves and the Shoemaker Leber
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Stewart
Red-Eyed Tree Frog Cowley
38 2012 billedison
Level J
Beginning chapter books appear for the first time at this level, requiring readers to recall
information over more than one sitting; fewer illustrations with whole pages of text in some
books.
Stories have similar characteristics to level I but generally longer (over 50 pages)
First chapter books
Characters in series books will expand reading interest in reading, increasing the amount of
time reading
Large amount of dialogue
Full range of punctuation within longer, more complex sentences with many adjectives and
adverbs
Texts have one main plot with several episodes over a period of time chapter books may
only cover a period of one day
Requires more interpretation on the part of the reader
Requires quick solving of new words, including three or four syllables.

Text Examples: Mouse Tales, Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble, Seeds

Level J titles include:

Dig Dig Digging Mayo
Have You Seen Duck? Holmes
Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of All
Rylant
Hippo and Rabbit in Three Short Tales
Mack
I Was So Mad (Little Critter) Mayer
Log Hotel Schreiber
The Rain Came Down Shannon
Story County Anderson
The Wrong-Way Rabbit Slater
Young Cam Jansen and the Baseball
Mystery Adler
Antonio's Music Emery
The Big, Brown Pot Mahy
Big Cats Evans
Big Smelly Bear Teckentrup
In the Barrio Ada
Just Us Women Caines
Kenny and the Little Kickers Marzollo
Poppleton Has Fun Rylant
Safety in Numbers Evans
Young Cam Jansen and the Spotted Cat
Mystery Adler
Germs! Germs! Germs! Katz
How Do Your Lungs Work Curry
Giant Pandas: Gifts From China Fowler
Bart's Amazing Charts Ochiltree
An Earthworm's Life Himmelman
Harriet Tubman Nichols
Thunder and Lightning Pfeffer
We Need Directions! De Capua
Inside an Ant Colony Fowler
The Field Mouse and The Dinosaur Named
Sue Wahl
My Life Pistone
Jack Plays the Violin Schultz
On the Lake Onish
Henry and Mudge and the Long Weekend
Rylant
Me on the Map Sweeney
Poppleton Everyday Rylant
How Kittens Grow Selsam
Bear Shadow Asch
The Sword in the Stone Maccarone
Looking at Maps and Globes Bredeson

39 2012 billedison
Level K
This level includes chapter books and short informational books with difficult concepts; readers
learn about concepts and events outside their own experiences; readers need to use a variety of
strategies to figure out different writing styles.
Includes longer, slightly more complex chapter books with more characters
Books have one plot, but many episodes are carried over a period of time
Shorter books have more difficult vocabulary (not often used in speech by children),
challenging content, or more complex themes
Genres include realistic fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction (informational texts)
Some fables or legends and historical fiction may be include (not requiring extensive
background knowledge to understand)
Large amount of dialogue used to determine what is going on in the plot
Characters show various perspectives
Illustrations are placed throughout the text and are used to enhance enjoyment and helps
students visualize
Readers explore the various connotations of words

Text Examples: Nate the Great and the Tardy Tortoise, Frog and Toad are Friends, What
Happens When You Recycle?, Dont Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!

Level K titles include:

10 Fat Turkeys Johnston
Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt
Jacobson
Arthur's Eyes (An Arthur Adventure)
Brown
Chicks and Salsa Reynolds
Dandelions: Stars in the Grass Posada
Earl the Squirrel Freeman
Endangered Animals McNulty
Frog and Toad All Year Lobel
One Nosy Pup Wallace
The Principal from the Black Lagoon
Thaler
Allie's Basketball Dream Barber
Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores
Starbuckle Jacobson
The Frog Prince Tarcov
The Great Gracie Chase: Stop that Dog!
Rylant
The Gym Teacher From the Black
Lagoon Thaler
Ibis: A True Whale Story Himmelman
Johnny Appleseed Moore
On My Way to Buy Eggs Chen
Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe
Williams
The Earth Is Mostly Ocean Fowler
Fluff and Feathers, Spikes and Skin Finton
Plants That Eat Animals Fowler
The 512 Ants on Sullivan Street Losi
A Girl Named Helen Keller Lundell
Sounds All Around Pfeffer
The Best Way to Play Cosby
Veteran's Day Cotton
The Mississippi River Fowler
Under the Ground Pluckrose
All About Things People Do Rice & Rice
What Magnets Can Do Fowler
Chickens Aren't the Only Ones Heller
The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash Nobel
A Place for Grace Okimoto
The Blue Mittens Mann
Penguins Reed
Our Flag Rothman
Ming Lo Moves the Mountain Lobel
Shipwreck Saturday Cosby
40 2012 billedison
Level L
Books at this level are much longer and more complex, and include biographies; longer texts
include many multisyllabic words and expand readers' vocabularies; some texts present abstract
or symbolic themes.
Includes chapter books with fewer illustrations and complex picture books
Texts contain many multi-syllable and technical words
Words are used for a range of connotative meanings
Print size is varied but often much smaller
Most sentences end in the middle of lines and continue from one line to the next
Includes a full range of genres from realistic fiction to biography
More characters are speaking with dialogue not always assigned
Plots and characters are more sophisticated
Characters develop and change in response to events in the story
Events in chapters build on each other requiring the reader to recall and keep track of info

