Best Books for Beginning Readers [Paperback]

Thomas G. Gunning (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 30, 1997 | ISBN-10: 020526784X | ISBN-13: 978-0205267842 | Edition: 1

Best Books for Beginning Readers provides a descriptive listing of more than 1,000 high quality books that are especially appropriate for novice readers. Books are listed according to eight levels of difficulty ranging from emergent or very beginning reading level through beginning second grade level. Carefully graded on the basis of both subjective and objective factors, the listing allows teachers, parents, and librarians to select books that are on the appropriate level of difficulty for students in the beginning stages of reading. Books selected include both classics and recent releases. Annotations include a brief summary of the book, suggested interest level, and the theme or subject of the book. Best Books for Beginning Readers emphasizes matching children with books on the basis of interests and reading ability. A Primary Reading Placement Inventory is provided to assist teachers in estimating reading levels of novice readers. The levels indicated by the Primary Reading Placement Inventory correspond with the annotated list of books, so that, for example, a student who achieves a Beginning B level would most likely do best with books listed as a Beginning B level. Carefully validated with novice readers, the Primary Reading Placement Inventory was created specifically for this book. Also included is the Primary Readability Index, which is designed to estimate the difficulty level of beginning reading books. With this easy-to-implement tool, teachers can estimate the readability of books not included in Best Books for Beginning Readers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Often parents, teachers, and day care providers struggle to find appropriate books for their beginning readers. They desire the efficiency an annotated volume of titles can provide. This book is the answer to their question, "What should they read?" This book provides descriptive listings for over 1,000 high-quality books that are especially appropriate for novice readers. Books are listed according to eight levels of difficulty, ranging from emergent or very beginning reading level through the start of second grade. The listing allows readers to select books that are on the appropriate level and includes selections from the classics as well as recent releases. A perfect resource for parents, teachers, day care providers, and librarians. ALongwood Professional Book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 1 edition (July 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 020526784X
• ISBN-13: 978-0205267842
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,771,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tom Gunning holds a doctorate in the Psychology of Reading from Temple University and is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Reading/Language Arts Department, Central Connecticut State University. He is Professor Emeritus, Southern Connecticut State University, and has been a secondary English teacher and an elementary school reading consultant. He has written several textbooks on the teaching of reading, including: Developing Higher-Level Literacy in All Students, Allyn & Bacon, 2008; Closing the Literacy Gap, Allyn & Bacon, 2006; Creating Literacy Instruction for All Students 7th Ed., Allyn & Bacon, 2010; Assessing and Correcting Reading and Writing Difficulties,4th Ed., Allyn & Bacon, 2010, and Creating Literacy Instruction for All Students in Grades 4-8, 2nd Ed., Allyn & Bacon, 2010. He is also the author of Word Building, a Response to Intervention Program (Phoenix Learning Resources) for students with decoding problems. His latest books are Building Struggling Students Higher Level Literacy: Practical Ideas, Powerful Solutions (International Reading Association), which he co-edited with Jim Collins, and Reading Comprehension Boosters: 100 Lessons for Building Higher-Level Literacy, which is published by Jossey-Bass.