Children's Books & Vocabulary Targets

Amos and Boris by William Steig

Lexile Level: AD920L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.7

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.8

4th Grade

• flung
• passenger
• necessities

5th Grade

• ambitions
• privilege
• overwhelmed

6th Grade

• leisurely
• conference
• immense

Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller

Lexile Level: AD600L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 4.5

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 4.7

1st Grade

• proud

2nd Grade

• mutter

4th Grade

• suppose
• grateful
• prefer

5th Grade

• reflect
• stunned
• frantically

A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon

Lexile Level: AD610L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 4.7

3rd Grade

• announce
• disappear (appear)
• examine
• heaping
• relieve
• specialist

4th Grade

• huddle
• contagious
• disaster
• extraordinary (ordinary)
• fret
• mumble
• plump
• recognize
• sprout

5th Grade

• impress
• vanish
• weird

6th Grade

• distract

Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson

Lexile Level: AD460L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 1.8

2nd Grade

• cover

3rd Grade

• achy
• moan
• sip
• shiver
• celebrate

4th Grade

• huddled
• fetch
• soothes

5th Grade

• wheezes
• coax

Emotions & Character Traits

• weak
• miserable
• lively

Author Website http://www.karmawilson.com/books/bear/sick.htm

Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

Lexile Level: AD520L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 2.2

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 2.9

2nd Grade

• soundly (sound)

3rd Grade

• frown
• mutters

4th Grade

• doze
• fade

5th Grade

• bustles
• hoist
• plods
• stomp
• stoop
• tidy
• toils
• trudge

Author Website http://www.karmawilson.com/books/bear/staysup.htm

Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes

Lexile Level: 570L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.1

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.2

2nd Grade

• pleasant (please)
• rarely

3rd Grade

4th Grade

• disguise
• remarks

5th Grade

• diagonally
• miniature
• personal

6th Grade

• duplicate

Scholastic Resources http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/book.jsp?id=322

Kevin Henkes' website http://kevinhenkes.com/

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Lexile Level: AD570L

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 6.0

1st Grade

• longingly (long)

2nd Grade

• pleasant (please)

3rd Grade

• dreadful

4th Grade

• appreciate

5th Grade

• envious
• informed
• scarcely

6th Grade

• trifle
• wilted

Not Listed

• fascinating

Kevin Henkes' website http://kevinhenkes.com/

Cinderella Penguin or the Little Glass Flipper by Janet Perlman

Lexile Level: 680L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 4.6

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.2

3rd Grade

• squarely
• attention

4th Grade

• admiring
• magnificent
• glanced

5th Grade

• tatters
• vain

6th Grade

• transformed
• posing
• marvelled

National Film Board of Canada Video of Cinderella Penguin This unnarrated video can be used as students retell the story they have read with you. http://www.nfb.ca/film/the_tender_tale_of_cinderella_penguin

CLICK, CLACK, MOO Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

Lexile Level: AD470L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 1.3

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 2.9

2nd Grade

• decide
• gather

3rd Grade

• impossible
• problem
• strike

4th Grade

• emergency
• exchange
• snoop

5th Grade

• demand
• furious
• neutral
• sincerely

Not Listed

• boring
• ultimatum

Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague

Lexile Level: 730L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 6.0

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 6.0

3rd Grade

• disturb

4th Grade

• melodramatic (drama)
• moderate
• prevented

5th Grade

• constantly

6th Grade

• barren
• endured
• neglected
• retrieve

Not Listed

• queasy

How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky

Lexile Level: AD570L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 2.6

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.7

1st Grade

• fire

2nd Grade

• pleasure (please)

3rd Grade

• argue
• autograph
• complain
• hire

4th Grade

• amaze
• discouraged
• embarassed
• frustrating
• organize
• postmaster
• solve
• steep

5th Grade

• jealous

6th Grade

• suspense
• fright

Not Listed

• ringmaster
• surefooted

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French

Lexile Level: 390L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 1.2

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.3

2nd Grade

• decide

3rd Grade

• discover
• offer

4th Grade

• receive

5th Grade

• available
• demand
• occasionally
• resistant

6th Grade

• evident
• invade

Jennifer and Josephine by Bill Peet

Lexile Level: AD980L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 5.3

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.8

2nd Grade

• alarmed

3rd Grade

• rude
• deserted

4th Grade

• startled
• desperate
• skid

5th Grade

• rickety
• catastrophe
• furious (fury)
• flimsy
• frantic
• plunge

6th Grade

• frenzy

Bill Peet's website http://www.billpeet.net/pages/jennifer.htm

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

Lexile Level: 600L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.0

2nd Grade

• semi-circle (circle)

3rd Grade

• amuse
• disturb

4th Grade

• cooperate
• express
• privacy
• stroll

5th Grade

• demonstrate
• fabulous
• furious (fury)

6th Grade

Not Listed

• volunteer

Kevin Henkes' website http://kevinhenkes.com/

Listen Buddy by Helen Lester

Lexile Level: 520L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 2.8

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 3.7

2nd Grade

• gather
• sprinkle

3rd Grade

• bundle
• sniff
• warned

4th Grade

• permission
• stalk

5th Grade

• snarl

6th Grade

• ponder
• scruffy

Emotions & Character Traits

• frustrated
• inattentive
• obedient

Mary McLean and the St Patrick's Day Parade by Steven Kroll

Lexile Level: --

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: --

Flesch-Kincaid Index: --

3rd Grade

• puzzled
• repair

4th Grade

• capture
• consider
• crouch
• drape
• exhausted
• glance
• huddle
• imagine
• laborer
• steep
• tramp

