Have you taken the "Five Finger Test" yet?

So you've decided you want read some good books this summer.

You are at the library or a bookstore and you can't decide on a good book. It's easy when we are at school and you know your AR "comfort level" that I put on the back of your library card.  But the library and book stores don't put AR levels on their books like our school library does.

So what should you do?

Take the Five Finger Test.

1. First, choose the book you think you would like to read.
2. Open the book to the middle, choosing a page with a lot of text (words) and very few pictures.
3. Begin to read the page to yourself. Don't just "read in your head". Actually whisper read to yourself, so you can hear if you begin to have difficulty.
4. As you are reading, hold up one finger each time you read a word you don't know or have difficulty pronouncing.
5. If none or one of your fingers are up before you get to the end of the page, this book might be too easy for you.
If you have 2-4 fingers are up before you get to the end of the page, this book may be just right.
If all five of your fingers are in the air before you get to the end of the page, then this book is probably too difficult for you right now. It's best to put this book back and try it again in a few months.

Hopefully this "test" is one that will help you find that book that is on your "comfort level".