Text Examples: Pinky and Rex and the Spelling Bee, Horrible Harry in Room 2B, Looking at
Insects, Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery, Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon

Level L titles include:

Amelia Bedelia, Rocket Scientist? Parish
Let's Read About ... George Washington
Weinberger
Our Earth Rockwell
Ricky Ricotta's Might Robot vs. the
Uranium Unicorns from Uranus Pilkey
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon Lovell
The Subway Mouse Reid
Tony Baloney Ryan
Whales Passing Bunting
Worms for Lunch? Gore
Alligator Baby Munsch
Amelia Bedelia Under Construction
Parish
Anansi the Spider: A Tale From the
Ashanti McDermott
Cam Jansen and the Secret Service
Mystery Adler
Miss Nelson Has a Field Day Allard
Picking Apples & Pumpkins Hutchings
Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs. the
Mecha-Monkeys From Mars Pilkey
The Triple Rotten Day (It's Robert!)
Seuling
Little Bill: The Worst Day of My Life
Cosby
Young Thurgood Marshall: A Fighter for
Equality Carpenter
Japan Pluckrose
Chomp! A Book About Sharks Berger
The Grapes of Math Tang
Antarctica Fowler
Bats MacLulich
Flies Are Fascinating Wilkinson
In 1492 Marzollo
Solar System Vogt
Tell Me Why Planes Have Wings Willis
Tyrannosaurus Rex Landau
The Mud Pony Cohen
Apatosaurus Landau
Animal Tracks Dorros
Spiders Gibbons
Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Babe
Ruth Baseball Adler
Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia Parish
Rain Forest Miranda
The Big "M" Rothman
This Is My House Dorros
41 2012 billedison
Level M
Text includes more complex language, and requires reader to make interpretations; most books at
this level have greatly expanded vocabulary; many books at this level have smaller print with
narrower word spacing.
Chapter books are longer texts (60 - 100 pages) with short chapters and few pictures
Informational books are shorter with new information and text features
Includes a full range of genres with more biographies included
Text has subtle meanings that require interpretation and background knowledge
More complex and expanded plots
More complex themes (i.e., respect for difference, loneliness, independence)
Vocabulary may be introduced to create feeling or mood
Writers style may be clearly marked by use of words, sentence structure, descriptions of
characters, or humor

Text Examples: Freckle Juice, Flat Stanley, Ivy + Bean, Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid,
Matt Christopher: Man Out At First, A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass

Level M titles include:

Baby Animals Berger & Berger
The Case of the Groaning Ghost (A
Jigsaw Jones Mystery) Preller
Class President (Marvin Redpost) Sachar
Flat Stanley Brown
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Marshall
The Lamb Who Came for Dinner
Smallman
Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook
Garland
No Messin' with My Lesson (Katie Kazoo,
Switcheroo) Krulik
Oh No, It's Robert Seuling
Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food
Webs Lauber
Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me?
I Mean It!) Going to Move Viorst
The Case of the Food Fight Preller
Dancing With the Indians Medearis
How a House Is Built Gibbons
Ivy + Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go
Barrows
A New Coat for Anna Ziefert
The Penguin and the Pea Perlman
Stuart Goes to School Pennypacker
Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (Bailey
School Kids) Dadey & Jones
Tell Me How Much It Weighs Willis
Turtles Take Their Time Fowler
Five True Horse Stories Davidson
A. Lincoln and Me Borden
Journey of the Butterfly Scrace
Sounds, Light, Heat: Energy at Work Berger
Save the Rain Forests Fowler
What If You'd Met . . . Beethoven Myers
Helping Paws: Dogs That Serve Luke
I Hate English! Levine
Buddy: The First Seeing Eye Dog Moore
Gung Hay Fat Choy Behrens
The Littles Go Exploring Peterson
Yellowstone National Park Petersen
Nine True Dolphin Stories Davidson
Boom! Gutner
Jungle Jack Hanna's Safari Adventure
Probeg & Probeg
At 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Wirth
California or Bust! Stamper
Firefighters Dahlie

42 2012 billedison
Level N
Vocabulary continues to expand and go beyond readers' own experiences; variety of texts offer
readers a chance to interpret information and speculate on alternate meanings.
Chapter books are usually 100 or more pages with short chapters and memorable characters
Nonfiction titles are generally shorter and may present social issues
Topics of informational books and settings for narratives go well beyond readers personal
experiences
Complex picture books illustrate themes and build experience in character interpretation
More demand on the reader to use a variety of strategies to understand plot, theme, and new
vocabulary
Writers use devices such as irony and whimsy to create interest and communicate the nature
of characters

