Allen Media Center: Just Right Books

What Makes A Book "Just Right?"

In Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Goldilocks finds a bowl of porridge, a chair and a bed that is "just right" for her. Books can be just right too!

Easy Books

1. The book is short
2. The print is big
3. You have read the book before
4. You know all the words in the book
5. The book has lots of pictures
6. The book is boring

Difficult Books

1. The book is long
2. The print is small
3. There aren't many pictures in the book
4. There are a lot of words that you can't figure out
5. There's no one to help you if you get stuck
6. You don't know much about this subject

Just Right Books

1. The book looks interesting
2. You can figure out most of the words in the book
3. Your media specialist has read this book aloud to you
4. You have read other books by this author
5. There is someone to give you help if you need it
6. You know something about this subject

The Five-Finger Rule

While reading the first page of a book, count the words you don't know on your fingers. If there are five or more, the book is too hard for now. Read that book with your mom or dad, or come back to it later. Read more about the Five-Finger Rule here.

Reading is Thinking

While you read, ask yourself questions. Do you understand what's going on? Can you make predictions about what might happen next? If you're having trouble, even if you can read the words, this book may be too difficult. Read more about comprehension here.

Just Right Books Are Books You Like

Don't just read a book because it's at your level. Does the book look interesting to you? Do you want to know more about the topic? Of course, we always suggest you take a risk and try something new. You might like it after all!