How can parents help their children find books that are not "too hard" and not "too easy" but instead are "just right"? Here's some advice...
Five finger rule
Choose a book that you think you will enjoy.
Read the second page.
Hold up a finger for each word you are not sure of, or do not know.
If there are five or more words you did not know, you should choose an easier book.
Still think it may not be too difficult? Use the five finger rule on two
more pages. Choose a book that is a good fit for you!
Read two or three pages and ask yourself these questions:
Will it be an easy, fun book to read?
Do I understand what I am reading?
Do I know almost every word?
When I read it aloud, can I read it smoothly?
Do I think the topic will interest me?
If most of your answers were "yes", this will be an easy book
to read independently by yourself.
Will this book be too hard for me?
Are there five or more words on a page that I don't know, or am unsure of?
Is this book confusing and hard to understand by myself?
When I read it aloud, does it sound choppy and slow?
If most of your answers were "yes," this book is too hard. You should
wait a while before you read this book. Give the book another try later,
or ask an adult to read the book to you.
Rogers, K. (2008). Selecting Books for Your Child: Finding 'Just Right' Books. Retrieved November 7, 2008, from www.readingtogether.org.