Text Examples: Gooney Bird Greene, The Enormous Crocodile, The Magic Finger, Julian:
Dream Doctor, Franny K. Stein, Amber Brown is Not a Crayon, Catwings, Shoeshine Girl

Level N titles include:

Blizzard of the Blue Moon (Magic Tree
House) Osborne
Brand-new School, Brave New Ruby
(Ruby and the Booker Boys) Barnes
Detective LaRue: Letters from the
Investigation Teague
I Lost My Tooth in Africa Diakite
Lunch Walks Among Us (Franny K.
Stein, Mad Scientist) Benton
The Phantom Mudder (Jack Russell: Dog
Detective) Odgers & Odgers
Sacajawea: Her True Story Milton
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
Aardema
You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber
Brown Danziger
Young Frederick Douglass: Freedom
Fighter Woods
Alfie the Apostrophe Donahue
Comic Guy: Our Crazy Class Election
Roland
Fables Lobel
Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist:
Frantastic Voyage Benton
Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan's Chinese New
Year Waters & Slovenzlow
Mice and Beans Ryan
A Spy in the White House Roy
Suitcase Walter
Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings
LeGuin
Zen Shorts Muth
Staying Healthy: Sleep & Rest McGinty
Special Olympics Kennedy
Measuring Penny Leedy
Becoming a Citizen De Capua
Working at a TV Station Davis
Wild Weather: Blizzards! Hopping
Hawks on the Clock Moriarty
Tell Me How Far It Is Willis
Let's Find Out About Money Barbaras
Endangered Animals: A New True Book
Stone
Do Tornadoes Really Twist? Berger &
Berger
Amber Brown Is Feeling Blue Danziger
Catwings Return Le Guin
A Dinosaur Named Sue Robinson
The Corn Husk Doll Schiller
The Garden on Green Street Goldish
Lily and Miss Liberty Stevens
How Is a Crayon Made? Charles
Louis Braille: The Boy Who Invented Books
for the Blind Davidson
43 2012 billedison
Level O
Longer books at this level present varied vocabulary that will require readers to interpret the
meaning of the text; texts have more sophisticated subjects and more complex sentence
structures.
Multiple characters are developed through what they say, think, and do or what others say
about them
Characters deal with everyday experiences and more serious problems such as war or death
Genres expand to include historical and science fiction
Chapter books have between fifty and two hundred pages
Text have few illustrations - usually black and white drawings or photographs
Highly complex sentences employ a wide range of punctuation necessary for understanding
the text

Text Examples: Beezus and Ramona, Night Crossing, Pippi Longstocking, The Secret Soldier:
The Story of Deborah Sampson, Miss Rumphius, Mieko and the Fifth Treasure

Level O titles include:

Amelia Earhart: Adventure in the Sky
Sabin & Mattern
Anansi Does the Impossible! An Ashanti
Tale Aardema
Clementine Pennypacker
John Philip Duck Polacco
Journey to the Volcano Palace (The
Secrets of Droon) Abbott
A Mouse Called Wolf King-Smith
Otis Spofford Cleary
Teacher's Pet (Jake Drake) Clements
What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? Fritz
You Can't Taste a Pickle with Your Ear
Ziefert
Amber Brown Is Green With Envy Mazer
Angel Child, Dragon Child Surat
Can You Fly High, Wright Brothers?
Berger & Berger
Chocolate Fever Smith
Jake Drake, Know-It-All Clements
Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye Stilton
The Patchwork Quilt Flournoy
Pinduli Cannon
Shark Lady: True Adventures of Eugenie
Clark McGovern
The Talented Clementine Pennypacker
Abraham Lincoln: Road to the White House
Brandt and Mattern
The Amazing Book of Mammal Records
Woods
Getting to Know the U.S. Presidents: James
Monroe Venezia
Growing Crystals: A True Book Squire
A Million Fish . . . More or Less McKissack
Rosa Parks: Freedom Rider Brandt and
Mattern
Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims Bulla
Stargazers Gibbons
Straightforward Science: Plant Life Riley
The Kids' Invention Book Erlbach
A Picture Book of Sojourner Truth Adler
Look What Came From Mexico Harvey
The Donner Party Olson
The Animal Shelter Mystery (Boxcar
Children) Warner
I Wonder Why Snakes Shed Their Skins
O'Neill
Flossie and the Fox McKissack
Where There Was Smoke Martinucci
Desert Life Mann

44 2012 billedison
Level P
Informational texts at this level include history and biography, enabling readers to learn how to
gain information from a variety of structures; concepts may include issues of early adolescence.
Wide variety of fiction and nonfiction
Fiction texts include novels with longer chapters
Characters are often concerned with issues related to growing up and family relationships
Settings are very detailed
Informational texts and biographies present complex ideas
Topics may be unfamiliar
Longer texts require readers to sustain interest and attention over several days
Structural complexity, theme sophistication, and necessary background experience increases