5th Grade

• collapse
• fringe
• linger
• marvelous
• mischeivous
• scoff

Me First by Helen Lester

Lexile Level: 550L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.6

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 3.6

1st Grade

• pushy

2nd Grade

• decide
• march
• finish
• wise

3rd Grade

• bend
• crowed
• delicious
• distance
• notice
• serious
• wise

4th Grade

• plump
• imagination
• whimpered

5th Grade

• pricked
• cackled
• privilege
• concerning

Meanwhile... by Jules Feiffer

Lexile Level: 570L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 4.7

1st Grade

• ducking

3rd Grade

• dash

4th Grade

• scene
• situation

5th Grade

• clenched
• scrawl

6th Grade

• ferocious
• request

Not Listed

• infested
• maneuvered

The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff

Lexile Level: AD860L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.7

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 4.7

3rd Grade

• voyage

4th Grade

• ashamed
• commotion
• epidemic
• grieve
• immigrant
• impression
• interpreter
• tattered

Not Listed

• enchanted
• chaos
• din
• plead

Pamela Camel by Bill Peet

Lexile Level: AD1070L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 6.2

4th Grade

• awkward
• glare
• snickering
• teeter

5th Grade

• frantic
• gratitude
• insult
• procession
• swarming
• triumph

Not Listed

• aloof
• terrified

The Penguin and the Pea by Janet Perlman

AD801L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 5.6

Flesch-Kincaid Index: --

3rd Grade

• complain
• discomfort (comfort)
• shelter
• weary

4th Grade

• accepted
• suspicious

5th Grade

• delicate
• genuine
• gushed

6th Grade

• intrigued

Not Listed

• grubby
• imposter

The Rain Came Down by David Shannon

Lexile Level: 550L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 1.8

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 3.9

2nd Grade

• deliver
• grocer

3rd Grade

• argue
• shimmer
• taxi
• traffic

4th Grade

• squirmed

5th Grade

• barber
• grumbled
• gutter
• ruckus
• shimmered
• yowled

Not Listed

• bickering
• windshield

Score One for the Sloths by Helen Lester

Lexile Level: 610L

3rd Grade

• content
• recite
• slumber

4th Grade

• exhausted
• mumble
• munch
• nudged

5th Grade

• amble
• custodian
• drawl
• dusk
• fidget
• impressive

6th Grade

• occasionally
• pacing

Helen Lester's website http://www.helenlester.com/

Sherman Crunchley by Laura Numeroff and Nate Evans

Lexile Level: AD600L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.3

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.0

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

• complain
• reminding
• several
• replied
• relief
• gasped
• fainted

4th Grade

• admired
• foreign
• mumbled
• creating

5th Grade

• confession

6th Grade

• decorating
• miserable
• retired
• distract

Sitting Ducks by Michael Bedard

Lexile Level: --

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: --

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 6.8

2nd Grade

• wandered

3rd Grade

• delighted

4th Grade

• awkward
• rescue
• steady

5th Grade

• decoy
• emerge
• vigorously

6th Grade

• pondered

Not Listed

• bewildered
• colossal
• diner

Stickeen by John Muir, as retold by Donnell Rubay

Lexile Level: AD810L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.1

4th Grade

• astride (stride)
• forbidding

5th Grade

• drenched
• independent
• plunge

6th Grade

• caress
• despair
• persuaded

Not Listed

• aloof
• crevasse

Terrific by Jon Agee

Lexile Level: 510L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 2.1

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 3.5

3rd Grade

• drift

4th Grade

• diagram
• secure
• nasty
• rescue
• damage
• expect
• hauled
• immediately

5th Grade

• devoured
• permanently
• connect

6th Grade

• stranded

The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas

Lexile Level: 700L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 5.1

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.5

4th Grade

• crumbled
• prowling
• scent
• swayed
• trembling

5th Grade

• determined
• scorched

6th Grade

• fragile
• reinforced (enforce)
• slurry (slur)

There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Frog by Lucille Colandro

Lexile Level: AD240L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 2

Flesch-Kincaid Index: --

1st Grade

• gain

2nd Grade

• hide

3rd Grade

• mistake

4th Grade

• pardon
• moisture (moist)*

5th Grade

• conceal*

Emotions & Character Traits

• embarrassed
• confused/preplexed (in a fog)
• foolish
• apologetic

Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco

Lexile Level: 630L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 4.8

2nd Grade

• brave

4th Grade

• instant
• horizon
• strode

5th Grade

• overcome
• surveyed
• creased
• slit
• rumbled

6th Grade

• sultry

Emotions & Character Traits

• fearful
• confident
• calm

Toad by Ruth Brown

Lexile Level: --

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.1

Flesch-Kincaid Index:

1st Grade

• careless (care)

3rd Grade

• bitter
• clammy
• monstrous

4th Grade

• clumsy
• foul
• oozing
• sluggish
• stumble
• trundle
• waddle

5th Grade

• filthy
• self-confident (confident)
• trudge

6th Grade

• gooey
• mucky
• odorous
• septic
• venomous

Where's the Big Bad Wolf? by Eileen Christelow

Lexile Level: 520L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 2.7

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 3.8

3rd Grade

• framed
• mutter
• tender

4th Grade

• rescue

5th Grade

• flimsy
• mischief
• rascal

6th Grade

• elderly
• scoundrel

Not Listed

• delectable

Wolf! by Becky Bloom

Lexile Level: AD340L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 4.7

3rd Grade

• ached
• satisfied
• bothering

4th Grade

• peered
• budge
• concentrate
• educated
• tucked
• admire

5th Grade

• ignore
• impressed
• splendid

The Wump World by Bill Peet

Lexile Level: 1000L

Scholastic Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2

Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.6

2nd Grade

• winding

4th Grade

• broad
• loom
• pollute
• timid

5th Grade

• gape
• stagger

6th Grade

• population
• turmoil
• wary