Criteria for Choosing Books

This is how students are taught to choose books independently in the classroom. Students can use this criteria when choosing books to read at home or from the library.

B- Book Length-Is this length too little, just right, or too much?

O-Ordinary Language-Does it make sense and sound like talk?

O-Organization-How is the book structured?

K-Knowledge Prior to Book-What do I already know about this topic, this book, or this author?

M-Manageable Text-Are the words too easy, just right, or too hard?

A-Appeal to Genre-What is the genre and do I know this genre?

T-Topic Appropriateness-Am I comfortable with the topic of this book?

C-Connection-Can I relate and make a connection to another book or real life experience?

H-High-Interest-Am I interested in finding out more?

BOOKMATCH: How to Scaffold Student Book Selection for Independent Reading, Wutz and Wedwick (2008)

The "Five Finger Rule"-This rule applies specifically to "M" or manage text. It will help your student determine if the words in a book are too hard.

1. Have your child read the first two pages of a book.

2. For each word the child doesn't know, put up one finger.

3. At the end of the two pages, see how many fingers are raised.

4. If the child has less than 5 fingers raised, the book is good choice.

5. If the child has more than 5 fingers raised...the book is too hard for him or her to read alone. It may be a good choice for you to read aloud to the child.

Illinois Reading Council Journal, 2004.

On a similar note, if the words are too easy for your child, he or she should find a book that is more challenging. If he or she is rushing through the words, with little trouble, then the text may be too easy.

What Good Readers Do

If you get stuck...give it a try!

Think about the story.
What would make sense there?

Get your mouth ready to say the word.

Go back and get a running start.

Chunk it! Use your finger(s) to find word parts that you know.

Try again.

Skip-it and read on.
What would make sense there?

Use the picture clues.

Now ask yourself...
                Does it make sense?

                Does it sound right?

                Does it look right?