Text Examples: Encyclopedia Brown, Fantastic Mr. Fox, George's Marvelous Medicine, Justin
and the Best Biscuits in the World, Stone Fox, Thank You, Jackie Robinson, Wayside School

Level P titles include:

97 Ways to Train a Dragon (Dragon
Slayers' Academy) McMullan
Copper Kibuishi
Countdown to the Year 1000 McMullan
Da Wild, Da Crazy, Da Vinci (The Time
Warp Trio) Scieszka
Gooseberry Park Rylant
Happy Burger Ranberg & Daley
Helen Keller's Teacher Davidson
Knights of the Kitchen Table (The Time
Warp Trio) Scieszka
Kooks in the Cafeteria (Comic Guy)
Roland
Koya DeLaney and the Good Girl Blues
Greenfield
La Mariposa Jimnez
My First Book of Biographies: Great Men
and Women Every Child Should Know
Marzollo
Tar Beach Ringgold
The Hunterman and the Crocodile Diakite
The Magic School Bus and the Science
Fair Expedition Cole
The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing
Treasure (Alec Flint Super Sleuth)
Santopolo
The Talking Eggs San Souci
Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? Avi
You Can't See Your Bones with
Binoculars, A Guide to Your 206 Bones
Ziefert
A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and
Wonder Wick
Eat Your Vegetables! Drink Your Milk!
Silverstein & Nunn
Getting to Know the U.S. Presidents:
Andrew J ackson Venezia
Heroes of the Revolution Adler
Sir Cumference and the Sword in the
Cone: A Math AdventureNeuschwander
Snakes Simon
Encyclopedia Brown Carries On Sobol
26 Fairmont AvenuedePaola
The Real McCoy Towle
A Whale I s Not a Fish Berger
Shoebag James
The Eagle Has Landed Merchant
The Drum Beats On Cherrington
Weather Fleisher
I n the Rain Forest Anastasion

45 2012 billedison
Level Q
Selections contain themes to foster group discussion; relationship of illustrations to text also
offers opportunities for exploration and discussion; texts contain difficult words, some from
languages other than English.
Wide variety of fiction and nonfiction
Fiction texts include novels with longer chapters
Characters are often concerned with issues related to growing up and family relationships
Settings are very detailed
Informational texts and biographies present complex ideas
Topics may be unfamiliar
Longer texts require readers to sustain interest and attention over several days
More mature themes, focusing on problems of society as they affect children
Texts contain difficult words to solve, often including words from other languages

Text Examples: James and the Giant Peach, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Bunnicula, Dear
Mr. Henshaw, Anastasia Krupnik, Amazing Spiders

Level Q titles include:

All About Manatees Arnosky
Book Two: The Stonekeeper's Curse
(Amulet) Kiuishi
The Clue at the Bottom of the Lake
(Cabin Creek Mysteries #2) Gregory
Finding the Titanic Ballard
LaRue Across America: Postcards from
the Vacation Teague
Magic Pickle and the Planet of the Grapes
Morse
Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street
Schotter
Shrek! Steig
Stallion in Spooky Hollow (Animal Ark)
Baglio
The Tale of Anton Brown and Grace
Hopper Hart
Abby Takes a Stand McKissack
Amulet: Book One, The Stonekeeper
Kibuishi
Champ Jones
Just Juice Hesse
The Life and Times of the Peanut Micucci
Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharaohs: A
Book About Ancient Egypt Gibbons
Oggie Cooder Weeks
Punished! Lubar
You Be the Detective Miller
All About Sharks Arnosky
All About Turtles Arnosky
Can You Believe? Hurricanes Markle
Copper Tocci
Cut Down to Size at High Noon: A Math
Adventure Sundby
Food Chain Frenzy Capeci
If You Lived at the Time of the Great San
Francisco Earthquake Levine
If You Lived With the Indians of the
Northwest Coast Kamma
Oxygen Tocci
Paul Revere Sullivan
Favorite Medieval Tales Osborne
Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of
Summer Camp Strasser
Adventures of the Shark Lady McGovern
Exploring the Titanic Ballard
...If You Lived with the Cherokee Roop
Mary on Horseback Wells
American Tall Tales Osborne
Native American Art Motil
Animals of Long Ago Ring
Folktales from China Lawson
46 2012 billedison
Level R
Books in this level contain sophisticated vocabulary to challenge readers; some of the longer
chapter books require sustained reading effort over several sittings; books represent a range of
times in history.
Fiction and nonfiction texts represent a range of times in history
Wider variety of texts
Sophisticated vocabulary requires an understanding of connotative shadings of meaning
Literary devices such as simile and metaphor require background knowledge
Technical aspects of texts requires background knowledge
Mature themes include family problems, war, and death
Readers must connect concepts and themes to political and historical events or environmental
information

Text Examples: Because of Winn-Dixie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Midnight Fox,
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, Sarah, Plain and Tall, The Trouble With Tuck, Hatchet,
Hello, My Name is Scrambled Eggs, Shiloh, Strider

