There is no such thing as a child who
hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right
book.” – Frank Serafini
The golden question is, 😏 how do i know what my child will read? Since there is no way of determining by the level indicated on a book, a reading level can only be considered as a suggestion. Readability of a book, often refers to what words a child can recognize and/or sound out, but is not necessarily an indicator of what a child comprehends. In other words, just because a child can say a word doesnt mean he knows what he is saying , and when looking for books, we need to put this in mind.
Did you know, children listen on a much higher level than they read themsleves. Did you also know that a books readability does not take into account any motivations for reading? A book written " on a level" that holds no interest to a child will be much less pleasurable than a book that speaks to a child. The behavioral consequences of reading a book at a level that holds no motivating force will be the same as that of an overly difficult book: a reading turn-off. If a child is higly motivated to experience a book that is above their level, they will likely seek help in comprehension by asking another reader or by applying strategies such as guessing from context or using a dictionary (which is something that we should encourage). If the child can successfully find that help, the book will in fact be readable and also stretch their vocabulary, word skills, and attention span. and if your highly capable child chooses a low level book, perhaps they will be using it toward higher-level motivations such as integration and invention, or maybe she just needs a reading ego boost or is reading purely for entertainment (so please dont discourage them).
The danger of relying on levels occurs more often when the level indicates the book is below a
reader. this nasty attitude separates the reader from the artist and serves the reader poorly. The process of leveling usually displaces picture books from the hands and hearts of older readers (includiing adults), even though an excellent picture book can model the highest forms of narrative and visual art.The more exposure to a print a child experiences, the more likely it is that he will be able to read well. Trust that an enjoyable quantity of quality chidren's books at a variety of levels should yield favorable test results. The key is basing selections on your own child's motivations .
Reading levels may indeed be useful suggestions when trying to find materials for children with special and frustrating reading challenges such as dyslexia or word recall problems. Reading levels are also useful for children in the midst of emergent literacy. These children learn sight words and gain confidence from the repetitions and controlled vocabulary found in early reading books. But children who have advanced beyond emergent literacy should not have anything further to prove outside of the sustained motivation to read, which we , as adults, are in part responsible for cultivating, and which all books potentially can fertilize. Too much attention to book levels can create unnecessary dependency on others to determine appropriateness of material. Nobody knows your child better than you do, except maybe your child, so there's your expert consultant.
You can encourage children to seek help as they read, you can read aloud to children, you can use reading to share in the thoughts and lives of others. When you look at reading as an experience in which there is a constant flow of support, communication, even socialization, as i have suggested, levels fall into perspective.
The bottom line is, dont let somebody else's way of determining your a reading system define 
your child, and dont let reading levels level your child's love of reading.
Feel free to air your views. Do you think telling your children no or yes to a book affects them? how do you determine what your child is reading?
Remember that INSPIRE library is here to help. We have books of all ages and we work with your child to help them love reading
The Librarian
credits to Esme Codel for her wonderful thoughts on reading .
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