My daughter, like many other school children, is required to read at home each night for 20 minutes.  Over the years we’ve struggled with finding a book that is the right level for her to read independently. It is very important to find a book the right level, because if a book is too hard, your child will get frustrated and give up. If this happens often, she may start to dislike reading.

A few years ago, I read about a very simple, one-minute test for finding out if a book is the right level. It is called the five-finger test, and you can use it anywhere—a bookstore, the library, at home.  Simply open the book to any page in the middle. It works best if it is a full page, not the half page you might find at the beginning of a chapter. Have your child start reading the page out loud to you. Each time she doesn’t know a word or says a word incorrectly, hold up one finger. If you get to five fingers before she finishes the page, the book is too difficult for her to read independently right now.

If she doesn’t make any mistakes, the book might be the right level or it might be too easy. Before you settle on a book, you may want to have your child try a slightly harder one. Of course, it is always fun to reread an old favorite, even if it is a bit too easy. Happy reading!