Level R titles include:

Clarice Bean Spells Trouble Child
The Dragon of Lonely Island Rupp
Episode Two: Invasion of the Relatives
(Julian Rodriguez) Stadler
Freedom Crossing Clark
Magic Pickle: The Full Color Graphic
Novel! Morse
Miracles on Maple Hill Sorensen
Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a
Remarkable Friendship Hatkoff & Hatkoff
& Kahumb
Sitting Down for Dr. King Ryder
What to Do About Alice? Kerley
Who Cracked the Liberty Bell? Roop &
Roop
Achoo! The Most Interesting Book You'll
Ever Read About Germs Romanek
The Island Paulsen
Julian Rodriguez, Episode One: Trash
Crisis on Earth Stadler
More Than Anything Else Bradby
Pocahontas and the Strangers Bulla
The Report Card Clements
Rules Lord
The Trumpet of the Swan White
Wackiest White House Pets Davis
When Marian Sang Ryan
Allergies Silverstein and Nunn
Can't You Make Them Behave, King
George? Fritz
Food Chains Riley
George Washington Venezia
The Great Fire Murphy
John Quincy Adams Venezia
Octopuses, Squids, and Cuttlefish Trueit
Thomas Jefferson Venezia
Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of
May? Fritz
Listening to Crickets Ranson
Brian's Winter Paulsen
The Last Princess Stanley
Lewis and Clark: In Their Own Words
Sullivan
Pigs Might Fly King-Smith
Draw Me a Story Winter
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
Fritz
A Jar of Dreams Uchida
Journey to Ellis Island Bierman
The Tortoise Shell & Other African Stories
Smith
47 2012 billedison
Level S
Selections challenge readers to make connections with previous reading and with historical
events; words present many shades of meaning that require readers' interpretation; this level
includes chapter books in a variety of genres.
Complex ideas and information
Includes a wide variety of topics and cultures
Paragraphs and sentences are complex requiring rapid and fluent reading with attention to
meaning
Requires automatic assimilation of punctuation
Chapter books include all genres with many works of historical fiction and biographies
Texts present settings from that are distant from students own experiences
Literary selections offer opportunities for readers to make connections with previously read
texts as well as historical events

Text Examples: Matilda, A Taste of Blackberries, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E.
Frankenweiler, The Great Gilly Hopkins, Journey To Jo'burg: A South African Story, Trouble
River, In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

Level S titles include:

Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean
Taylor
Confessions of a Gym-Class Dropout
Ranberg & Daley
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
Kerley
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E.
Frankweiler Konigsburg
The Good Dog Avi
The Houdini Box Selznick
Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis
Braille Freedman
Taking Sides Soto
When Women Played Baseball Hart
The Young Man and the Sea Philbrick
4 Kids in 5E & 1 Crazy Year Schwartz
Beethoven Lives Upstairs Nichol
Bluish Hamilton
A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a
Stray Martin
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup Creech
In the Shade of the Nspero Tree Bernier-
Grand
Let It Begin Here! Lexington & Concord:
First Battles of the American Revolution
Fradin
Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers Paulsen
Tru Confessions Tashjian
Abraham Lincoln Sullivan
Christopher Columbus Roop
The Civil Rights Movement in America
Landau
Light and Color Riley
Thomas Edison Sullivan
Valley Forge Ammon
Wacky Trees Riley
The Water Cycle Trueit
Ben and Me Lawson
In The Year of the Boar and Jackie
Robinson Lord
Eureka! It's Television! Bendick
In the Line of Fire: Eight Women War Spies
Sullivan
The Star Fisher Yep
The Broccoli Tapes Slepian
Earthquake! A Story of Old San Francisco
Kudlinski
Salsa Stories Delacreb
Bessie Coleman Brager
The Chicago Fire Gutner
48 2012 billedison
Level T
At this level, readers encounter a variety of nonfiction text structures; expanded vocabulary
requires readers to consider both literal and connotative meaning.
Include a variety of genres and text structures
Chapter books are long, with few illustrations
Readers need to recognize symbolism
Texts contain many sophisticate, multi-syllable words that readers will need to analyze in
terms of both literal and connotative meaning
Readers need more prior knowledge of political and historical events and about the problems
of different culture and racial groups
Themes include growing up, demonstrating courage, and experiencing hardship and
prejudice

Text Examples: Abel's Island, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Sign of the Beaver, Bridge
To Terabithia, Tracker, Sing Down the Moon

Level T titles include:

