Below are a few questions to ask yourself as you’re looking through the shelves of your library or bookstore. They can help you find a chapter book that you’ll really enjoy.

1. What do I think of the title? Is it about something that interests me? Like baseball? Or birthday parties?
2. What do I think of the cover? Do I like the picture? If you like funny books, does it make you laugh or smile? If you like mysteries, does it make you curious?
3. Do I want to read more stories from the same author? Do I want to try a new author? If you want to read more Ivy and Bean, stick with Annie Barrows. If you like Ivy and Bean, but you want to try something a bit different, maybe you could look up Barbara Park’s Junie B. Jones or Megan McDonald’s Judy Moody. Both of these authors bring the funny.
4. If you’re looking for a book on your reading level at school, have you ever tried the 5-finger rule?

 

~Pick a page in the middle of the story.

~Hold one hand up while you read the page.

~For each word you don’t know, hold one finger up.

~When you come to the end of the page, if you have only 1 finger up, that book may be too easy, more of a fun, vacation book. If you have 2-3 fingers up, that book sounds just right for you. If you have 4 fingers up, that book is extremely challenging. If you have 5 fingers up, you should save that book for another time.

 

These are just a few tips to help you find that next chapter book you can’t put down until the very last word!!

 

Happy reading!

Amberly