Oh No! This Book Is Way Too Advanced

When it comes to selecting higher reading level books for classroom libraries, many teachers have a problem.

How do you find a high-interest book that is above fourth or fifth grade reading level that is still appropriate for advanced elementary school students?  Many parents and teachers have expressed concern about the mature content of some YA fiction and are unsure what their younger, more advanced readers should read.

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Helpful Tips

1.  Read each book before it is added to your classroom library.  This does take some time, but this is the only way to ensure that a book is appropriate for each student.  Guided reading books that are used with students to teach lessons are read before reading lessons.  This is not often the case with books that are added to classroom libraries.

2.  Stick with a few trusted authors.  Authors often follow a particular style and often keep the same characters.  Although it is not always guaranteed, this is a way to increase the chance that a book with be a good fit for your class.

3.  Read reviews.  It is now so much easier to find out what other readers think about a book.  If a book is too socially mature for a student, you will increase your chances of finding out.