Colonial Times: 16001700 Masoff
The Dodgeball Chronicles (Knights of the
Lunch Table) Cammuso
It Only Looks Easy Swallow
Life in the Oceans: Animals, People,
Plants Baker
Mudshark Paulsen
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Red-
Headed League Hart
Smile Telgmeier
Tracker Paulsen
The Word Eater Amato
The Wright 3 Balliett
The 10 Deadliest Plants Littlefield
The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin
Giblin
Chasing Vermeer Balliett
Dirty Tricks Rodda
Drita, My Homegirl Lombard
Fair Weather Peck
Orphan Train Rider: One Boy's True
Story Warren
The Power of Un Etchemendy
Replay Creech
Something Upstairs Avi
Black Holes and Other Space Phenomena
Steele
Enemies of Slavery Adler
Land Predators of North America Swan
Life in the Rainforests Baker
Lightning Simon
Lost Star: The Story of Amelia Earhart
Lauber
A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee,
A Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia,
1859 McKissack
Seahorses, Pipefishes, and Their Kin Miller
Volcanoes Trueit
Volcanoes and Earthquakes Lauber
Sleepers, Wake Jacobs
Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of
Mount St. Helens Lauber
Under the Royal Palms Ada
Sounder Armstrong
The Girl Who Chased Sorrow Turner
Where Are the Wolves? Motil
Bonanza Girl Beatty
The Big Lie: A True Story Leitner
The Tall Tale of John Henry Neufeld
The Story of Levi's Burgan

49 2012 billedison
Level U
Books cover a breadth of topics and present specific, technical information; illustrations require
interpretation and connection to text; text requires readers to employ a wide range of reading
strategies.
Informational texts cover a wide range of topics and present specific technical information
Illustrations require interpretation and connection to the text
Narratives are complex with plots and subplots
Texts have several different themes and characters
Readers need to understand symbolism and themes which are more abstract
Creative text formats are used

Text Examples: Julie of the Wolves, The Secret Garden, Wringer, Baseball in April, Nothing But
the Truth, Number the Stars, The Watsons Go to Birmingham -1963, The BFG, Charlie Bone
and the Invisible Boy, The Tale of Desperaux

Level U titles include:

The BFG Dahl
The Calder Game Balliett
The Extraordinary Mark Twain
(According to Susy) Kerley
The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters
Grimm) Buckley
My Side of the Mountain George
Road to Revolution! Mack & Chaplin
The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's
Apprentice) Flanagan
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock
Holmes and the Blue Carbuncle Ryder
The Star Crusher (Missile Mouse) Parker
Wringer Spinelli
All of the Above Pearsall
The Adventures of Marco Polo Freedman
Creepy Creatures (Goosebumps Graphix)
Stine
Ginger Pye Estes
The Graduation of Jake Moon Park
Heaven Johnson
Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary
Novel Avi
Tangerine Bloor
African-Americans in the Thirteen Colonies
Kent
The Challenger Disaster McNeese
Count to a Million Pallotta
Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet
Tubman Sterling
The Life and Death of Stars Spangenburg
and Moser
Remember the Ladies: 100 Great American
Women Harness
September 11, 2001 Santella
The Truth About Great White Sharks Cerullo
Under the Ocean Bennett
First Ladies: Women Who Called the White
House Home Gormley
Hoang Anh: A Vietnamese-American Boy
Hoyt-Goldsmith
The Story of My Life Keller
An Indian Winter Freedman
The Secret Garden Burnett
Midnight Magic Avi
Geysers: When Earth Roars Gallant
Sir Arthur Kotsakis
Golden Games Zemanski
Great Explorations Neufeld
50 2012 billedison
Level V
Texts present complex issues and use technical language; topics are distant from students'
experience in terms of time and geographic area, and may include realistic historical information
and more difficult themes.
Biographies go beyond simple narratives to provide significant amount of historical
information and focus on harsh themes and difficult periods of history
Science fiction presents sophisticated ideas and concepts
Texts require readers to think critically
Full appreciation of the texts requires noticing aspects of the writers craft
Texts have print in a small font
Novels may be two hundred to three hundred pages long

Text Examples: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chasing Redbird, Crash, Dragonsong,
Rascal, Tom's Midnight Garden, Yolanda's Genius, The Cay, Esperanza Rising, Island of Blue
Dolphins, Old Yeller, Pictures of Hollis Woods, Tuck Everlasting, The Westing Game, Holes

Level V titles include:

The Bad Beginning (A Series of
Unfortunate Events) Snicket
Black Star, Bright Dawn O'Dell
The Capture (Guardians of Ga'hoole #1)
Lasky
The Cats in Krasinski Square Hesse
Double-Dare to Be Scared: Another
Thirteen Chilling Tales San Souci
Ghostopolis TenNapel
Heat Lupica
Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland
Martens
Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman?
McKissack & McKissack
The Titanic Kent
Becoming Naomi Len Ryan
Birdwing Martin
Desperate Journey Murphy
Ellis Island Jango-Cohen
The Fall of the Amazing Zalindas
(Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street
Irregulars) Mack
The Firework-Maker's Daughter Pullman
Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule Robinet
Foster's War Reeder
Pictures of Hollis Woods Giff
African-Americans in the Old West Gowen
The Battle of the Alamo Santella
The Boston Tea Party Stein
The California Gold Rush Stein
Color Me Dark: The Diary of Nellie Lee
Love, The Great Migration North, Chicago,
Illinois, 1919 McKissack
The Declaration of Independence Stein
Escape to Freedom: A Play About Young
Frederick Douglass Davis
An Extraordinary Life: The Story of a
Monarch Butterfly Pringle
What a Great Idea! Inventions That
Changed the World Tomecek
Women's Right to Vote Landau
Get on Board: The Story of the
Underground Railroad Haskins
How I Came to Be a Writer Reynolds Naylor
The Music of Dolphins Hesse
Alice in Wonderland Carroll
1000 Facts About Space Beasant
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Avi
Old Yeller Gipson
Under Wraps Goldfish
Eleanor Roosevelt Blevins

