Choosing a Book
Background Information & Activities

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Choosing a book is an important skill that children need to become good readers. Children who find a book that’s just right for them are able to engage with the text without becoming mired by difficult words or concepts. This allows them to be free to ask questions, make predictions and inferences, and make connections to their own experiences. Remind your child that finding a book that is just right can be difficult and they should not feel discouraged if they think a book is too hard. Not every book is appropriate for everyone.

Book recommendations can come from teachers, family members, librarians, booksellers, and friends. We recommend watching the Library movie together as a review. Many classes participate in book clubs where students can swap books or have exposure to a wide range of books. Children learning at home can find book reviews written by other children online. Even children’s magazines offer book suggestions for different reading levels. Encourage your children to think of sources where he or she can learn about good books.

There are several ways your child can figure out if a book is just right for them. The first thing they can do is look at the title and cover. Does the title seem interesting? Most of the time, there is a summary on the back of the book or inside the book jacket. This summary provides information about the book’s subject and voice. Does the summary pique your child’s interest? Your child may enjoy books in a specific genre, such as suspense, mystery, or fantasy. Explain that libraries and bookstores divide their books based on genre and if they don’t have a title in mind, they can simply browse an area. Sometimes children become engrossed in a voluminous series and you may agonize over how to broaden their interests. Don’t worry too much, children will move to something new when they lose interest and that may be a good time to introduce a new author or genre.

Your child can also take a Picture Walk through the book by flipping through the pages and looking at the pages. Do the pictures seem interesting and engaging? After they find a book, the next step is to determine if the book is the right level.

The Five Finger Test is a quick way to determine the difficulty of a book. If you child finds five words that are too difficult for them on one page, then chances are the book is above their level. If your child finds no difficult words, then there is a good chance that the book is below their level. However, this does not mean the book is not appropriate. Your child can also read a page aloud to test the reading level. If he or she can read it smoothly then the book is most likely appropriate. Your child can also test the reading level by reading a page and trying to retell what happened in his or her own words. If they cannot summarize the page, the book may be above level.

Remind your child of the Goldilocks Rule—find a book that is not too hard, not too easy, but just right.

Choosing a Book Teacher Activities – Click Here!

Choosing a Book Family Activities – Click Here!

Choosing a Book Teacher Activities

© 1999-2010 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Book Swap

Have your students bring in old books and trade with each other. Students can browse the books and test to see if it interests them and is the appropriate reading level. Lead students through a Picture Walk and have student volunteers explain why or why not the book interests them. Help students quietly read aloud a page and count difficult words for the Five Finger Test. You can break up students into pairs and have them retell a page from the book to each other.

Cover to Cover

Have students make their own book jackets for their favorite books. Show students how to make book covers using paper bags and then have them decorate the front. Remind them to add the title and the author’s name. Then have students write a book summary on the back. Explain that summaries tell the big events of a story without giving away too much. If necessary, go through sample book summaries together. Collect the books on one bookshelf so students can share their book jackets.

Reading Campaign

Start a reading campaign at your school. Have your students create posters and pamphlets to pass out to students, teachers, and staff at the school. The handouts should explain the importance of reading and tips on how to find books. Students can design posters that teach how to use the Five Finger Test. If possible, organize a local writer to come to your class or school and have a reading or book-signing as part of your Reading Campaign.

Genre Baskets

Have students learn categorizing skills by sorting classroom library books into different shelves or baskets according to genre. Students can decorate index cards to make labels for each genre, which can then be laminated and affixed.

Choosing a Book Family Activities

© 1999-2010 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Book List

Have your child ask friends and family members about their favorite books. They can talk about why they like the book and why it is different from other books. Discuss the topic, the author, and the time it was written. Have your child record these books in a booklist that he or she can revisit from time to time. Some of these books maybe above their reading level now, but in the near future they will find that the books will be just right.

Meet an Author

Many local bookstores and cafes have readings and book-signings from writers. Take your child to a reading and meet an author. If possible, meet the author and have your child ask about the author’s favorite books. Would your child like to be an author one day? What would he or she write about? Help your child keep a notebook of ideas for stories, poems, and books.

Five Finger Test

Together, find a book that is slightly above reading level for your child. Have him or her read a page aloud and try to retell what happened in the story. Then have him or her perform the Five Finger Test and write down words that he or she does not know. Together, think of ways to learn the meanings of the new words. Can they use context clues and figure out the meaning of the words using the words around it? Is there a glossary in the back of the book? Can you look it up together in a print or online dictionary?