51 2012 billedison
Level W
Books present complex information requiring readers to employ a wide range of content
knowledge and to understand the basic organizational structures of nonfiction; topics explore the
human condition and social issues; texts vary in length; print is generally in a small font.
Themes explore the human condition
Fiction and nonfiction text present characters who suffer hardship and learn from it
Writing is sophisticated, with complex sentences, literary language, and symbolism
Text have print in a small font
Readers must have an awareness of social and political issues to comprehend texts
Fantasy and science fiction introduce heroic characters, moral questions, and contests
between good and evil
Informational texts may present complex graphic information and require a whole range of
content knowledge
Readers must understand all the basic nonfiction organizational structures
Narrative biographies include many details and prompt readers to make inferences about
what motivated the subjects achievements

Text Examples: The Skin Im In, Maniac Magee, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, A Stone in My
Hand, Year of Impossible Goodbyes, The House on Mango Street, The Phantom Tollbooth

Level W titles include:

The Great Cow Race (Bone) Smith
Houdini: The Handcuff King Lutes
I Am a Star: Child of the Holocaust
Auerbacher
Max the Mighty: A Novel Philbrick
Mind Readers: Science Examines ESP
Rudy
Numbering All the Bones Rinaldi
Stowaway Hesse
The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson & the
Olympians) Riordan
Torn Thread Isaacs
Chu Ju's House Whelan
Guilty By a Hair! Prokos
Home of the Brave Applegate
The Invention of Hugo Cabret Selznick
The Lightning Thief Riordan
Lights, Camera, Amalee Williams
Out From Boneville (Bone) Smith
Tunnels (Book 1) Gordon
Adam of the Road Gray
Dear Dr. Bell . . .Your Friend, Helen Keller
George
Extraordinary Women Scientists Stille
Extraordinary Young People Brill
G Is for Googol: A Math Alphabet Book
Schwartz
The Journal of James Edmond Pease: A
Civil War Union Soldier, Virginia, 1863
Murphy
Portraits of African-American Heroes
Bolden
Standing Tall: The Story of Ten Hispanic
Americans Palacios
You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton?
Fritz
Sea Otter Rescue: The Aftermath of an Oil
Spill Smith
From Rags to Riches Aaseng
The First Woman Doctor Baker
Through My Eyes Bridges
Buried in Ice: The Mystery of a Lost Arctic
Expedition Beattie & Geiger
Dive! Earle
The Moon Bridge Savin
52 2012 billedison
Level X
Covers increasingly mature themes, and requires extensive prior knowledge; texts are designed
to present a significant amount of new information.
Science fiction at this level incorporates technical knowledge as well as high fantasy
depicting quests and the struggle between good and evil
Readers are required to go beyond the literal meaning of the text to construct implied
meaning by a writers use of symbolism
Continuing increase in the sophistication of vocabulary, language, and topic

Text Examples: Ties that Bind, Ties that Break, Where the Red Fern Grows, The Egypt Game,
Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo

Level X titles include:

Any Small Goodness: A Novel of the
Barrio Johnston
Elijah of Buxton Curtis
Harlem Summer Myers
King George III: America's Enemy
Brooks
The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin
Hood of Korea O'Brien
The Little Prince Saint-Exupery
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P.
Figg Philbrick
O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi Martins
Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow
Sturm
Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time Yee
Antarctica: Journeys to the South Pole
Myers
A Break With Charity: A Story About the
Salem Witch Trials Rinaldi
Fight for Freedom: The American
Revolutionary War Bobrick
Four Pictures by Emily Carr Debon
A Girl Named Disaster Farmer
Millicent Min, Girl Genius Yee
Somewhere in the Darkness Myers
Storm Thief Wooding
The Usborne Book of Scientists: From
Archimedes to Einstein Reid & Fara
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Kerr
Black Eagles: African Americans in
Aviation Haskins
Buffalo Soldiers Cox
Forgotten Heroes: The Story of the Not
Guilty Sullivan
The Glory Field Myers
The Great Depression Stein
Katarina Winter
Librarian Who Measured the Earth, Vol. 1
Lasky
Nelson Mandela: No Easy Walk to Freedom
Denenberg
Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in
America Hopkinson
Within Reach: My Everest Story Pfetzer and
Galvin
One More River to Cross Haskins
Out of the Dust Hesse
Children of the Wild West Freedman
Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary van der Rol
& Verhoeven
Bully For You Teddy Roosevelt Fritz
Call It Courage Sperry
Sarah Bishop O'Dell
At Her Majesty's Request: An Africa
Princess in Victorian England Meyers
M.C. Higgins the Great Hamilton
Summer of Fire Lauber

53 2012 billedison
Level Y
Books feature similar themes to previous levels, with more explicit detail; requires critical
reading skills to evaluate the quality and objectivity of the text.
Texts have subtle themes and complex plots
Include a whole range of social problems as themes with more explicit details (e.g., details
about death or prejudice)
Texts include irony and satire, literary devices requiring readers to think beyond the literal
meaning
Fantasies are complex, depicting hero figures and heroic journeys
Readers required to discern underlying lessons and analyze texts for traditional elements

Text Examples: The Schwa Was Here, The Giver, My Brother Sam is Dead, Artemis Fowl

Level Y titles include:

All the Broken Pieces Burg
Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel Colfer
& Donkin
Bad Boy: A Memoir Myers
Children of the Dust Bowl Stanley
The Devil's Arithmetic Yolen
Jackaroo: A Novel in the Kingdom Voigt
Milkweed Spinelli
Riot Myers
Truce Murphy
Weedflower Kadohata
The Boy Who Dared Bartoletti
Geronimo Bruchac
Get On Out of Her, Philip Hall Greene
Heroes of the Holocaust Zullo
The Jumping Tree Saldaa, Jr.
Larklight Reeve
Pemba's Song: A Ghost Story Nelson &
Hegamin
Vlad the Impaler: The Real Count
Dracula Goldberg & Itzkowitz
The Yearling Rawlings
Air RaidPearl Harbor! Taylor
Davy Crockett Sullivan
Favorite Greek Myths Osborne
Hana's Suitcase Levine
Indian Chiefs Freedman
Isaac Newton Krull
Leonardo da Vinci Krull
New Kids in Town: Oral Histories of
Immigrant Teens Bode
Stars and Planets Stott
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented
the Airplane Freedman
Castle Macaulay
The Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Was Shot
Haskins
My Brother Sam Is Dead Collier & Collier
Seeing Earth from Space Lauber
Restless Spirit Partridge
Tales Mummies Tell Lauber
The Colorado River Rawlins
Blizzard! Murphy
I Am an American Stanley
Tales of Real Escape Dowswell

54 2012 billedison
Level Z
A challenge for more widely read students requiring critical reading skills; topics include
controversial social and political issues; readers experience complex examples of nonfiction
organizational structure.
Informational books deal with controversial social concepts and political issues and include
detailed historical accounts of periods less well-known
Readers learn new ways of finding technical information
Informational texts include complex examples of the basic organizational structures
Fiction texts explore a wide range of mature themes relative to the human condition
Fantasy texts present heroic quests, symbolism, and complex characters
Some texts present graphic details of hardship and violence

Text Examples: The Hunger Games, Johnny Tremain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,
Breadwinner, The Outsiders, Witness, Animal Farm, Farewell to Manzanar, The Golden
Compass, Monster, Night, The Pearl, Scorpions, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Additional Level Z titles include:

Chains Anderson
Chasing Lincoln's Killer Swanson
Countdown Wiles
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate Kelly
The Glass Menagerie Williams
The Many Rides of Paul Revere Gilbin
Stormbreaker: The Graphic Novel (Alex
Rider) Cofler
Tales from Outer Suburbia Tan
Uglies Westerfield
An American Plague: The True and
Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever
Epidemic Murphy
The Best Ghost Stories Ever Krovatin
Detective Stories Pullman
Finding My Hat Son
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Rowling
Jane Eyre Bronte
Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary
Myers
Stormbreaker: The First Alex Rider
Adventure Horowitz
The Time Machine Wells
Toning the Sweep Johnson
Bat 6 Wolff
Beyond Belief: Strange, True Mysteries of
the Unknown Steiger
The Disaster of the Hindenburg Tanaka
Flight #116 Is Down Cooney
The Greatest: Muhammad Ali Myers
Guys Write for Guys Read Scieszka
Memories of Vietnam: War in the First
Person Weiss
To Be a Slave Lester
We Shall Not Be Moved: The Women's
Factory Strike of 1909 Dash
When Plague Strikes: The Black Death,
Smallpox, AIDS Giblin
Treasure Island Stevenson
Great Escapes of World War II Sullivan
We Shall Not Be Moved Dash
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Twain
Triumph on Everest Coburn
Black Beauty Sewell
Where the River Runs Graff
The Day the Women Got the Vote Sullivan
The History of Emigration from China and
Southeast Asia Prior
City: A Story of Roman Planning and
Construction Macaulay